Tuesday, November 14, 2006
182-3

Simulation of Water Distribution Under Drip Irrigation with Artificial Neural Network.

Naftali Lazarovitch1, Mary Poulton1, Alex Furman2, and Arthur Warrick3. (1) University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210038, Tucson, AZ 85721, (2) Soil, Water, & Enviromental Sci., Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel, (3) Univ. Of Arizona, Soil & Wtr Sci.Dep, 1200 E South Campus Dr., Tucson, AZ 85721

We explore three options to predict subsurface water distribution from trickle emitters using artificial neural networks.  The first step is to prepare input-output databases from a numerical model (HYDRUS-2D).  From the database we evaluate feasibility and advantages of the three alternative options:  water contents at given coordinates, moment analysis describing the shape of the plume, and finally coordinates of individual moisture contours.  The best option is determined somewhat by the application objectives, but preliminary results suggest that predictions based on moment analysis is probably the most versatile and useful for describing water distribution.

Handout (.pdf format, 215.0 kb)