A gap filling method for active surface heat balance structure

¹ Poznań University of Life Sciences, Meteorology Department, 60-649 Poznań, Polska
² University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Department of Water Resources, Climatology and Environmental Management, 10-719 Olsztyn, Polska

^* Corresponding author: jacek.lesny@up.poznan.pl

Abstract

The paper describes gap filling procedures for active surface heat balance structure data recorded for fields of rape, maize, spring and winter wheat and an apple orchard. The balance components were determined based on the Bowen ratio requiring direct measurements of net radiation, soil heat flux, temperature and water vapour pressure profiles. The latter is used to determine vertical gradients and the Bowen ratio, with sensible and latent heat fluxes calculated from the heat balance equation. Missing data are filled in from regression dependencies between individual balance components at various measurement sites. The regression data set comprised results recorded over 24 h, before the gap in measurements and after 24 h. Multiple regressions were determined from a 48-h measurement set. Regression was applied to establish missing values of net radiation (Rn), soil heat flux (G) and latent heat (LE), while sensible heat was calculated from the active surface heat balance equation. Relatively the greatest differences were found for latent heat and soil fluxes, with both estimated values deviating by 13% from the measured daily average, for net radiation the relative difference was 10% and for sensible heat – 6%. This method successfully filled gaps in measured heat balance data from April to September.