Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of six parameterization approaches for the ground heat flux

  • Published:
Theoretical and Applied Climatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

There are numerous approaches to the parameterization of the ground heat flux that use different input data, are valid for different times of the day, and deliver results of different quality. Six of these approaches are tested in this study: three approaches calculating the ground heat flux from net radiation, one approach using the turbulent sensible heat flux, one simplified in situ measurement approach, and the force-restore method. On the basis of a data set recorded during the LITFASS-2003 experiment, the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches are assessed. The quality of the best approaches (simplified measurement and force-restore) approximates that of the measured data set. An approach calculating the ground heat flux from net radiation and the diurnal amplitude of the soil surface temperature also delivers satisfactory daytime results. The remaining approaches all have such serious drawbacks that they should only be applied with care. Altogether, this study demonstrates that ground heat flux parameterization has the potential to produce results matching measured ones very well, if all conditions and restrictions of the respective approaches are taken into account.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • K Anandakumar R Venkatesan TV Prabha (2001) ArticleTitleSoil thermal properties at Kalpakkam in coastal south India Proc Indian Acad Sci 110 239–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Berz G (1969) Untersuchungen zum Wärmehaushalt der Erdoberfläche und zum bodennahen atmosphärischen Transport. Meteorologisches Institut der Universität München, Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen 16: 94 pp

  • Beyrich F (ed) (2004) Verdunstung über einer heterogenen Landoberfläche: Das LITFASS-2003 Experiment – ein Bericht. Deutscher Wetterdienst, Offenbach a.M., Geschäftsbereich Forschung und Entwicklung, Arbeitsergebnisse 79: 100 pp (ISSN 1430–0281)

  • CM Bhumralkar (1975) ArticleTitleNumerical experiments on the computation of ground surface temperature in an atmospheric general circulation model J Appl Meteor 14 1246–1258 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0450(1975)014<1246:NEOTCO>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blackadar AK (1976) Modelling the nocturnal boundary layer. Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Atmospheric Turbulence, Diffusion and Air Quality, Boston: 46–49

  • I Braud J Noilhan P Bessemoulin P Mascart (1993) ArticleTitleBare-ground surface heat and water exchanges under dry conditions: observations and parameterization Bound-Layer Meteor 66 173–200 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00705465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HAR De Bruin AAM Holtslag (1982) ArticleTitleA simple parametrization of the surface fluxes of sensible and latent heat during daytime compared with the Penman-Monteith concept J Appl Meteor 21 1610–1621 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0450(1982)021<1610:ASPOTS>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell Scientific Inc (2003) Instruction manual for the HFT3 soil heat flux plate. www.campbellsci.com/documents/manuals/hft-3.pdf: 12 pp

  • P Cellier G Richard P Robin (1996) ArticleTitlePartition of sensible heat fluxes into bare soil and the atmosphere Agric Forest Meteorol 82 245–265 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0168-1923(95)02328-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BJ Choudhury SB Idso RJ Reginato (1987) ArticleTitleAnalysis of an empirical model for soil heat flux under a growing wheat crop for estimating evaporation by infrared-temperature based energy balance equation Agric Forest Meteorol 39 283–297 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0168-1923(87)90021-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BE Clothier KL Clawson PJ Pinter MS Moran RJ Reginato RD Jackson (1986) ArticleTitleEstimation of soil heat flux from net radiation during the growth of alfalfa Agric Forest Meteorol 37 319–329 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0168-1923(86)90069-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JW Deardorff (1978) ArticleTitleEfficient prediction of ground surface temperature and moisture with inclusion of a layer of vegetation J Geophys Res 83 IssueIDC4 1889–1903

    Google Scholar 

  • RE Dickinson (1988) ArticleTitleThe force-restore model for surface temperatures and its generalizations J Climate 1 1086–1097 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0442(1988)001<1086:TFMFST>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs M (1987) Heat flux. In: Klute A (ed) Methods of soil analysis, part 1: Physical and mineralogical methods. Agr Monogr. Madion: ASA and SSSA, 957–968

  • M Fuchs A Hadas (1972) ArticleTitleThe heat flux density in a non-homogeneous bare loessial soil Bound-Layer Meteor 3 191–200 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF02033918

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Z Gao (2005) ArticleTitleDetermination of soil heat flux in a tibetan short-grass prairie Bound-Layer Meteor 114 165–178 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s10546-004-8661-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D Hillel (1998) Environmental soil physics Academic Press San Diego 771

    Google Scholar 

  • R Horton PJ Wierenga (1983) ArticleTitleEstimating the soil heat flux from observations of soil temperature near the surface Soil Sci Soc Am J 47 14–20 Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1983.03615995004700010003x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Horton PJ Wierenga DR Nielsen (1983) ArticleTitleEvaluation of methods for determining the apparent thermal diffusivity of soil near the surface Soil Sci Soc Am J 47 25–32 Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1983.03615995004700010005x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SB Idso JK Aase RD Jackson (1975) ArticleTitleNet radiation – soil heat flux relations as influenced by soil water content variations Bound-Layer Meteor 9 113–122 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00232257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A Kasahara WM Washington (1971) ArticleTitleGeneral circulation experiments with a six-layer NCAR model, including orography, cloudiness and surface temperature calculation J Atmos Sci 28 657–701 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1971)028<0657:GCEWAS>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WP Kustas CST Daughtry (1990) ArticleTitleEstimation of the soil heat flux/net radiation ratio from spectral data Agric Forest Meteorol 49 205–223 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0168-1923(90)90033-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • X Liang EF Wood DP Lettenmaier (1999) ArticleTitleModeling ground heat flux in land surface parameterization schemes J Geophys Res 104 IssueIDD8 9581–9600 Occurrence Handle10.1029/98JD02307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C Liebethal B Huwe T Foken (2005) ArticleTitleSensitivity analysis for two ground heat flux calculation approaches Agric Forest Meteorol 132 253–262 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.agrformet.2005.08.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JD Lin (1980) ArticleTitleOn the force-restore method for prediction of ground surface temperature J Geophys Res 85 IssueIDC6 3251–3254

    Google Scholar 

  • Mauder M, Liebethal C, Göckede M, Leps JP, Beyrich F, Foken T (2005) Processing and quality control of flux data during LITFASS-2003. Bound-Layer Meteor (revised)

  • J Noilhan S Planton (1989) ArticleTitleA simple parameterization of land surface processes for meteorological models Mon Wea Rev 117 536–549 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1989)117<0536:ASPOLS>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J Ogée E Lamaud Y Brunet P Berbigier JM Bonnefond (2001) ArticleTitleA long-term study of soil heat flux under a forest canopy Agric Forest Meteorol 106 173–186 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0168-1923(00)00214-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A Passerat de Silans BA Monteny JP Lhomme (1997) ArticleTitleThe correction of soil heat flux measurements to derive an accurate surface energy balance by the Bowen ratio method J Hydrol 188–189 453–465 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0022-1694(96)03187-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JA Santanello MA Friedl (2003) ArticleTitleDiurnal covariation in soil heat flux and net radiation J Appl Meteor 42 851–862 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0450(2003)042<0851:DCISHF>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TJ Sauer DW Meek TE Ochsner AR Harris R Horton (2003) ArticleTitleErrors in heat flux measurement by flux plates of contrasting design and thermal conductivity Vadose Zone J 2 580–588 Occurrence Handle10.2113/2.4.580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P Schotanus FTM Nieuwstadt HAR De Bruin (1983) ArticleTitleTemperature measurement with a sonic anemometer and its application to heat and moisture fluctuations Bound-Layer Meteor 26 81–93 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00164332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RB Stull (1988) An introduction to boundary layer meteorology Kluwer Academic Publishers Dordrecht 666

    Google Scholar 

  • A Verhoef (2004) ArticleTitleRemote estimation of thermal inertia and soil heat flux for bare soil Agric Forest Meteorol 123 221–236 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.agrformet.2003.11.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DA De Vries (1963) Thermal properties of soils WR Van Wijk (Eds) Physics of plant environment North-Holland Publishing Company Amsterdam 210–235

    Google Scholar 

  • J Wang RL Bras (1999) ArticleTitleGround heat flux estimated from surface soil temperature J Hydrol 216 214–226 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0022-1694(99)00008-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Micrometeorology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

    C. Liebethal & T. Foken

Authors
  1. C. Liebethal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Foken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liebethal, C., Foken, T. Evaluation of six parameterization approaches for the ground heat flux. Theor. Appl. Climatol. 88, 43–56 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-005-0234-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-005-0234-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation