The Hounsfield Facility

3D X-ray imaging

Imaging plant roots in soil

But  CT…

CT

X-rays can probe the root structure in soil

3D qualitative and

quantitative

Non-invasive/non-

destructive

No sample preparation

High resolution (1µm-5mm)

The Hounsfield Facility

• 3 CT Scanners from 0.5 µm to 5 mm resolution• Accommodating samples up to 25 cm diameter & 1 m length• Automated sampling system enabling 4-D visualisation• Automated root imaging via RooTrak

Applications of X-ray CT to soil sciences

Exploring the role of microbes

The impact of soil managementRevealing the complexity in structure

Assessing the fate of contaminants

Soil contact influences root development

In collaboration with Jose Dinneny (Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford)

Maize in structure-less soil Maize in structured soil

High resolution scanning: visualisation of wheat root hairs

Mairhofer et al., (2014) under reviewCreated using RooTrak by Mairhofer et al. 2012

3D X-ray imaging of food

Engineering

Microstructure Analysis

Particle AnalysisPorosity Analysis

Material Analysis

Quantify different aspects:

Porosity

Thickness of different layers

40mm3

Pore volume:

0mm3

Sphericality

Freq

uenc

y

Sphericality40mm3 0

50

100

150

200

250

300

30.3mm15mm

Shell thickness:

Summary

Engineering

Microstructure Analysis Material Analysis

Plants

Root structure

Soil structure

Chemical distribution

Food

Exploring food quality

Detecting defects

Sample comparison

• Developing a product e.g. fertiliser, seed

• Improving agricultural processes

• Developing a food product

• Detecting foreign bodies in a food process

• Optimising a manufacturing process