A Comparison of a Hierarchy of Models for Determining Energy Balance Components over Vegetation Canopies

Several methods for estimating surface energy balance components over a vegetated surface are compared. These include Penman-Monteith, Deardorff, and multilayer canopy (CANWHT) models for evaporation. Measurements taken during the 1991 DOE-sponsored Boardman Area Regional Flux Experiment over a Well-irrigated, closed wheat canopy are used in the comparison. The relative performance of each model is then evaluated. It is found that the Penman-Monteith approach using a simple parameterization for stomatal conductance performs best for evaporation flux. The Deardorff model is found to have the best relative performance for sensible heat, while the CANWHT model gives the best results for net radiation and soil heat flux. The Priestley-Taylor model for evaporation and a resistance-analog equation for sensible heat flux are also tested.