Evaporation

[nickh07@yahoo_com_au]

Hi,

If I want to calculate total evaporation from the surface is this simply FCEV + FGEV or would it be FCEV + FGEV + FCTR?

also, in an unrelated issue; what is meant by the term "sensible" such as "sensible heat flux" or "sensible large scale precipitation" (and what is considered large - scale?)

a lot of random questions I know,

thanks in advance.

Nick

 

[slevis]

FCTR is plant transpiration. So FCEV+FGEV is total evaporation, while FCEV+FGEV+FCTR is total evapotranspiration.

Sensible heat is the heat that you can sense, ie feel. Hence, 'sensible heat.' I don't remember encountering the term sensible precipitation. I wonder if it's a mistake...

Large scale precipitation is a way of distinguishing from the convective or local precipitation.

Sam Levis

 

[nickh07@yahoo_com_au]

I also noticed QVEGE and QSOIL are they FCEV and FGEV equivilents except in mm/s as this would be more useful for comparing to total precipitation.

Also, is there a method of determining total evaporation over all surface areas not just the continents, similar to precipitation. I do not believe there is a variable(s) for this in CAM.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[slevis]

Yes, these are equivalent.

I believe that CAM does output latent heat flux. To convert the units from W/m2 to mm/s, I think that you will find the answer in a meteorology or similar textbook.

Sam Levis