Land‐Atmosphere Interactions at a Semi‐Arid Region in the Deccan Plateau

Abstract

AbstractComprehensive characterization of turbulent fluxes and land‐atmosphere interactions at a semi‐arid region in the Deccan Plateau of peninsular India is presented using 2‐year eddy covariance measurements. Contrary to previously reported results over the Indian region, surface energy partitioning is more into sensible heat flux than latent heat flux, even during the monsoon season. Irrespective of the seasons, the soil moisture and its response to rainfall drive the land‐atmosphere interactions and along with the net radiation, play crucial roles in deciding the surface fluxes and its partitioning. Time series comparison with ERA5 reanalysis data reveals the inadequate representation of land‐atmosphere interactions in ERA5 reanalysis over the peninsular Indian region, particularly the intensity and duration of rainfall and the feedbacks of soil moisture to the atmosphere. The surface energy balance closure improves by ∼3% when the soil heat storage term is considered and is the highest when the height and scatter of the roughness elements around the measurement site are the lowest. The influence of rainfall on energy balance closure is lower as compared to land surface heterogeneity. The present study also fills an existing gap of validating the surface fluxes and its partitioning in ERA5 reanalysis in the tropics and will provide deeper insights on the land‐atmosphere interactions in tropical semi‐arid regions.