A system is provided. The system includes a conveyor apparatus configured for conveying a material and a water content measurement system positioned about the conveyor apparatus for determining water content in the material. A dimension characteristic measurement system for detecting one or more dimension characteristics of the material is provided and a computer device is configured to manipulate data received from the water content measurement system and the dimension characteristic measurement system to determine a water content of the material.

A device (12) for measuring the water content of the ground, vegetation and snow, comprises: at least one first module (20) adapted to measure a flow of cosmic rays incident to the ground; at least one second module (40) adapted to measure an ambient neutron flow; and a control unit (60) connected to said at least one first module (20) and said at least one second module (40). The control unit (60) is adapted to process the measurements of said at least one first module (20) and said at least one second module (40) to determine the measurement of the water content.

Moisture content in a sample material undergoing elemental activation analysis (EAA) is determined. The sample material contains a sample element which during EAA forms an activation product. A reference material, distinct from the sample element, is positioned in vicinity of the sample material. The reference material contains a reference element having a thermal neutron capture cross-section. The reference material is selected such that its product isotope of a thermal neutron capture reaction is a radioisotope that emits gamma-rays. The sample material and the reference material are irradiated with a source of fast neutrons to produce thermal neutrons in the sample material. Signals are generated representative of detected gamma-rays emitted from the reference material. A factor, R, proportional to the thermal neutron flux, is calculated based on the generated signals. From a relationship relating moisture content to R, the moisture content in the sample material is determined.

A local area cosmogenic neutron sensor is used for detecting moisture within a measurement surface. A neutron detector is positioned on a stand structure holding the detector above a measurement surface. A moderator material and neutron shield are positioned around at least a portion of the neutron detector. The neutron shield substantially covers lateral sides and an entirety of a top of the neutron detector and is not positioned on a bottom side of the neutron detector. A second neutron shield is positioned below the neutron detector and in a path of neutron travel between the measurement surface and the neutron detector to substantially block neutrons from reaching the neutron detector.

A system is provided. The system includes a conveyor apparatus configured for conveying a material and a water content measurement system positioned about the conveyor apparatus for determining water content in the material. A dimension characteristic measurement system for detecting one or more dimension characteristics of the material is provided and a computer device is configured to manipulate data received from the water content measurement system and the dimension characteristic measurement system to determine a water content of the material.

Systems and methods for measuring the content of an element in a soil comprises: a neutron source for irradiating the soil with neutrons; a detector assembly configured to detect an INS gamma spectrum of the soil; an instrument for measuring a moisture content of the soil; and a processor in communication with the detector assembly, the processor configured to: apply a moisture calibration coefficient to calculate a net peak area of a characteristic peak of the element in the INS gamma spectrum, the moisture calibration coefficient calculated to account for the moderation of fast neutrons by hydrogen atoms of water present in the irradiated soil at the location under analysis; and generate a concentration of the element in the soil. The instrument for measuring a moisture content of the soil may comprise the detector assembly. Systems and methods incorporating a temperature-controlled housing for the gamma detector assembly are also provided.

A system is provided. The system includes a conveyor apparatus configured for conveying an asphalt material and an asphalt cement measurement system positioned about the conveyor apparatus for determining asphalt cement content in the material. A dimension characteristic measurement system for detecting one or more dimension characteristics of the material is provided and a computer device is configured to manipulate data received from the asphalt cement measurement system and the dimension characteristic measurement system to determine an asphalt cement percentage (AC %) of the material.