In this second iteration of our quantum walk model, we extend the framework to fit real-world data collected from a custom-built experimental planter designed to track moisture dynamics in soil. By introducing simulated environmental loss and gains, such as evaporation and watering, we move beyond the idealized closed system of our initial study to a more realistic open system representation. This approach enables direct comparison between experimental measurements and quantum simulations, providing a pathway to refine the model and bridge theory with practical agricultural control applications. This is an expansion of the previous work covered in Quantum Walk v1: Theoretical Moisture Dispersion in Soil.
Quantum Walk for Moisture Dispersion in Soil: Towards Open Systems and a Real-World Hamiltonian
Martin Castellanos-Cubides
Abstract
In our previous work we simulated moisture dispersion in soil using a quantum walk framework,
modeling soil patches as nodes on a qubit lattice with dynamically updated coupling constants based
on local gradients. The previous paper on the subject served as a proof of concept, establishing
the quantum algorithm and examining the limitations of classical simulations in higher dimensions.
However, it assumed a closed system in which total moisture was conserved. Accounting for envi-
ronmental interactions such as loss through evaporation or gains from watering systems, and the
development of a Hamiltonian to emulate real-world behavior was left for future work. This paper
addresses both of these challenges.
