Regional heat flux over the NOPEX area estimated from the evolution of the mixed-layer

A method to determine the regional integrated heat flux from measurements on the evolution of the mixed-layer is presented. The necessary input for the method can be deduced from successive radiosoundings. The regional heat flux over the NOPEX experimental area, an inhomogeneous region with patches of forest, agricultural fields, mires and lakes within the boreal zone, was determined for 3 days of the campaign in 1994.

It was found to be lower than the heat flux over forest and higher than the heat Aux over agricultural fields. The regional heat flux estimated by the mixed-layer evolution method was compared to a land-use-weighted average heat flux. The two independent estimates of the regional heat Bur were found to be in general agreement. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.

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