Genetic algorithms for the identification of soil water content profiles from time-domain reflectometry traces

We developed a unidimensional microwave propagation model in a stratified medium. It calculates, from a given soil water content profile, the reflected signal trace one would measure by timedomain reflectometry along a transmission line inserted in the soil. We identify the soil water content profile corresponding to a measured reflected signal trace using an identification technique based on optimisation of the model parameters by a genetic algorithm. ((C) Academie des sciences/Elsevier, Paris.).