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The applicability of planetary boundary layer theory to calculate regional evapotranspiration
Author(s) -
Brutsaert Wilfried,
Mawdsley John A.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr012i005p00852
Subject(s) - evapotranspiration , radiosonde , boundary layer , planetary boundary layer , environmental science , similarity (geometry) , meteorology , geology , atmospheric sciences , computer science , mechanics , geography , physics , ecology , artificial intelligence , image (mathematics) , biology
A formulation is obtained for the calculation of evapotranspiration from a region even when the water supply to the surface may be limited. The theoretical model is based on general similarity principles for a steady uniform boundary layer under any conditions of atmospheric stability. The resulting mass transfer formulae have the advantage that the necessary data (‘rawinsonde’) are often routinely published or otherwise easily available. In contrast, most presently used methods for the determination of evapotranspiration either require a special experimental setup for rarely available data or are purely empirical without a firm physical base. The proposed method can be applied in hydrologic simulation for drought studies and for the determination of antecedent moisture conditions in flood prediction.