A model of surface heat fluxes based on the theory of maximum entropy production

Abstract

[1] A model of heat fluxes over a dry land surface is proposed based on the theory of maximum entropy production (MEP) as a special case of the maximum entropy principle (MaxEnt). When the turbulent heat transfer in the atmospheric boundary layer is parameterized using a Monin-Obukhov similarity model, a dissipation function or entropy production function may be expressed in terms of the heat fluxes following the MEP formalism. A solution of the heat fluxes can be obtained by finding the extreme of the dissipation function under the constraint of conservation of energy for a given energy input (i.e., net radiation) at the surface. The MEP solution of the surface heat fluxes is tested using observations from fields experiments.Citation: Wang, J., and R. L. Bras (2009), A model of surface heat fluxes based on the theory of maximum entropy production, Water Resour. Res., 45, W11422,

Reply

“…We interpret the close match between various models of f m and f h near z ES and the clustering of z points around z ES as a hint of constant f m and f h . This view is confirmed by the maximum entropy production (MEP) model of surface heat fluxes (Wang andBras 2009, 2011). After all, validity and usefulness of the empirical f m and f h in the MOSE must be tested in terms of its predictive capability.…”

“…using the MOSE method. As a matter of fact, the theoretical analysis of WB10 was completed several years ago, but we held back the results until the MEP model of surface energy balance was formulated and tested (Wang and Bras 2009). The MEP model is most suitable for the kinds of numerical simulations of Basu et al (2008) and Holtslag et al (2007).…”

Testing the maximum entropy production approach for estimating evapotranspiration from closed canopy shrubland in a low‐energy humid environment

“…The MEP model formulates the entropy production function to include the latent heat flux term. Maximization of the function under the constraint of energy conservation leads to a unique partition of Rn into latent, sensible, and ground heat fluxes for different surfaces (Wang & Bras, , ). In this study, we adapted the model for T estimation in equations 1–3: where k u is for unit conversion, equals to 3.6 × 10 6 for transpiration in mm/h.…”

“…Recently, a novel and simple approach for ET estimation was proposed based on the theory of maximum entropy production (MEP), and tested over dry land surfaces (Wang & Bras, , ). The model only requires net radiation ( Rn ), temperature, and specific humidity measured at soil and canopy surfaces for E and T estimation, respectively.…”

Field comparison of methods for estimating groundwater discharge by evaporation and evapotranspiration in an arid-zone playa

“…Obtaining G with Eq. (6) requires parameterization of I s and I 0 using soil property information and an extremum solution of the Monin-Obukhov similarity equations characterizing the mode of turbulent transport of water vapour and momentum in the boundary layer of the evaporating surface (see Wang and Bras, 2009 and 2011 for more details). Nevertheless, when actual measurements of G exist, the MEP-ET model simplifies greatly to:…”