A Method for Determining the Moisture Content of Sand Using Infrared Imaging Spectroscopy

A method for determining the moisture content of sand based on hyperspectral imaging in the near-infrared (NIR) spectral range is presented. The proposed approach provides a non-contact means of estimating material moisture content and has the potential for future application in large-scale moisture monitoring systems. A model describing the relationship between the moisture content of sand and the spectral signal recorded by a hyperspectral camera was developed. The derivation of the model equations and the justification of the adopted assumptions are presented. Based on an analysis of the physical phenomena occurring during the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with moist sand, a mathematical function describing the relationship between moisture content and the recorded spectral signal was proposed. The algorithm implementing the proposed method was developed in Python and enabled hyperspectral data processing, model parameterization using the acquired datasets, and validation of the approximation results. The proposed method was experimentally evaluated using data acquired under controlled laboratory conditions with a Specim FX17 hyperspectral camera. The study demonstrates the possibility of using near-infrared hyperspectral data to estimate sand moisture content and provides a basis for further research into non-contact moisture monitoring. With further development and validation, the method may find applications in environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, and airborne and satellite hyperspectral remote sensing.