heat flux (i.e., T w ′ ′ where w′ and T ′ are the fluctuations of vertical velocity and air temperature relative to their means, respectively). This loss is caused by air-parcel expansion/compression as the air parcels move between the surface and the level of eddy covariance measurements. The physical derivation in this paper involves the use of the first law of thermodynamics and air-parcel expansion/compression approach developed by H. P. Liu (Boundary-Layer Meteorol., 115, 151168). The equations are then applied to data collected over three boreal ecosystems. The results show that this lost kinematic heat flux can be up to 10-15% of the total kinematic heat flux that is sheded from the surfaces to the atmosphere. This loss may have significant implications for some situations that use the form of the kinematic heat flux.

Heping Liu

Papers

An Approach for Estimating Kinematic Heat Flux Loss due to Air-parcel Expansion/Compression in the Surface Layer