{ "title": "Central Valley Field Manual — Machine Constants", "author": "Basimah Gomez", "location": { "ecoregon": "California Central Valley Grasslands", "wikidata": "Q104715382", "wwf_code": "NA0801", "coordinates": { "latitude": 37.0, "longitude": -120.3, "altitude_min_m": 0, "altitude_max_m": 400 }, "realm": "Nearctic", "country": "United States", "state": "California" }, "classification_system": { "name": "Unified Soil Classification System", "wikidata": "Q905795", "standards_body": "ASTM International", "bartoc_id": "1082" }, "uscs_groups": [ { "symbol": "GW", "name": "Well-graded gravel", "particle_size_mm": { "min": 4.75, "max": null }, "thermal_behavior": "rapid_drainage_minimal_retention", "garden_application": "foundation_stability_drainage_layers", "water_holding_capacity_ml_per_g": 0.08, "thermal_conductivity_w_per_mk": 2.1 }, { "symbol": "SW", "name": "Well-graded sand", "particle_size_mm": { "min": 0.075, "max": 4.75 }, "thermal_behavior": "quick_heat_transfer_low_water_holding", "garden_application": "root_zone_warming_nightshade_family", "water_holding_capacity_ml_per_g": 0.15, "thermal_conductivity_w_per_mk": 1.8 }, { "symbol": "ML", "name": "Silt, lean clay", "particle_size_mm": { "min": 0.002, "max": 0.075 }, "thermal_behavior": "moderate_plasticity_moderate_retention", "garden_application": "seed_beds_legumes_brassicas", "water_holding_capacity_ml_per_g": 0.35, "thermal_conductivity_w_per_mk": 1.2 }, { "symbol": "CH", "name": "High-plasticity clay", "particle_size_mm": { "min": 0, "max": 0.002 }, "thermal_behavior": "slow_heating_extreme_water_retention", "garden_application": "water_reservoirs_terracing_cores", "water_holding_capacity_ml_per_g": 0.65, "thermal_conductivity_w_per_mk": 0.9 }, { "symbol": "GM", "name": "Gravel-silt mix", "particle_size_mm": { "mixed": true }, "thermal_behavior": "thermal_buffering_zone", "garden_application": "perennial_root_zones_compost_bins", "water_holding_capacity_ml_per_g": 0.28, "thermal_conductivity_w_per_mk": 1.5 } ], "hand_test_protocol": { "steps": [ "dry_state_grinding", "moist_state_addition_dropwise", "ribbon_length_measurement_cm", "heat_proximity_cracking_observation" ], "ribbon_thresholds": { "sand": "<2cm", "silt": "2-5cm", "clay": ">5cm" } }, "citizen_tools": { "feast_calculator_url": "https://basimah-gomez.4ort.net/calculator/", "film_render_url": "https://basimah-gomez.4ort.net/films/turmeric-at-dawn/", "homepage_url": "https://basimah-gomez.4ort.net/" }, "metadata": { "created_utc": "2026-07-18T03:00:00Z", "version": "1.0.0", "license": "CC0-1.0", "citation_urls": { "ecoregon_source": "https://4ort.xyz/entity/california-central-valley-grasslands", "uscs_source": "https://4ort.xyz/entity/unified-soil-classification-system" } } }