scholarly journals A Bayesian model to correct underestimated 3D wind speeds from sonic anemometers increases turbulent components of the surface energy balance

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Frank ◽  
William J. Massman ◽  
Brent E. Ewers
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Bayesian Model ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Sonic Anemometer ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Vertical Wind ◽  
State Variables ◽  
Sonic Anemometers ◽  
Posterior Correction

Abstract. Sonic anemometers are the principal instruments in micrometeorological studies of turbulence and ecosystem fluxes. Recent studies have shown that common designs underestimate vertical wind measurements because they lack a correction for transducer shadowing, with no consensus on a suitable correction. We reanalyze a subset of data collected during field experiments in 2011 and 2013 featuring two or four CSAT3 sonic anemometers. We introduce a novel Bayesian analysis with the potential to resolve the three-dimensional correction by optimizing differences between anemometers mounted both vertically and horizontally. A grid of 512 points (~ ±5° resolution in wind location) is defined on a sphere around the sonic anemometer, from which the shadow correction for each transducer-pair is derived from a set of 138 unique state variables. Using the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, the Bayesian model proposes new values for each state variable, recalculates the fast-response dataset, summarizes the five-minute wind statistics, and accepts the proposed new values based on the probability that they make measurements from vertical and horizontal anemometers more equivalent. MCMC chains were constructed for three different prior distributions describing the state variables: no shadow correction, the Kaimal correction for transducer shadowing, and double the Kaimal correction, all initialized with 10 % uncertainty. The final posterior correction did not depend on the prior distribution and revealed both self- and cross-shadowing effects from all transducers. After correction, the vertical wind velocity and sensible heat flux increased ~ 10 % with ~ 2 % uncertainty, which was significantly higher than the Kaimal correction. We applied the posterior correction to eddy covariance data from various sites across North America and found that the turbulent components of the energy balance (sensible plus latent heat flux) increased on average between 8-12 %, with an average 95 % credible interval between 6-14 %. Considering this is the most common sonic anemometer in the AmeriFlux network and is found widely within FLUXNET, these results provide a mechanistic explanation for much of the energy imbalance at these sites where all terrestrial/atmospheric fluxes of mass and energy are likely underestimated.

scholarly journals A Bayesian model to correct underestimated 3-D wind speeds from sonic anemometers increases turbulent components of the surface energy balance

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 5933-5953 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Frank ◽  
William J. Massman ◽  
Brent E. Ewers
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Bayesian Model ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Sonic Anemometer ◽  
Vertical Wind ◽  
State Variables ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Sonic Anemometers ◽  
Posterior Correction

Abstract. Sonic anemometers are the principal instruments in micrometeorological studies of turbulence and ecosystem fluxes. Common designs underestimate vertical wind measurements because they lack a correction for transducer shadowing, with no consensus on a suitable correction. We reanalyze a subset of data collected during field experiments in 2011 and 2013 featuring two or four CSAT3 sonic anemometers. We introduce a Bayesian analysis to resolve the three-dimensional correction by optimizing differences between anemometers mounted both vertically and horizontally. A grid of 512 points (∼ ±5° resolution in wind location) is defined on a sphere around the sonic anemometer, from which the shadow correction for each transducer pair is derived from a set of 138 unique state variables describing the quadrants and borders. Using the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, the Bayesian model proposes new values for each state variable, recalculates the fast-response data set, summarizes the 5 min wind statistics, and accepts the proposed new values based on the probability that they make measurements from vertical and horizontal anemometers more equivalent. MCMC chains were constructed for three different prior distributions describing the state variables: no shadow correction, the Kaimal correction for transducer shadowing, and double the Kaimal correction, all initialized with 10 % uncertainty. The final posterior correction did not depend on the prior distribution and revealed both self- and cross-shadowing effects from all transducers. After correction, the vertical wind velocity and sensible heat flux increased  ∼ 10 % with  ∼ 2 % uncertainty, which was significantly higher than the Kaimal correction. We applied the posterior correction to eddy-covariance data from various sites across North America and found that the turbulent components of the energy balance (sensible plus latent heat flux) increased on average between 8 and 12 %, with an average 95 % credible interval between 6 and 14 %. Considering this is the most common sonic anemometer in the AmeriFlux network and is found widely within FLUXNET, these results provide a mechanistic explanation for much of the energy imbalance at these sites where all terrestrial/atmospheric fluxes of mass and energy are likely underestimated.

All Sonic Anemometers Need to Correct for Transducer and Structural Shadowing in Their Velocity Measurements

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Frank ◽  
William J. Massman ◽  
Edward Swiatek ◽  
Herb A. Zimmerman ◽  
Brent E. Ewers
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Vertical Wind ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Velocity Measurements ◽  
Missing Energy ◽  
Ecosystem Carbon ◽  
Sonic Anemometers

AbstractSonic anemometry is fundamental to all eddy-covariance studies of surface energy and ecosystem carbon and water balance. Recent studies have shown that some nonorthogonal anemometers underestimate vertical wind. Here it is hypothesized that this is due to a lack of transducer and structural shadowing correction. This is tested with a replicated intercomparison experiment between orthogonal (K-probe, Applied Technologies, Inc.) and nonorthogonal (A-probe, Applied Technologies, Inc.; and CSAT3 and CSAT3V, Campbell Scientific, Inc.) anemometer designs. For each of the 12 weeks, five randomly selected and located anemometers were mounted both vertically and horizontally. Bayesian analysis was used to test differences between half-hourly anemometer measurements of the standard deviation of wind (σu, συ, and σw) and temperature, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), the ratio between vertical/horizontal TKE (VHTKE), and sensible heat flux (H). Datasets were analyzed with various applications of transducer shadow correction. Using the manufacturer’s current recommendations, orthogonal anemometers partitioned higher VHTKE and measured about 8%–9% higher σw and ~10% higher H. This difference can be mitigated by adding shadow correction to nonorthogonal anemometers. The horizontal manipulation challenged each anemometer to measure the three dimensions consistently, which allowed for testing two hypotheses explaining the underestimate in vertical wind. While measurements were essentially unchanged when the orthogonal anemometers were mounted sideways, the nonorthogonal anemometers changed substantially and confirmed the lack of shadow correction. Considering the ubiquity of nonorthogonal anemometers, these results are consequential across flux networks and could potentially explain half of the ~20% missing energy that is typical at most flux sites.

scholarly journals Using sonic anemometer temperature to measure sensible heat flux in strong winds

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 447-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. Burns ◽  
T. W. Horst ◽  
P. D. Blanken ◽  
R. K. Monson
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Sonic Anemometer ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Horizontal Wind ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Scientific Model ◽  
Horizontal Wind Speed ◽  
Sonic Anemometers

Abstract. The sensible heat flux (H) is a significant component of the surface energy balance (SEB). Sonic anemometers simultaneously measure the turbulent fluctuations of vertical wind (w') and sonic temperature (Ts'), and are commonly used to measure H. Our study examines 30-min heat fluxes measured with a Campbell Scientific model CSAT3 sonic anemometer above a subalpine forest. We compare H calculated with Ts to H calculated with a co-located thermocouple and find that for horizontal wind speed (U) less than 8 m s−1 the agreement is ≈±30 W m−2. However, for U >≈ 8 m s−1, the CSAT3 H becomes larger than H calculated with the thermocouple, reaching a maximum difference of ≈250 W m−2 at U ≈ 18 m s−1. H calculated with the thermocouple results in a SEB that is relatively independent of U at high wind speeds. In contrast, the SEB calculated with H from the CSAT3 varies considerably with U, particularly at night. Cospectral analysis of w'Ts' suggest that spurious correlation is a problem during high winds which leads to a positive (additive) increase in H calculated with the CSAT3. At night, when H is typically negative, this CSAT3 error results in a measured H that falsely approaches zero or even becomes positive. Within a broader context, the usefulness of side-by-side instrument comparisons are discussed.

scholarly journals Using sonic anemometer temperature to measure sensible heat flux in strong winds

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 2095-2111 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. Burns ◽  
T. W. Horst ◽  
L. Jacobsen ◽  
P. D. Blanken ◽  
R. K. Monson
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Sonic Anemometer ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Horizontal Wind ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Horizontal Wind Speed ◽  
Sonic Anemometers ◽  
Significant Underestimation

Abstract. Sonic anemometers simultaneously measure the turbulent fluctuations of vertical wind (w') and sonic temperature (Ts'), and are commonly used to measure sensible heat flux (H). Our study examines 30-min heat fluxes measured with a Campbell Scientific CSAT3 sonic anemometer above a subalpine forest. We compared H calculated with Ts to H calculated with a co-located thermocouple and found that, for horizontal wind speed (U) less than 8 m s−1, the agreement was around ±30 W m−2. However, for U ≈ 8 m s−1, the CSAT H had a generally positive deviation from H calculated with the thermocouple, reaching a maximum difference of ≈250 W m−2 at U ≈ 18 m s−1. With version 4 of the CSAT firmware, we found significant underestimation of the speed of sound and thus Ts in high winds (due to a delayed detection of the sonic pulse), which resulted in the large CSAT heat flux errors. Although this Ts error is qualitatively similar to the well-known fundamental correction for the crosswind component, it is quantitatively different and directly related to the firmware estimation of the pulse arrival time. For a CSAT running version 3 of the firmware, there does not appear to be a significant underestimation of Ts; however, a Ts error similar to that of version 4 may occur if the CSAT is sufficiently out of calibration. An empirical correction to the CSAT heat flux that is consistent with our conceptual understanding of the Ts error is presented. Within a broader context, the surface energy balance is used to evaluate the heat flux measurements, and the usefulness of side-by-side instrument comparisons is discussed.

scholarly journals Response of the Energy Balance on the Margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet to Temperature Changes

1990 ◽  
Vol 36 (123) ◽  
pp. 217-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger J. Braithwaite ◽  
Ole B. Olesen
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Ice Sheet ◽  
Temperature Response ◽  
Greenland Ice Sheet ◽  
Energy Balance Model ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Sensible Heat

AbstractDaily ice ablation on two outlet glaciers from the Greenland ice sheet, Nordbogletscher (1979–83) and Qamanârssûp sermia (1980–86), is related to air temperature by a linear regression equation. Analysis of this ablation-temperature equation with the help of a simple energy-balance model shows that sensible-heat flux has the greatest temperature response and accounts for about one-half of the temperature response of ablation. Net radiation accounts for about one-quarter of the temperature response of ablation, and latent-heat flux and errors account for the remainder. The temperature response of sensible-heat flux at QQamanârssûp sermia is greater than at Nordbogletscher mainly due to higher average wind speeds. The association of high winds with high temperatures during Föhn events further increases sensible-heat flux. The energy-balance model shows that ablation from a snow surface is only about half that from an ice surface at the same air temperature.

Components of the energy balance of the ground surface and their effect on the thermics of the substrata of the vegetation oasis at Henryk Arctowski Station, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

Polar Record ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 36 (196) ◽  
pp. 3-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Prosek ◽  
M. Janouch ◽  
K. Láska
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Radiation Balance ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
King George Island ◽  
Shetland Islands

AbstractThis article presents the results of measurements of the components of ground-surface energy balance (radiation balance, sensible heat flux, latent heat flux, and ground heat flux) taken during the 1994/95 summer season at Poland's Henryk Arctowski Station, King George Island, South Shetland Islands (62°09'42”S, 58°28'10”W). This was the first time that these complex measurements had been taken in the central part of the South Shetlands archipelago. The results are evaluated at the level of daily and seasonal fluctuations. The consequences of energy balance on the temperature conditions of the soil substrata are highlighted. The verification of the degree of influence of a subset of energy-balance components on soil temperature allowed analysis of the relationships among soil temperature, radiation balance, and sensible heat flux. This analysis leads to the conclusion that there is a rapid reaction of the soil temperature to the radiation balance and sensible heat flux to a depth of 5 cm. The boundary atmosphere and soil substrate represent the basic components of the ecotops of the Antarctic vegetation oasis, so these results are interpreted in pedological or botanical studies in the search for environmental influences on the vegetation.

scholarly journals The impact of broadleaved woodland on water resources in lowland UK: II. Evaporation estimates from sensible heat flux measurements over beech woodland and grass on chalk sites in Hampshire

2005 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 607-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Roberts ◽  
P. Rosier ◽  
D. M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Excellent Agreement ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Eddy Correlation ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Flux Measurements ◽  
Shallow Soils ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The impact on recharge to the Chalk aquifer of substitution of broadleaved woodland for pasture is a matter of concern in the UK. Hence, measurements of energy balance components were made above beech woodland and above pasture, both growing on shallow soils over chalk in Hampshire. Latent heat flux (evaporation) was calculated as the residual from these measurements of energy balances in which sensible heat flux was measured with an eddy correlation instrument that determined fast response vertical wind speeds and associated temperature changes. Assessment of wind turbulence statistics confirmed that the eddy correlation device performed satisfactorily in both wet and dry conditions. There was excellent agreement between forest transpiration measurements made by eddy correlation and stand level tree transpiration measured with sap flow devices. Over the period of the measurements, from March 1999 to late summer 2000, changes in soil water content were small and grassland evaporation and transpiration estimated from energy balance-eddy flux measurements were in excellent agreement with Penman estimates of potential evaporation. Over the 18-month measurement period, the cumulative difference between broadleaved woodland and grassland was small but evaporation from the grassland was 3% higher than that from the woodland. In the springs of 1999 and 2000, evaporation from the grassland was greater than that from the woodland. However, following leaf emergence in the woodland, the difference in cumulative evaporation diminished until the following spring.

scholarly journals Analysing surface energy balance closure and partitioning over a semi-arid savanna FLUXNET site in Skukuza, Kruger National Park, South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 3401-3415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuhle P. Majozi ◽  
Chris M. Mannaerts ◽  
Abel Ramoelo ◽  
Renaud Mathieu ◽  
Alecia Nickless ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Surface Energy ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Surface Energy Balance ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Energy Balance Closure ◽  
Net Radiation ◽  
Wet Season

Abstract. Flux towers provide essential terrestrial climate, water, and radiation budget information needed for environmental monitoring and evaluation of climate change impacts on ecosystems and society in general. They are also intended for calibration and validation of satellite-based Earth observation and monitoring efforts, such as assessment of evapotranspiration from land and vegetation surfaces using surface energy balance approaches. In this paper, 15 years of Skukuza eddy covariance data, i.e. from 2000 to 2014, were analysed for surface energy balance closure (EBC) and partitioning. The surface energy balance closure was evaluated using the ordinary least squares regression (OLS) of turbulent energy fluxes (sensible (H) and latent heat (LE)) against available energy (net radiation (Rn) less soil heat (G)), and the energy balance ratio (EBR). Partitioning of the surface energy during the wet and dry seasons was also investigated, as well as how it is affected by atmospheric vapour pressure deficit (VPD), and net radiation. After filtering years with low-quality data (2004–2008), our results show an overall mean EBR of 0.93. Seasonal variations of EBR also showed the wet season with 1.17 and spring (1.02) being closest to unity, with the dry season (0.70) having the highest imbalance. Nocturnal surface energy closure was very low at 0.26, and this was linked to low friction velocity during night-time, with results showing an increase in closure with increase in friction velocity. The energy partition analysis showed that sensible heat flux is the dominant portion of net radiation, especially between March and October, followed by latent heat flux, and lastly the soil heat flux, and during the wet season where latent heat flux dominated sensible heat flux. An increase in net radiation was characterized by an increase in both LE and H, with LE showing a higher rate of increase than H in the wet season, and the reverse happening during the dry season. An increase in VPD is correlated with a decrease in LE and increase in H during the wet season, and an increase in both fluxes during the dry season.

scholarly journals Updated cloud physics in a regional atmospheric climate model improves the modelled surface energy balance of Antarctica

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. van Wessem ◽  
C. H. Reijmer ◽  
J. T. M. Lenaerts ◽  
W. J. van de Berg ◽  
M. R. van den Broeke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Surface Energy ◽  
Surface Energy Balance ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Sensible Heat ◽  
Ice Cloud ◽  
Long Wave ◽  
Regional Atmospheric Climate Model

Abstract. In this study the effects of changes in the physics package of the regional atmospheric climate model RACMO2 on the modelled surface energy balance, near-surface temperature and wind speed of Antarctica are presented. The physics package update primarily consists of an improved turbulent and radiative flux scheme and a revised cloud scheme that includes a parameterisation for ice cloud super-saturation. The ice cloud super-saturation has led to more moisture being transported onto the continent, resulting in more and optically thicker clouds and more downward long-wave radiation. Overall, the updated model better represents the surface energy balance, based on a comparison with >750 months of data from nine automatic weather stations located in East Antarctica. Especially the representation of the turbulent sensible heat flux and net long-wave radiative flux has improved with a decrease in biases of up to 40%. As a result, modelled surface temperatures have increased and the bias, when compared to 10 m snow temperatures from 64 ice-core observations, has decreased from −2.3 K to −1.3 K. The weaker surface temperature inversion consequently improves the representation of the sensible heat flux, whereas wind speed biases remain unchanged. However, significant model biases remain, partly because RACMO2 at a resolution of 27 km is unable to resolve steep topography.

scholarly journals Ability of a soil–vegetation–atmosphere transfer model and a two-source energy balance model to predict evapotranspiration for several crops and climate conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 5033-5058
Author(s):  
Guillaume Bigeard ◽  
Benoit Coudert ◽  
Jonas Chirouze ◽  
Salah Er-Raki ◽  
Gilles Boulet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Sensible Heat Flux ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Crop Types ◽  
Svat Model

Abstract. The heterogeneity of Agroecosystems, in terms of hydric conditions, crop types and states, and meteorological forcing, is difficult to characterize precisely at the field scale over an agricultural landscape. This study aims to perform a sensitivity study with respect to the uncertain model inputs of two classical approaches used to map the evapotranspiration of agroecosystems: (1) a surface energy balance (SEB) model, the Two-Source Energy Balance (TSEB) model, forced with thermal infrared (TIR) data as a proxy for the crop hydric conditions, and (2) a soil–vegetation–atmosphere transfer (SVAT) model, the SEtHyS model, where hydric conditions are computed from a soil water budget. To this end, the models' skill was compared using a large and unique in situ database covering different crops and climate conditions, which was acquired over three experimental sites in southern France and Morocco. On average, the models provide 30 min estimations of latent heat flux (LE) with a RMSE of around 55 W m−2 for TSEB and 47 W m−2 for SEtHyS, and estimations of sensible heat flux (H) with a RMSE of around 29 W m−2 for TSEB and 38 W m−2 for SEtHyS. A sensitivity analysis based on realistic errors aimed to estimate the potential decrease in performance induced by the spatialization process. For the SVAT model, the multi-objective calibration iterative procedure (MCIP) is used to determine and test different sets of parameters. TSEB is run with only one set of parameters and provides acceptable performance for all crop stages apart from the early growing season (LAI < 0.2 m2 m−2) and when hydric stress occurs. An in-depth study on the Priestley–Taylor key parameter highlights its marked diurnal cycle and the need to adjust its value to improve flux partitioning between the sensible and latent heat fluxes (1.5 and 1.25 for France and Morocco, respectively). Optimal values of 1.8–2 were highlighted under cloudy conditions, which is of particular interest due to the emergence of low-altitude drone acquisition. Under developed vegetation (LAI > 0.8 m2 m−2) and unstressed conditions, using sets of parameters that only differentiate crop types is a valuable trade-off for SEtHyS. This study provides some scientific elements regarding the joint use of both approaches and TIR imagery, via the development of new data assimilation and calibration strategies.

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