NOTE ON HEAT TRANSFER AT THE SOIL SURFACE
Open Access
- 1 April 1950
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Meteorological Society in Journal of Meteorology
- Vol. 7 (2) , 140-144
- https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1950)007<0140:nohtat>2.0.co;2
Abstract
The heat balance equation for the earth's surface is evaluated for two sets of data taken at night in the Arizona desert region. A method is illustrated for determining the convective heat flux in the lowest layers of the atmosphere independently of measurements of the state of the lower atmosphere provided there is no condensation or evaporation at the surface. These data may then be used in conjunction with lapse-rate data to determine the eddy diffusivity at various levels near the ground. The diffusivities so obtained are of the correct order of magnitude and show a marked correlation with the wind speed. It is also found that the convective term in the heat balance equation can amount to as much as one-half the net radiation term; therefore, it should not be assumed negligible, as has been done in some cases.This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: