Soil thermal properties include thermal capacity,thermal diffusivity and thermal conduct ivity.They are in trinsic factors for determining soil thermal conditions and closely associated with soil water conditions.Thermo-Time Domain Re flectometry has many advantages,such as low cost,less disturbance of the soil and time-saving,thus showing great potential in soil research.In this paper,we introduced calculation models for and status of the research on soil thermal properties,with em phasis on development of the theory and technology of a new method.Thermo-Time Domain Reflectometry,for determination of soil thermal propert ies,and advances in its application to the research on soil water and other soil physical properties.The new method has recently been extensively used abroad but quite limitedly at home.It is worth further popularizing in related research fields in the country.