Sensor assembly for an agricultural implement and related systems and methods for monitoring field surface conditions

1. A system for monitoring field surface conditions during the performance of an agricultural operation, the system comprising:

a support arm configured to be coupled to a frame of an agricultural implement;

a housing coupled to the support arm such that the housing is supported adjacent to a surface of a field, the housing extending over a portion of the surface such that a shielded surface area is defined underneath the housing across said portion of the surface;

a light source supported relative to the housing, the light source configured to illuminate at least a portion of the shielded surface area defined underneath the housing such that a shadow is created adjacent a surface feature positioned within the shielded surface area due to light from the light source being blocked by the surface feature, wherein the light source is configured to direct light across the at least a portion of the shielded surface area at a lighting angle;

an imaging device positioned within the housing such that the imaging device has a field of view directed towards the at least a portion of the shielded surface area, the imaging device configured to capture an image of the surface feature and the adjacent shadow created by the surface feature;

a controller communicatively coupled to the imaging device, the controller configured to:

analyze the image to determine a dimensional parameter of the adjacent shadow; and

estimate a parameter associated with the surface feature based on the dimensional parameter of the adjacent shadow depicted within the image and on the lighting angle; and

a position sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, the position sensor configured to provide data to the controller indicative of a position of the light source relative to the surface of the field,

wherein the controller is configured to determine the lighting angle at which the light from the light source is directed across the at least a portion of the shielded surface area based on the data received from the position sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light source is positioned within the housing such that the lighting angle, as defined relative to a horizontal reference plane, is equal to or less than 25 degrees when the housing is positioned adjacent to the surface of the field.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parameter associated with the surface feature comprises a dimensional parameter of the surface feature, the controller being configured to estimate the dimensional parameter of the surface feature based at least in part on the determined dimensional parameter of the adjacent shadow.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the dimensional parameter of the surface feature comprises a first dimensional parameter of the surface feature that is not viewable within the field of view of the imaging device.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to analyze the image to determine a second dimensional parameter of the surface feature that is viewable within the field of view of the imaging device, the controller being configured to estimate a size of the surface feature as a function of the first dimensional parameter and the second dimensional parameter.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface feature comprises a soil clod positioned on the surface of the field.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the light source, the controller being configured to control an operation of the light source such that the light source is activated to illuminate the at least a portion of the shielded surface area immediately before or simultaneously with the image being captured by the imaging device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a notification to an operator of the agricultural implement indicative of the estimated parameter associated with the surface feature or execute a control action to adjust an operating parameter of the agricultural implement based on the estimated parameter associated with the surface feature.