VIS-NIR - Spectrophotometer - Shank

Rapid Collection of High Quality Soil VIS-NIR Data On-The-Go

At the heart of the VIS-NIR system is the optical shoe—the soil-engaging part of the shank. On the bottom of the shoe is a nitrite-hardened wear plate containing a sapphire window. Inside the intricately machined housing is a tungsten halogen bulb that illuminates the soil through the window, and an optic that directs reflected light into a fiber-optic cable for transmission to the spectrometer. Internal shutters automatically actuate every 15 minutes to collect dark and reference spectra—a critical step in assuring data quality.

Preparing the path for the optical shoe is a 20” (51 cm) fluted coulter which slices through field residue and cuts a slit in the soil, followed by the heavy-duty shank. Its replaceable point provides a smooth, firm furrow at a consistent depth—adjustable from 1.5 to 4 inches (38 to 102 mm). Reflectance measurements are acquired through a sapphire window on the bottom of the shoe gliding along this slot. This design provides a dust-free optical path and is self-cleaning.

The VIS-NIR shoe has a parallel linkage design so it follows ground contours precisely, and a toggle-trip design offers protection against rocks and other field obstacles. Covering disks bring loose soil over the slot, leaving the field smooth and level.

The implement can be configured as a 3-point tractor mounted unit, or equipped with a front tongue in a pull-type mode. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) coulter-electrodes are optional, allowing EC data to be recorded in the same file as the spectral data.

The control and data acquisition software included with the system make VIS-NIR data collection as easy as possible. The user-friendly program directs the operator through system calibration, data acquisition, initial data processing, and sampling. It alerts the operator to any malfunctions, preventing inadvertent collection of erroneous data—and protecting your investment by shutting the system down if component humidity or temperature exceed safe thresholds. Because soil samples are critical for calibrating spectral data, the software compresses and clusters the data using principal components analysis, and establishes sampling locations that should optimize calibrations. A map of the field and sample sites appears, and allows the operator to navigate to the sites.

 

Changing the spectrometers from the probe to the shank takes just a few minutes—allowing you to do profile investigations and field mapping with the same spectrometers.