HR: 0800h
AN: U41C-0622 [Abstracts]
TI: Dependence of Evapotranspiration on Meteorological Variables Barrow, Northern Alaska
AU: * Liljedahl, A K
EM: ftakl@uaf.edu
AF: International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757340
930 Koyukuk Drive,
423 Akasofu Building, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7340, United States
AU: Hinzman, L D
EM: ffldh@uaf.edu
AF: International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757340
930 Koyukuk Drive,
423 Akasofu Building, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7340, United States
AU: Zona, D
EM: dzona@sciences.sdsu.edu
AF: San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182-4614, United
States
AB:
What are the meteorological variables that best explain the evapotranspiration (ET) in arctic Barrow? How are the
correlations distributed across different time scales? These are questions highlighting land-atmosphere, and
due to its geography, also ocean interactions. The area experiences nearly saturated surface soils throughout the
thawed season, large changes in open water area during the early summer, and is in close vicinity to the
seasonally ice covered Chuckchi Sea/Arctic Ocean.
Three 3-meter high eddy covariance towers are used in the study conducted in a drained lake basin. Measured
air temperature, vapour pressure deficit, wind speed and direction, net and incident solar radiation is tested
against ET in different temporal resolutions (30 min to monthly). The statistical method used is the Pearson's
product-moment correlation that reflects the degree of linear relationship between two variables. Preliminary
results show no significant correlation of mean daily air temperature to ET. Four years of data have been
collected, of which three are used to study the dependence of ET on the meteorological variables. The fourth year
data is used to validate the multi linear regression model.
With historical weather observations, past soil moisture conditions will be estimated through the statistical
model. The processes that are of specific importance for the area will be discussed through comparisons to
studies in a temperate climate. The study is part of the U.S. NSF SNACS project (Study of Northern Alaska
Coastal Systems).
DE: 0718 Tundra (9315)
DE: 1818 Evapotranspiration
DE: 1839 Hydrologic scaling
DE: 1843 Land/atmosphere interactions (1218, 1631, 3322)
DE: 1890 Wetlands (0497)
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting