Evaluation of soil-moisture content for OSL dating using an infiltration model

Abstract

Uncertainty in soil-moisture content estimation can introduce large errors into calculation of OSL ages. In the current paper we evaluate the soil-moisture content by using an infiltration model which encompasses site-specific information regarding the climatic conditions and soil properties. The model provides the variation of the soil-moisture content with depth and time. It also provides clear uncertainty bounds for the estimated soil-moisture profile which serves as a measure for model reliability. The current approach is implemented to calculate the soil-moisture profile of a LateHolocene, open-structure soil section subjected to Mediterranean climate in which hot and dry summers and cool and wet winters generate large variation in the moisture-content. We show that the model can improve soil-moisture estimation, reducing the associated uncertainty and accounting for the depth from the soil surface. These estimates can then be used to better constrain uncertainties in OSL dose rate calculations.