Geology topics
H. L. Weaver
Publications and source records attributed to H. L. Weaver.
Determination of sensible heat flux over sparse canopy using thermal infrared data
Surface temperatures, T s , were estimated for a natural vegetative surface in Owens Valley, California, with infrared thermometric observations collected from an aircraft. The region is quite arid and is composed primarily of bushes (∼30%) and bare soil (∼70%). Application of the bulk transfer equation for the estimation of sensible heat, H , gave unsatisfactory values when compared to Bowen ratio and eddy correlation methods over a particular site. This was attributed to the inability with existing data to properly evaluate the resistance to heat transfer, r ah . To obtain appropriate r ah -values the added resistance to heat transfer, kB −1 , was allowed to vary although there is both theoretical and experimental evidence that kB −1 for vegetative surfaces can be treated as constant. The present data indicate that for partial canopy cover under arid conditions kB −1 may be a function of T s measured radiometrically. The equation determining kB −1 was simplified and tested over another arid site with good results; however, this had a limited data set (i.e., 6 data points). The dimensionless kB −1 equation is simplified for use over full canopy cover and is shown to give satisfactory estimates of H over a fully-grown wheat crop.
PHREATOPHYTE WATER USE ESTIMATED BY EDDY-CORRELATION METHODS.
Water-use was estimated for three phreatophyte communities: a saltcedar community and an alkali-Sacaton grass community in New Mexico, and a greasewood rabbit-brush-saltgrass community in Colorado. These water-use estimates were calculated from eddy-correlation measurements using three different analyses, since the direct eddy-correlation measurements did not satisfy a surface energy balance. The analysis that seems to be most accurate indicated the saltcedar community used from 58 to 87 cm (23 to 34 in. ) of water each year. The other two communities used about two-thirds this quantity.
Use of Peltier coolers as soil heat flux transducers
Peltier coolers were modified and calibrated to serve as soil heat flux transducers. The modification was to fill their interiors with epoxy. The average calibration constant on 21 units was 13.6 ± 0.8 kW m −2 V −1 at 20°C. This sensitivity is about eight times that of the two thermopile transducers with which comparisons were made. The temperature coefficients of the Peltier cooler transducers avg −0.034 kW m −2 V −1 °C −1 , whereas those of the two thermopile transducers were only 25% as large, relative to their calibration constants. The thermal conductivity of the Peltier cooler transducers was 0.4 W m −1 °C −1 , which is comparable to that of dry soil. The cost of an unmodified Peltier cooler is around 20 dollars.