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Moisture Content of
the Atmosphere
Methods of Expressing Humidity
Moisture Content of
the Atmosphere
Methods of Expressing Humidity
Specific Humidity (q)
• mass of water vapor per mass of air including its
moisture (almost identical to mixing ratio at low
water contents)
• g kg-1
Moisture Content of
the Atmosphere
• At any given temperature, there is a limit to the
amount of water vapor that can be present in the
atmosphere
• As temperature increases, the amount of water vapor
that can be present in the atmosphere increases
• Saturation vapor pressure (SVP) is the upper limit of
vapor pressure at a particular temperature
Moisture Content of
the Atmosphere
Methods of Expressing Humidity
Moisture Content of
the Atmosphere
Methods of Expressing Humidity
Dewpoint Temperature (Td)
• Temperature to which air must be cooled at
constant pressure to become saturated at its
current vapor content
• Use in comparison to current temperature
• When air temperature equals dewpoint
temperature, the relative humidity is 100%
• The further that dewpoint temperature falls below
air temperature, the drier the air.
Soil 7170 Pre-class Review Notes
Water
Moisture Content of
the Atmosphere
Methods of Expressing Humidity
Measurement of Atmospheric
Water Content
• Usually measured alongside the air temperature in a
ventilated and shielded enclosure
Measurement of Atmospheric
Water Content
• Sensor types
¾ Psychrometer (dry and wet bulb temperature)
¾ Hygrograph (hair)
¾ Dew point hygrometer
¾ Resistance sensor, capacitance sensor
¾ Krypton hygrometer
¾ Laser hygrometer (http://microwave.nsstc.nasa.gov)
∆S = P – ET
Creation of Precipitation
Creation of Precipitation
Measurement of Precipitation
Measurement of Precipitation
Measurement of Precipitation
Climatological station (i.e. manual observations)
• MUST be remote from any object by a distance at
least equal to the height of the object.
• SHOULD be located at a distance four times the
height of the object (ex: l5 m away from a 15 m tree,
if possible 60 m from the tree).
• MUST be mounted on a post or stake
• top rim of the gauge MUST be level, circular and not
dented or chipped.
• The gauge (36cm high) should be mounted so that its
rim will be 40 cm above the ground.
Soil 7170 Pre-class Review Notes
Water
Measurement of Precipitation
Measurement of Precipitation
Snowfall
• A weighing gauge (melts snow with antifreeze or
heat) can also be used with a data logger
• Special shielding is needed with a gauge to prevent
loss of snow catch
• The snow melts in the gauge, therefore, it is
automatically reported as water equivalent
Measurement of Precipitation
Rainfall rate
• Measured using a tipping bucket rain gauge
• Counts number of tips of known amount in a given
time period
• Best practise is to use a tipping bucket gauge in
conjunction with a standard rain gauge
Measurement of Precipitation
Precipitation Gauges
• Rainfall
¾ Manual, non-recording
¾ Tipping bucket
¾ Radar
• Snowfall
¾ Nipher shielded snow gauge
¾ Ruler
• All
¾ Weighing gauge
Evapotranspiration Fundamentals
Evapotranspiration Fundamentals
Fundamental Factors
Affecting ET Rate
1. Net radiation (Energy)
• The most important factor affecting ET.
• Closely follows the diurnal and seasonal distribution of solar
radiation.
• ET is greatest around solar noon and during the summer.
Fundamental Factors
Affecting ET Rate
2. Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD)
• transfer of liquid water molecules into the air depends on a vapor
pressure gradient
• the water molecules flow from high to low vapor pressure
• the vapor pressure of air over water or leaf surface must exceed
that in the air above for net loss of water by ET
• once the air reaches SVP, there is no further net loss of water
from the evaporating surface
• Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) is the difference between the SVP
at the temperature of water surface and actual vapor pressure at
the temperature of the surrounding air
• relative humidity (RH), therefore, is said to control the “thirst of
the atmosphere”
Soil 7170 Pre-class Review Notes
Water
Fundamental Factors
Affecting ET Rate
3. Turbulence or Air Movement
• in calm conditions, the air next to an evaporating surface reaches
saturation very quickly
• the saturated air next to the evaporating surface stops further net
loss of water by ET
• in turbulent or windy conditions, the saturated air next to the
evaporating surface is mixed with drier overlying air and
maintains a VPD
• turbulence alone does not cause ET, it only enables ET to
proceed at the rate dictated by the available energy and the VPD
1. Water-Related Factors
i. Salinity reduces vapor pressure (ET decreases about 1% for
every 1% increase in salinity)
ii. Water pollution changes water color and/or turbidity which
changes the surface albedo of the water and the energy balance
of the water body
iii. Water depth influences ET (shallow water bodies cannot
transfer heat to depth and reach higher temperatures in mid-
summer, when the air is also at its warmest i.e. more
evaporation from shallow water bodies)
iv. Water surface area influences the buildup of a protective vapor
“blanket” (larger water bodies have the greatest “blanket”
development)
Soil 7170 Pre-class Review Notes
Water
1. Soil-Related Factors
i. Surface soil moisture level affects ET (when the surface and
root zone become air dry, ET stops)
ii. Subsoil moisture level can affect ET, if there is a shallow water
table which can replenish water at the soil surface by capillary
action
iii. Soil color affects the albedo and the energy balance at the soil
surface
iv. Soil heat capacity affects the soil’s ability to store solar
radiation
1. Plant-Related Factors
i. Variations in the stomata, the cells that control the transfer of
vapor between the plant and the atmosphere, affect how rapidly
plants lose water by transpiration
ii. Plant color changes the albedo of the plant and its energy
balance
iii. Growth stage determines the plant leaf surface area available to
transpire water
iv. Plant health determines whether the tissue is green and actively
photosynthesizing (i.e. transpiring) or whether it is wilted and
not growing actively (i.e. reduced transpiration)
v. Fractional leaf area determines how much of the soil is shaded
by the plant (i.e. reduced evaporation)
Soil 7170 Pre-class Review Notes
Water
Measurement of ET
Measurement of ET
120 cm non-
25 cm corrosive
metal
wood base
Measurement of ET
• Atmometer
• Loss of water expressed as a volume
Measurement of ET
Measurement of ET
• Weighing Lysimeter
Measurement of ET
Using the Energy Balance
Q* = QH + QE + QG
Q* - QG = QH + QE
Measurement of ET
Using the Energy Balance
β = H = ρCp KH (∂T/∂z)
LE ρCp KV γ-1(∂e/∂z)
where Cp = specific heat of air
ρ = air density
γ = psychrometric constant
T = air temperature
e = water vapor pressure
KH = turbulent diffusivity for heat
KV = turbulent diffusivity for water vapor
Soil 7170 Pre-class Review Notes
Water
Measurement of ET
Using the Energy Balance
β = H = ρCp KH (∂T/∂z)
LE ρCp KV γ-1(∂e/∂z)
Measurement of ET
Using the Energy Balance
Rn – G = H + LE
Rn – G = β LE + LE
(Rn – G) / (β + 1) = LE
Measurement of ET Using
Limited Meteorological Data
• Hargreaves et al (1985)
Soil Moisture
• Soil moisture content is a measure of the mass or
volume of water stored in a defined mass or volume
of soil
• Percentage volume of soil occupied by a volume of
water or percentage mass of soil occupied by a mass
of water
Soil Moisture
• Soil has a limited moisture storage capacity which is
largely a function of soil texture.
• Sandy soils have very few large pores and usually
have 50% pore space or less.
• Clays have extremely numerous small pores and
usually have 50% pore space or more.
• The energy necessary to extract water from the soil
matrix increases as the soil dries out.
Soil Moisture
• Field Capacity (FC) is the upper limit of soil moisture
storage capacity; moisture content when a saturated
soil is allowed to drain by gravity (i.e. it is holding all
it can)
• Permanent Wilting Point (PWP) is the lower limit of
soil moisture storage capacity; moisture content after
a plant has extracted all the water it can (i.e. no more
water for the plant, about 1.5 MPa suction)
Soil Moisture
• Soil moisture content (%wt) is converted to moisture
content (%vol) when multiplied by soil bulk density
Wellwood
0-254 35 41 24 27.42 8.29 19.13 1.33 25.4 64.5
254-533 39 37 24 22.86 7.23 15.63 1.48 23.1 64.4
533-1200 44 41 15 22.10 7.75 14.35 1.53 22.0 146.7 276
Riverdale
0-254 6 43 51 39.72 22.30 17.42 1.18 20.6 52.2
254-610 4 44 52 36.73 21.40 15.33 1.28 19.6 69.9
610-1200 1 40 59 36.75 21.24 15.51 1.36 21.1 124.4 247
Average plant available water holding capacity in the surface 120 cm of
Manitoba soils (Shaykewich et al., 1997).
Soil Moisture
• All water between FC and PWP is available for
plant growth but not equally available
• Wheat is under water stress at about 50%
AWC
• Potatoes are under water stress at about 75%
AWC
• Soil moisture at the bottom of the root zone is
not available to a seedling
Soil Moisture
• The soil moisture stored at planting is limited by
the capacity of the soil
• If a soil has a water holding capacity of 100 mm,
that is its limit. If there is 200 mm of rainfall, the
soil will store only 100 mm. Any more added water
would simply drain out the bottom of the soil
profile (deep drainage) or run off the surface.
• If all soils start out the spring at field capacity with
very little rain after seeding, it will be the coarse-
textured soils that will be the first to dry out.
• http://www.sowacs.com/
• Gravimetric (standard)