Improvement of a soil-atmosphere-transfer model for the simulation of bare soil surface energy balances in semiarid areas

A soil-atmosphere-transfer model (SATM) was evaluated using observational data from the Tongyu Cropland Station and Audubon Research Ranch in semiarid areas, where the land cover was nearly bare soil during the simulation period. Simulations by the SATM at both sites were conducted using the new and original surface thermal roughness length parameterization schemes, respectively. Comparisons of simulations and observations have demonstrated that using the new surface thermal roughness length scheme in this model made sound improvements in the simulation of soil surface temperatures, sensible heat fluxes and net radiation fluxes in the daytime at both sites, compared to the original scheme, because the new scheme produced a larger aerodynamic resistance for turbulent heat transfer in the daytime. With respect to latent heat fluxes, the improvement was not as obvious as that attained for soil surface temperature since the soil water content in the surface layer in a semiarid area is a more important factor than surface soil temperature in controlling evaporation rate. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the new surface thermal roughness length parameterization scheme could improve the ability of the SATM to simulate bare soil surface energy budget with latent heat flux component being innegligible in semiarid areas.     

Evaluation of the Urban Tile in MOSES using Surface Energy Balance Observations

The UK Met Office has introduced a new scheme for its urban tile in MOSES 2.2 (Met Office Surface Exchange Scheme version 2.2), which is currently implemented within the operational Met Office weather forecasting model. Here, the performance of the urban tile is evaluated in two urban areas: the historic core of downtown Mexico City and a light industrial site in Vancouver, Canada. The sites differ in terms of building structures and mean building heights. In both cases vegetation cover is less than 5%. The evaluation is based on surface energy balance flux measurements conducted at approximately the blending height, which is the location where the surface scheme passes flux data into the atmospheric model. At both sites, MOSES 2.2 correctly simulates the net radiation, but there are discrepancies in the partitioning of turbulent and storage heat fluxes between predicted and observed values. Of the turbulent fluxes, latent heat fluxes were underpredicted by about one order of magnitude. Multiple model runs revealed MOSES 2.2 to be sensitive to changes in the canopy heat storage and in the ratio between the aerodynamic roughness length and that for heat transfer (temperature). Model performance was optimum with heat capacity values smaller than those generally considered for these sites. The results suggest that the current scheme is probably too simple, and that improvements may be obtained by increasing the complexity of the model.     

Surface Flux Parameterization in the Tibetan Plateau

This study investigates some basic aspects related to surface-flux parameterization in the Tibetan Plateau, based on the measurement at three sites. These sites are essentially flat and covered by very sparse and short grasses in the monsoon season. The main contributions include: (1) an optimization technique is proposed to estimate aerodynamic roughness length based on wind and temperature profiles. The approach is not sensitive to random measurement errors if the number of data samples is large enough. The optimized values reasonably vary with surface characteristics. (2) At the three sites, kB^-1 (the logarithm of the ratio of aerodynamic roughness length to thermal roughness length) experiences seasonal and diurnal variations in addition to a dependence on surface types. The mean values for the individual sites vary over a range of 2.7 to 6.4 with large standard deviations. (3) A formula for estimatingthe value of kB^-1 isproposed to account for the effect of seasonal variation of aerodynamic roughness length and diurnal variation of surface temperature. With the formula, the flux parameterization with surface temperature estimates sensible heat flux better than profile parameterization for all the sites.     

Using Temperature Fluctuation Measurements to Estimate Meteorological Inputs for Modelling Dispersion During Convective Conditions in Urban Areas

We examine the performance of several methods to estimate meteorological inputs for modelling dispersion in urban areas during convective conditions. Sensible heat flux, surface friction velocity and turbulent velocities are estimated from measurements of mean wind speed and the standard deviation of temperature fluctuations at a single level on a tower at two suburban sites and at one urban site in Riverside, California. These estimates are compared with observations made at these sites during a field study conducted in 2007. The sensible heat flux is overestimated in the urban area, while it is underestimated at a suburban site when temperature fluctuations are used in the free convection formulation to estimate heat flux. The bias in heat flux estimates can be reduced through a correction that depends on stability. It turns out that the bias in heat flux estimates has a minor effect on the prediction of surface friction velocity and turbulent velocities. Estimates of sensible heat flux, surface friction velocity and turbulent velocities are sensitive to estimates of aerodynamic roughness length, and we suggest estimating the aerodynamic roughness length through detailed micrometeorological measurements made during a limited field study. An examination of the impact of the uncertainty in estimating surface micrometeorology on concentrations indicates that, at small distances from a surface release, ground-level concentrations computed using estimates of heat flux and surface friction compare well with the those based on observed values: the bias is small and the 95% confidence interval of the ratio of the two concentrations is 1.7. However, at distances much larger than the Obukhov length, this confidence interval is close to 2.3 because errors in both friction velocity and heat flux affect plume spread. Finally, we show that using measurements of temperature fluctuations in estimating heat flux is an improvement on that based on the surface energy balance, even when net radiation measurements are available.     

Surface Heterogeneity Effects on Regional-Scale Fluxes in the Stable Boundary Layer: Aerodynamic Roughness Length Transitions

The effects of abrupt streamwise transitions of the aerodynamic roughness length ( $z_\mathrm{o}$ z o ) on the stable atmospheric boundary layer are evaluated using a series of large-eddy simulations based on the first Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment Atmospheric Boundary Layer intercomparison study (GABLS1). Four $z_\mathrm{o}$ z o values spanning three orders of magnitude are used to create all possible binary distributions with each arranged into patches of characteristic length scales equal to roughly one-half, one, and two times the equivalent homogeneous boundary-layer height. The impact of the heterogeneity on mean profiles of wind speed and temperature, on surface fluxes of heat and momentum, and on internal boundary-layer dynamics are considered. It is found that $z_\mathrm{o}$ z o transitions do not significantly alter the functional relationship between the average surface fluxes and the mean profiles of wind speed and potential temperature. Although this suggests that bulk similarity theory is applicable for modelling the stable boundary layer over $z_\mathrm{o}$ z o heterogeneity, effective surface parameters must still be specified. Existing models that solve for effective roughness lengths of momentum and heat are evaluated and compared to values derived from the simulation data. The existing models are unable to accurately reproduce both the values of the effective aerodynamic roughness lengths and their trends as functions of patch length scale and stability. A new model for the effective aerodynamic roughness length is developed to exploit the benefits of the other models tested. It accurately accounts for the effects of the heterogeneity and stratification on the blending height and effective aerodynamic roughness length. The new model provides improved average surface fluxes when used with bulk similarity.     

Increased heat fluxes near a forest edge

Summary ?Observations of sensible and latent heat flux above forest downwind of a forest edge show these fluxes to be larger than the available energy over the forest. The enhancement averages to 56 W m⁻², or 16% of the net radiation, at fetches less than 400 m, equivalent to fetch to height ratios less than 15. The enhancement of turbulent energy fluxes is explained by advection and increases with the difference in temperature and humidity of the air over the upwind area as compared to the forest. The relatively high temperature and humidity of the upwind air are not caused by high surface heat fluxes, but are explained by the relatively low aerodynamic roughness of the upwind surface. Although the heat fluxes over forest are enhanced, the momentum fluxes are almost adjusted to the underlying forest. The different behaviour of heat and momentum fluxes is explained by absorption of momentum by pressure gradients near the forest edge. It is concluded that fetch requirements to obtain accurate surface fluxes from atmospheric observations need to be more stringent for scalar fluxes as compared to momentum fluxes. Received November 23, 2001; accepted May 13, 2002     

Application of a mixed-layer model to bare soil surfaces

A model that couples the surface energy balance equation, a surface hydraulic resistance equation, and the force-restore soil temperature model to a mixed-layer model of the planetary boundary layer is described. The mixed layer is separated from the soil by a relatively thin surface layer and is overlain by a stable free atmosphere with prescribed profiles of potential temperature and water vapour density. The model is in reasonably good agreement with daytime micrometeorological measurements made at a wet bare site at Agassiz, British Columbia, and a desert site at Pampa de La Joya, Peru. The sensitivity of the mixed-layer model to conditions in the free atmosphere, to the parameters describing the growth of the mixed layer, and to surface roughness lengths, surface hydraulic resistance, and windspeed is examined.     

Bulk Formulation of the Surface Heat Flux

An interpretive literature survey examines different approachesfor applying the bulk aerodynamic formulato predict the surface heat flux. The surface heat flux is often predicted in terms of the surface radiation temperature, which is also used to predict the upward longwave radiation and the heat flux into the soil. In models, the thermal roughness length based on the surface radiation temperature (radiometric roughness length) is often specified to be smaller than the roughness length for momentum for a number of distinct reasons. The definition of the radiometric roughness length depends on the way that the surface temperature is measured, the choice of stability functions and displacement height and inclusion of any additional resistances.Using airborne eddy correlation data collected over eight different sites including bare soil, crops and grassland and several types of forests, the radiometric roughness length is found to vary by orders of magnitude in a manner that is difficult to formulate. Alternatively, we evaluate the approach where the thermal roughness length is equated with the better behaved roughness length for momentum and the corresponding aerodynamic surface temperature is modelled in terms of the surface radiation temperature, solar radiation, and vegetation index. The influence of wind speed and soil moisture on the difference between the aerodynamic and surface radiation temperatures is also examined.     

Interpretation of Crown Radiation Temperatures of a Dense Douglas fir Forest with Similarity Theory

Infrared crown radiation temperatures as observed over a dense Douglas fir forest are analyzed in the context of similarity theory and the concept of transport resistances. As such we obtain a rather high value of the roughness length for heat, which is about equal to the roughness length for momentum. This value can be explained by the more efficient transport of heat relative to momentum in the roughness sublayer of the forest. Correcting for this effect we arrive at the classic value for homogeneous terrain of about 0.1 times the roughness length for momentum. For unstable cases the presence of enhanced mixing of heat in the roughness sublayer leads to a modified integral stability function for the dimensionless potential temperature difference between the surface and the top of the roughness sublayer. The observations give some evidence for this different stability behaviour. The analysis suggests that during daytime the radiative surface temperature and the aerodynamic surface temperature are not significantly different when used to estimate fluxes. Daytime trunk space air temperature is satisfactory parameterized with the concept of gusts and with surface renewal analysis. As such it is related to the sensible heat flux and the storage heat flux. Night time radiation temperatures at times strongly deviate from the expected behaviour based on similarity theory and the roughness length for heat, suggesting that the concept of a single surface temperature is too simple for such cases.     

Modelling surface energy fluxes and temperatures in dry and wet bare soils

Abstract

A physically‐based numerical model was developed to estimate the temporal course of the surface energy flux densities and the soil temperatures in dry and wet bare soils. Aerodynamic heat, vapour and momentum transfer theory was used to calculate the sensible and latent heat flux densities at the surface under diabatic and adiabatic conditions. A finite‐difference solution of the differential equation describing one‐dimensional heat transfer was used to calculate the surface soil heat flux density and soil profile temperatures. The surface temperature was determined iteratively by the simultaneous solution of equations describing radiative, heat and momentum transfer at the surface. The model was tested with measurements from energy balance studies conducted on a dry, sandy soil and a wet, silt loam soil, and was found to predict accurately the surface energy fluxes and soil temperatures over three‐day periods under conditions of potential and negligible evaporation. The sensitivity of the model to uncertainties in the aerodynamic roughness lengths for momentum (z₀) and heat (z_T) is reported. Values for z₀ and Z₀/Z_T of 0.5 mm and 3.0, respectively, resulted in the best agreement between modelled and measured values of the fluxes and temperatures for both soils.     

SiB2和SiB3对高寒草甸和茶树地表能量通量模拟的比较

运用简单生物圈模式第2版(SiB2)和第3版(SiB3),分别模拟青藏高原两个观测站(那曲、安多)和长江三角洲苏州东山观测站的近地面能量收支,并与相应观测数据进行比较研究,分析SiB2、SiB3模拟结果和观测资料产生差异的原因,以此来认识上述地区地表能量收支特点。结果表明,SiB2和SiB3模拟的近地面能量通量与观测数据有较好的一致性。对感热通量,那曲和安多站SiB3比SiB2模拟的结果更接近观测资料,但苏州站SiB2模拟的结果与观测资料更吻合;对潜热通量,SiB3比SiB2模拟的日变化与观测资料更一致,SiB3的模拟结果与观测资料(除苏州站外)相关系数都在0.8以上;对地表土壤热通量,SiB2和SiB3模拟结果与观测数据相关系数都在0.8以上;对净辐射通量,SiB2和SiB3模拟结果与观测资料相关系数接近1.0。与SiB2相比,SiB3引用通用陆面模式的土壤描述并增加对冠层空间层温度、湿度和痕量气体的预报,使其能够改善潜热通量和土壤热通量的模拟,但对复杂下垫面的感热和净辐射通量模拟能力提高不明显。     

Optimized Computation of Transfer Coefficients in Surface Layer with Different Momentum and Heat Roughness Lengths

A new method for computing the surface transfer coefficients is proposed, based on state-of-the-art empirical flux-profile relationships. The influence of the roughness length ratio is first demonstrated with the classical iterative calculation method. Then a non-iterative algorithm is developed, taking into account the difference between momentum and heat roughness lengths.The new method is validated by comparison with the reference iterative computation. The large gain-in computer processing time (CPU) time gain for the calculation of surface fluxes in Eulerian grid models is finally assessed.     

基于CLM4.5的高寒草地辐射收支和水热交换的数值模拟研究

利用那曲高寒气候环境观测研究站本部BJ观测点2014年6-8月的近地层观测资料,结合CLM4.5陆面模型,探究空气动力学粗糙长度、叶面积指数、植被覆盖度和热力学粗糙长度参数化方案的改变对陆面能水平衡的模拟结果产生的影响,并且探讨了粗糙度及植被状态指数影响陆面能水平衡模拟性能的机制.结果表明:(1)CLM4.5默认的热力...     

Relationship of surface heat flux to microscale temperature variations: Application to boreas

The surface heat flux is normally parameterized in terms of the difference between the air temperature and the surface radiative temperature, or equivalently, the temperature computed from the surface energy balance. In this note, the relationship between the heat flux and the air-surface temperature difference is shown to be sensitive to the microscale variability of the surface radiation temperature caused by differences between the well-ventilated tree tops and less ventilated ground surface. This conclusion is based on surface and aircraft data collected during the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS). For this case, the heat flux cannot be predicted by adjusting the thermal roughness height. As an alternative, the aerodynamic temperature can be related to a weighted average of the surface radtation temperature analogous to application of a simple canopy model. Here, the total heat flux is the sum of the heat fluxes from each individual surface type weighted by the area-fractional coverage.Part of this work was carried out in the Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, St. Louis University and the Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.Part of this work was carried out in the Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.     

The bulk aerodynamic formulation over heterogeneous surfaces

This interpretative literature survey examines problems with application of the bulk aerodynamic method to spatially averaged fluxes over heterogeneous surfaces. This task is approached by tying together concepts from a diverse range of recent studies on subgrid parameterization, the roughness sublayer, the roll of large inactive boundary-layer eddies, internal boundary-layer growth, the equilibrium sublayer, footprint theory and the blending height. Although these concepts are not completely compatible, qualitative scaling arguments based on these concepts lead to a tentative unified picture of the qualitative influence of surface heterogeneity for a wide spectrum of spatial scales.Generalization of the velocity scale is considered to account for nonvanishing heat and moisture fluxes in the limit of vanishing time-averaged wind speed and to account for the influence of subgrid mesoscale motions on the grid-averaged turbulent flux. The bulk aerodynamic relationship for the heat flux usually employs the surface radiation temperature or, equivalently, the temperature from the modelled surface energy budget. The corresponding thermal roughness length is quite variable and its dependence on available parameters is predictable only in special cases.An effective transfer coefficient to relate the spatially averaged surface fluxes to spatially averaged air-ground differences of temperature and other scalars can be most clearly defined when the blending height occurs below the reference level (observational level or first model level). This condition is satisfied only for surface heterogeneity occurring over horizontal scales up to a few times the boundary-layer depth, depending on the stability and height of the reference level. For surface heterogeneity on larger scales (small mesoscale), an effective transfer coefficient for the spatially averaged flow must be defined, for which predictive schemes are unavailable. For surface variations on large mesoscales, homogeneous subareas may be maintained where traditional similarity theory is locally applicable. Surface variations on these scales may generate thermally-driven mesoscale motions.     

绿洲-沙漠复合地表条件下的局地和有效粗糙度

地表空气动力学粗糙度是研究水平非均匀条件下陆面过程的基础,文中对黑河试验区各不同下垫面上地表空气动力学粗糙度进行了估算和分析,分别得到了地表空气动力学粗糙度ｚ０ｍ的有效值和局地值,发现各不同典型下垫面的局地ｚ０ｍ值明显不同,尤其在有作物存在时,绿洲的局地ｚ０ｍ值比沙漠、戈壁的值明显要大;而对同一测站,有效空气动力学粗糙度比局地空气动力学粗糙度值明显要大,运用应力分解理论对这种差异进行了解释,认为有效空气动力学粗糙度与复合表面的总应力有关,其代表了较大水平尺度内的表面和较高障碍物的综合作用,当涉及对陆表通量参数化问题时,必须首先确定水平尺度及相应的地表粗糙度参数     

Further Development of the Vegetated Urban Canopy Model Including a Grass-Covered Surface Parametrization and Photosynthesis Effects

The vegetated urban canopy model (VUCM), which includes parametrizations of urban physical processes for artificial surfaces and vegetated areas in an integrated system, has been further developed by including physical processes associated with grass-covered surfaces in urban pervious surfaces and the photosynthesis effects of urban vegetation. Using measurements made from three urban/suburban sites during the BUBBLE field campaign in 2002, the model’s performance in modelling surface fluxes (momentum flux, net radiation, sensible and latent heat fluxes and storage heat flux) and canopy air conditions (canopy air temperature and specific humidity) was critically evaluated for the non-precipitation and the precipitation days. The observed surface fluxes at the urban/suburban sites were significantly altered by precipitation as well as urban vegetation. Especially, the storage heat at urban surfaces and underlying substrates varied drastically depending on weather conditions while having an important role in the formation of a nocturnal urban surface layer. Unlike the nighttime canopy air temperature that was largely affected by the storage-heat release, the daytime canopy air conditions were highly influenced by the vertical turbulent exchange with the overlying atmosphere. The VUCM well reproduced these observed features in surface fluxes and canopy air conditions at all sites while performing well for both the non-precipitation and the precipitation days. The newly implemented parametrizations clearly improved the model’s performance in the simulation of sensible and latent heat fluxes at the sites, more noticeably at the suburban site where the vegetated area fraction is the largest among the sites. Sensitivity analyses for model input parameters in VUCM elucidated the relative importance of the morphological, aerodynamic, hydrological and radiative/thermal properties in modelling urban surface fluxes and canopy air conditions for daytime and nighttime periods. These results suggest that the VUCM has great potential for urban atmospheric numerical modelling for a range of cities and weather conditions in addition to having a better physical basis in the representation of urban vegetated areas and associated physical processes.     

Diurnal Variations of Thermal Roughness Height over a Grassland

The thermal roughness height associated with the surface radiation temperature has been previously found to vary between different surface types. This study finds that the thermal roughness height varies diurnally even over a homogeneous senescent grassland. The corresponding roughness length for momentum is relatively constant.Both the aerodynamic temperature and the surface radiation temperature are found to be closely related to the air temperature in the middle of the grass canopy. However, the aerodynamic temperature is strongly influenced by the horizontally integrated heat transfer, while the surface radiation temperature represents the integrated thermal emission through the grass depth within the field of view of the radiometer. The aerodynamic temperature is less sensitive to variations and measurement errors in sensible heat flux, wind speed, and air temperature than the thermal roughness height. We find that formulating the aerodynamic temperature in terms of the surface radiation temperature is better posed for use in the bulk formula than using the surface radiation temperature directly and adjusting the thermal roughness length.     

MM5和ETA相似理论近地层方案对农田下垫面通量模拟比较研究

近地层湍流通量计算对于中尺度数值模式有重要意义,湍流通量的参数化是当前大气边界层研究的重要课题之一.选择青藏高原东缘大理观象台边界层通量观测系统,离线测试了WRF区域模式中的两种常用的近地层参数化方案(MM5相似理论非迭代方案A和ETA相似理论迭代方案B),并将参数化方案计算结果与边界层铁塔涡动相关法的观测值进行对比分析.在大理观象台观测场不同植被随季节交替的状况下,根据边界层铁塔4层高度风速拟合,发现近地层空气动力学粗糙度随季节变化特征明显.将拟合的空气动力学粗糙度输入模式参数化方案进行通量计算.结果表明:稳定度是影响近地层参数化方案精度的重要因素,在不稳定条件下方案B低估了动量通量,方案A优于方案B,而在稳定条件下方案A低估了动量通量,方案B优于方案A,两种方案总体来看误差不大.对于大理边界层通量观测场农田植被交替的环境条件,不同季节下垫面植被类型的差异,以及植被的稀疏对近地层参数化方案湍流通量计算结果的精度有显着影响.方案B考虑了空气动力学粗糙度z₀和热量粗糙度z_0h的差异,不稳定条件下感热通量计算结果在裸土或稀少植被条件下明显优于方案A.针对方案B不稳定条件下感热通量计算结果在裸土下垫面仍出现高估的现象,使用了Zeng等1998年提出的用辐射地表温度订正裸土下垫面感热能量方法后,计算结果也有明显改善.     

MM5和ETA相似理论近地层方案对农田下垫面通量模拟比较研究

近地层湍流通量计算对于中尺度数值模式有重要意义, 湍流通量的参数化是当前大气边界层研究的重要课题之一。选择青藏高原东缘大理观象台边界层通量观测系统, 离线测试了WRF区域模式中的两种常用的近地层参数化方案(MM5相似理论非迭代方案A和ETA 相似理论迭代方案B), 并将参数化方案计算结果与边界层铁塔涡动相关法的观测值进行对比分析。在大理观象台观测场不同植被随季节交替的状况下, 根据边界层铁塔4层高度风速拟合, 发现近地层空气动力学粗糙度随季节变化特征明显。将拟合的空气动力学粗糙度输入模式参数化方案进行通量计算。结果表明:稳定度是影响近地层参数化方案精度的重要因素, 在不稳定条件下方案B低估了动量通量, 方案A优于方案B, 而在稳定条件下方案A低估了动量通量, 方案B优于方案A, 两种方案总体来看误差不大。对于大理边界层通量观测场地农田植被交替的环境条件, 不同季节下垫面植被类型的差异, 以及植被的稀疏对近地层参数化方案湍流通量计算结果的精度有显著影响。方案B考虑了空气动力学粗糙度z₀和热量粗糙度z_0h的差异, 不稳定条件下感热通量计算结果在裸土或稀少植被条件下明显优于方案A。针对方案B不稳定条件下感热通量计算结果在裸土下垫面仍出现高估的现象, 在使用了(Zeng, et al, 1998)提出的对于使用辐射地表温度在裸土下垫面时的订正方法后, 计算结果也有明显改善。