Spatial variability of soil moisture in a mining subsidence area of northwest China

Abstract

Highlights (1) In this study, a combination of classical statistics and multi-dimensional geo-statistics was used to elucidate changes in soil moisture at different levels in a subsidence area. Compared with traditional methods, this approach can better reflect regional changes in soil moisture. (2) In contrast to traditional studies of the change in absolute value of soil moisture in coal mining subsidence areas, this study elucidated the change in soil moisture caused by coal mining from the perspective of spatial variability. (3) Taking the three-dimensional space above and below the well as the research object, this study analyzed the characteristics of soil water infiltration and migration from the perspective of the causes of preferential flow, thereby revealing the mechanism by which coal mining subsidence areas affect soil moisture.

Keywords

• Mining subsidence area
• Classical statistics and multi-dimensional geo-statistics
• Spatial distribution of soil moisture
• Spatial variability
• Preferential flow