Advances in the heat‐pulse technique: Improvements in measuring soil thermal properties

Soil thermal properties, including thermal diffusivity (α), thermal conductivity (λ), and volumetric heat capacity ( C ), are basic parameters describing the ability and efficiency of a soil to store and transfer heat. Soil thermal properties influence heat and mass transfer in soils and therefore have fundamental effects on the energy balance at the ground surface, water exchange between the soil and atmosphere, and engineered structures. Accurate determination of soil thermal properties is essential for describing thermal regimes that influence the rates of physical, chemical, and biological reactions and processes occurring in soil.