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Physically based probabilistic models of infiltration, soil moisture, and actual evapotranspiration
Author(s) -
Cordova Jose R.,
Bras Rafael L.
Publication year - 1981
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/wr017i001p00093
Subject(s) - evapotranspiration , infiltration (hvac) , probabilistic logic , environmental science , water content , probability density function , soil science , irrigation , soil water , hydrology (agriculture) , moisture , mathematics , statistics , geotechnical engineering , meteorology , geology , geography , agronomy , ecology , biology
Real‐time control of irrigation in areas of sparse rainfall requires probabilistic description of infiltration, soil moisture, and actual evapotranspiration. This work develops the probability density function of infiltrated water volumes as a function of climatic and soil parameters. This stochastic input is used with a physical‐conceptual model of the soil moisture depletion process to derive analytic expressions for the soil moisture transition probabilities over a given time period and the first two moments of associated actual evapotranspiration. Analytic results are corroborated with a case study example. A forthcoming paper by the authors illustrates the use of the derived expressions in an optimal decision model for deficit irrigation practices.