SPorDyn: A Python code for modeling the evolution of soil pore size distribution after tillage

Area of Science:

• Soil Science
• Hydrology
• Computational Modeling

Background:

• Surface soil structure significantly impacts soil hydraulic properties and water budget.
• Existing methods for capturing soil structural dynamics are limited.
• Soil pore space evolution is crucial for understanding soil behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide Python code for an analytical solution to the Fokker-Planck Equation for predicting soil pore space evolution.
• To demonstrate methods for estimating physically-based coefficients required for the model.
• To facilitate the estimation of soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity functions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an analytical solution to the Fokker-Planck Equation.
• Developed and shared Python code for modeling soil pore space dynamics.
• Included procedures for coefficient estimation and parameter optimization.

Main Results:

• Successfully implemented Python code for an existing soil pore space evolution model.
• Provided code for estimating model coefficients and optimizing parameters.
• The model's output can be used to estimate soil hydraulic properties.

Conclusions:

• The shared Python code offers a valuable tool for modeling soil structural dynamics.
• This approach aids in predicting changes in soil pore space and hydraulic functions.
• The study contributes to a better understanding of soil water budgets under changing conditions.