Comparison of Heat Flux Measurements and Calculations at an Arctic Site
Abstract
The complex exchanges between the atmosphere and the surface are one of the primary drivers of the changes that are occurring in the Arctic environment. These exchanges are exceedingly difficult to parameterize or observe remotely, and it is clear that flux parameterizations developed for lower latitudes and oceans are not representative in the Arctic. In response, several Arctic sites have recently installed micrometeorological flux towers with suites of instruments to produce measurements that can be used to calculate turbulent and sensible heat fluxes. These towers typically also have surface heat flux plates and active layer thermistor strings as part of the suite of instruments characterizing the near surface boundary layer. In this presentation we compare measurements from two surface heat flux plates and a one meter thermistor probe that is installed near the micrometeorological flux tower at the Tiksi Hydrometeorological Observatory in the Sakha Republic of Russia. Theoretically the direct measurement of heat flux from the plates and the calculated flux from the thermistor temperature profiles should be identical, however, it is expected that a number of biases and inconsistencies will result from inhomogeneity in surface characteristics, and within the underlying active layer, including snow cover, standing water, vegetation, soil characteristics as well as instrument measurement limitations. Quantification and error analysis of these measurement limitations are important as the surface heat flux is an important parameter in achieving closure between the heat budgets of the atmosphere and the underlying surface.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFM.C44B..05C
- Keywords:
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- 0394 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE Instruments and techniques;
- 0700 CRYOSPHERE