Energy Fluxes of an Open Water Area in a mid-Latitude Prairie Wetland

Abstract

Concurrent measurements of the surface energy balance components (net radiation, heat storage, and sensible and latent heat fluxes) were made in three communities (open water, Phragmites australis, Scirpus acutus) in a wetland in north-central Nebraska, U.S.A., during May-October, 1994. The Bowen ratio – energy balance method was used to calculate latent and sensible heat fluxes. This paper presents results from the open water area. The heat stored in water (G) was found to play a major role in the energy exchange over the water surface. During daytime, G consumed 45–60% of Rn, the net radiation (seasonally averaged daytime G was about 127 W m−2). At night, G was a significant source of energy (seasonally averaged nighttime G was about -135 Wm−). The diurnal pattern of latent heat flux (λ E) did not follow that of Rn. On some days, λ E was near zero during midday periods with large Rn. The diurnal variability in λ E seemed to be significantly affected by temperature inversions formed over the cool water surface. The daily evaporation rate (E) ranged from 2 to 8 mm during the measurement period, and was generally between 70 and 135% of the equilibrium rate.