Abstracts for the 6th International GAME Conf.

3-5 December 2004

Kyoto Japan

Validation of the process for generating soil moisture distribution in the Tibetan Plateau

Hirose, Nozomu (1), Koike, Toshio (1)

Soil moisture plays two important roles in hydrology and atmospheric science. Many researchers pointed out the importance of soil moisture in global and local scale based on the GCM simulation. Therefore, the temporal and spatial variability of soil moisture has to be measured to estimate energy and water flux to the atmosphere. However, the land surface shows a high spatial variability and heterogeneity compared to the atmosphere. To estimate water and heat fluxes from land surface to the atmosphere, the effect of soil moisture heterogeneity on water and heat fluxes should be considered. To do so, we developed a land surface model which considers the soil moisture heterogeneity and showed its effect on the estimation of spatially averaged evaporation. To apply the developed model to the whole Tibetan Plateau, we have to validate it based on the field observation. Our objectives are two fold. One is to validate the generation process of the soil moisture heterogeneity and the other is to apply the developed model to four observation sites. At first, we confirm the process for generating the soil moisture distribution in the plain area, which is the basis of our model. We identify two important relationships in this process based on the field observation. One is the effect of micro-topography on soil moisture and the other is the interaction between soil moisture and thawing process in the frozen soil. After and, to evaluate the model representation, the model is applied to four observation sites. The results are compared with the observed soil moisture distribution at each site. The model simulations agree with observed soil moisture distribution.

Submittal Information

Name : Date :
    Dr. Hirose, Nozomu
    08-Aug-04-11:09:34
Organization : Theme :
    Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
    Theme 1
Address : Presentation :
    Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656
    Poster or oral
Country : Abstract ID :
    Japan
    T1DHN08Aug04110934
Phone : Fax :
    +81-3-5841-6107
    +81-3-5841-6130
E-mail :
    hirose@hydra.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp