黄河源高寒湿地-大气间暖季水热交换特征及关键影响参数研究

湿地是由陆地和水体形成的自然综合体,具有重要的生态、水文和生物地球化学功能,黄河源高寒湿地作为黄河重要的水源涵养区,对其下垫面水热交换特征及关键影响参数的研究具有非常重要的意义。本文利用中国科学院西北生态环境资源研究院麻多黄河源气候与环境变化观测站2014年6~8月观测资料,分析了黄河源区高寒湿地-大气间暖季水热交换特征,并利用公用陆面模式（Community Land Model,简称CLM）模拟了热通量变化,提出针对高寒湿地的粗糙度优化方案。主要结果如下:（1）暖季向上、向下短波与净辐射的平均日变化规律一致,向上、向下长波平均日变化平缓,地表温度升高相对于向下短波具有滞后性,潜热通量始终为正值并大于感热通量;（2）温度变化显著层结为20 cm以上土壤浅层,存在明显的日循环规律,土壤中热量09:00（北京时,下同）下传至5 cm深度,温度升高,11:00至10 cm深度,13:00至20 cm深度,18:00后开始上传,温度降低,40 cm及以下深度受此影响较小,热量在土壤中整体由浅层向深层输送;（3）土壤湿度平均日变化小,5 cm深度为土壤湿度最小层,10 cm深度为最大层;（4）麻多高寒湿地动力学粗糙度Z_0m在暖季变化稳定,可作为常数,Z_0m=0.0143 m;（5）提出更加适合高寒湿地下垫面暖季附加阻尼kB-1参数化方案,使得热通量模拟效果较CLM原始方案有所提高。以上结果对于研究湿地下垫面陆面过程具有重要意义。     

Effects of Plant Community Type on Soil Methane Flux in Semiarid Loess Hilly Region,Central Gansu Province,China

Methane(CH₄) is an important greenhouse gas second only to CO2 in terms of its greenhouse effect. Vegetation plays an important role in controlling soil CH₄ fluxes, but the spatial variability of soil CH₄ fluxes during vegetation restoration in Loess Hilly Region(LHR) is not fully understood. The effects of different plant community types [Medicago sativa grassland(MS); Xanthoceras sorbifolium forestland(XS); Caragana korshinskii bushland(CK); Hippophae rhamnoide...     

On Transpiration and Soil Moisture Content Sensitivity to Soil Hydrophysical Data

Sensitivity of evapotranspiration E and root zone soil moisture content θ to the parameterization of soil water retention Ψ(θ) and soil water conductivity K(Ψ), as well as to the definition of field capacity soil moisture content, is investigated by comparing Psi1-PMSURF and Theta-PMSURF models. The core of PMSURF (Penman–Monteith Surface Fluxes) consists of a 3-layer soil moisture prediction module based on Richard’s equation in combination with the Penman–Monteith concept for estimating turbulent heat fluxes. Psi1- PMSURF and Theta-PMSURF differ only in the parameterization of the moisture availability function F_ma. In Psi1,F_ma is parameterized by using Ψ(θ) and K(Ψ) hydrophysical functions; in Theta, F_ma is parameterized by using hydrophysical parameters: the field capacity θ_f and wilting point θ_w soil moisture contents. Both Psi1 and Theta are based on using soil hydrophysical data, that is, there is no conceptual difference between them in the parameterization of E even if in Psi1F_ma depends on 12 parameters, while in Theta only on two soil/vegetation parameters. Sensitivity tests are performed using the Cabauw dataset. Three soil datasets are used: the vG (van Genuchten), CH/vG (Clapp and Hornberger/van Genuchten) and CH/PILPS (Clapp and Hornberger/Project for Intercomparison of Land-surface Parameterization Schemes) datasets. The vG dataset is used in van Genuchten’s parameterization, while in Clapp and Hornberger’s the CH/vG and CH/PILPS datasets are used. It is found that the consistency of soil hydrophysical data in the simulation of transpiration is quite important. The annual sum of E obtained by Psi1E^Psi1, differs from the annual sum of E obtained by Theta, E^Theta, because of the inconsistency between the fitting parameters of Ψ(θ) and K(Ψ) and the θ_f, and not because of the differencies in the parameterization of F_ma. Further, θ_f can be estimated not only on the basis of using soil hydrophysical functions (the θ_f so obtained is θ^Soil_f) but also on the basis of analysing the transpiration process (the θ_fso obtained is θ^tr_f). θ^tr_f values estimated from the condition E^Theta ≈ E^Psi1 are in acceptable accordance with the θ^Soil_f values proposed by Wösten and co-workers. The results are useful in optimizing the parameterization of transpiration in land-surface schemes.     

Field measurements of NO and NO2 emissions from fertilized and unfertilized soils

Field measurements of NO and NO₂ emissions from soils have been performed in Finthen near Mainz (F.R.G.) and in Utrera near Seville (Spain). The applied method employed a flow box coupled with a chemiluminescent NO _x detector allowing the determination of minimum flux rates of 2 g N m^-2 h^-1 for NO and 3 g m^-2 h^-1 for NO₂.The NO and NO₂ flux rates were found to be strongly dependent on soil surface temperatures and showed strong daily variations with maximum values during the early afternoon and minimum values during the early morning. Between the daily variation patterns of NO and NO₂, there was a time lag of about 2 h which seem to be due to the different physico-chemical properties of NO and NO₂. The apparent activation energy of NO emission calculated from the Arrhenius equation ranged between 44 and 103 kJ per mole. The NO and NO₂ emission rates were positively correlated with soil moisture in the upper soil layer.The measurements carried out in August in Finthen clearly indicate the establishment of NO and NO₂ equilibrium mixing ratios which appeared to be on the order of 20 ppbv for NO and 10 ppbv for NO₂. The soil acted as a net sink for ambient air NO and NO₂ mixing ratios higher than the equilibrium values and a net source for NO and NO₂ mixing ratios lower than the equilibrium values. This behaviour as well as the observation of equilibrium mixing ratios clearly indicate that NO and NO₂ are formed and destroyed concurrently in the soil.Average flux rates measured on bare unfertilized soils were about 10 g N m^-2 h^-1 for NO₂ and 8 g N m^-2 h^-1 for NO. The NO and NO₂ flux rates were significantly reduced on plant covered soil plots. In some cases, the flux rates of both gases became negative indicating that the vegetation may act as a sink for atmospheric NO and NO₂.Application of mineral fertilizers increased the NO and NO₂ emission rates. Highest emission rates were observed for urea followed by NH₄Cl, NH₄NO₃ and NaNO₃. The fertilizer loss rates ranged from 0.1% for NaNO₃ to 5.4% for urea. Vegetation cover substantially reduced the fertilizer loss rate.The total NO _x emission from soil is estimated to be 11 Tg N yr^-1. This figure is an upper limit and includes the emission of 7 Tg N yr^-1 from natural unfertilized soils, 2 Tg N yr^-1 from fertilized soils as well as 2 Tg N yr^-1 from animal excreta. Despite its speculative character, this estimation indicates that NO _x emission by soil is important for tropospheric chemistry especially in remote areas where the NO _x production by other sources is comparatively small.     

The Surface Energy Budget and Its Impact on the Freeze-thaw Processes of Active Layer in Permafrost Regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The surface energy budget is closely related to freeze-thaw processes and is also a key issue for land surface process research in permafrost regions.In this study,in situ data collected from 2005 to 2015 at the Tanggula site were used to analyze surface energy regimes,the interaction between surface energy budget and freeze-thaw processes.The results confirmed that surface energy flux in the permafrost region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau exhibited obvious seasonal variations.Annual average net radiation(R_n)for 2010 was 86.5 W m^-2,with the largest being in July and smallest in November.Surface soil heat flux(G₀)was positive during warm seasons but negative in cold seasons with annual average value of 2.7 W m^-2.Variations in R_n and G₀ were closely related to freeze-thaw processes.Sensible heat flux(H)was the main energy budget component during cold seasons,whereas latent heat flux(LE)dominated surface energy distribution in warm seasons.Freeze-thaw processes,snow cover,precipitation,and surface conditions were important influence factors for surface energy flux.Albedo was strongly dependent on soil moisture content and ground surface state,increasing significantly when land surface was covered with deep snow,and exhibited negative correlation with surface soil moisture content.Energy variation was significantly related to active layer thaw depth.Soil heat balance coefficient K was>1 during the investigation time period,indicating the permafrost in the Tanggula area tended to degrade.     

土壤水分条件对内蒙古典型草原水汽和二氧化碳通量的影响研究

本文基于2007年和2008年生长季内蒙古羊草和大针茅草原湍流观测资料,分析了两种典型草原下垫面生长季的不同土壤水分条件下水汽和二氧化碳通量交换特征及其控制因子。主要结果如下:（1）在植被生长峰值期,日尺度上,干旱条件下土壤湿度是潜热通量的主要控制因子,而土壤水分条件较好时潜热通量主要受净辐射控制。（2）与大针茅草原相比,羊草草原叶面积指数较大,水分条件较好时,其潜热通量平均值更大,CO₂吸收能力更强,吸收CO₂更多;但在土壤水分胁迫出现时,羊草草原叶面的气孔闭合度急剧增加,大针茅草原的潜热通量、和CO₂吸收反而更大,表现出更为耐旱的植被特性。（3）地表导度可以用来解释土壤水分条件对羊草和大针茅草原碳水通量的影响。     

A Note on Two-Equation Closure Modelling of Canopy Flow

The note presents a rational approach to modelling the source/sink due to vegetation or buoyancy effects that appear in the turbulent kinetic energy, E, equation and a supplementary equation for a length-scale determining variable, φ, when two-equation closure is applied to canopy and atmospheric boundary-layer flows. The approach implements only standard model coefficients C _φ1 and C _φ2 in the production and destruction terms of the φ equation, respectively. Numerical tests illustrate the practical applicability of the method, where, for example, simulations with the E–ω model (where is the specific dissipation and is the dissipation rate of E) properly reproduce both the surface-layer wind profile estimated from the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory and the mixing-height evolution observed above forested terrain in Southern Finland.     

Effects of crop residue on soil and plant water evaporation in a dryland cotton system

Summary Dryland agricultural cropping systems emphasize sustaining crop yields with limited use of fertilizer while conserving both rain water and the soil. Conservation of these resources may be achieved with management systems that retain residues at the soil surface simultaneously modifying both its energy and water balance. A conservation practice used with cotton grown on erodible soils of the Texas High Plains is to plant cotton into chemically terminated wheat residues. In this study, the partitioning of daily and seasonal evapotranspiration (E _t) into soil and plant water evaporation was compared for a conventional and a terminated-wheat cotton crop using the numerical model ENWATBAL. The model was configured to account for the effects of residue on the radiative fluxes and by introducing an additional resistance to latent and sensible heat fluxes derived from measurements of wind speed and vapor conductance from a soil covered with wheat-stubble. Our results showed that seasonalE _t was similar in both systems and that cumulative soil water evaporation was 50% ofE _t in conventional cotton and 31% ofE _t in the wheat-stubble cotton. Calculated values ofE _t were in agreement with measured values. The main benefit of the wheat residues was to suppress soil water evaporation by intercepting irradiance early in the growing season when the crop leaf area index (LAI) was low. In semiarid regions LAI of dryland cotton seldom exceeds 2 and residues can improve water conservation. Measured soil temperatures showed that early in the season residues reduced temperature at 0.1 m depth by as much as 5°C and that differences between systems diminished with depth and over time. Residues increased lint yield per unit ofE _t while not modifying seasonalE _t and reducing cumulative soil water evaporation.With 8 Figures     

The surface heat flux density of a bare soil

Abstract

Half‐hourly measurements of soil surface heat flux density (G₀ ), solar irradiance (S), and the surface energy balance components were made at Agassiz, b.c., in the spring and early summer of 1978 at two adjacent bare‐soil sites, one of which was culti‐packed while the other was disc‐harrowed. G₀ was calculated using the null‐alignment procedure from half‐hourly measurements of soil temperature at 30 depths down to 1 m, and volumetric soil heat capacity calculated from measurements of bulk density, organic matter fraction, and moisture content. The latent and sensible heat flux densities were measured using the energy balance/Bowen ratio technique.

It was found that both the daily averages and diurnal variations of Go at each site were not affected as the soil surface dried, despite reductions in evaporation rate of as much as 50% at the culti‐packed site and 75% at the disc‐harrowed site on the clear dry‐soil days. Diurnal variations of G₀ at the disc‐harrowed site were about 25% less than at the culti‐packed site, although daily averages were similar at both sites. Daily and daytime averages of G₀ at each site were linear functions of S alone, or functions of net radiation and some measure of near‐surface soil water content. Night‐time averages of G₀ at each site were linear functions of a cloudiness ratio equal to the fraction received of the clear‐day S.     

Effects of the soil heat flux estimates on surface energy balance closure over a semi-arid grassland

Soil heat flux is important for surface energy balance (SEB), and inaccurate estimation of soil heat flux often leads to surface energy imbalance. In this paper, by using observations of surface radiation fluxes and soil temperature gradients at a semi-arid grassland in Xilingguole, Inner Mongolia, China from June to September 2008, the characters of the SEB for the semi-arid grassland were analyzed. Firstly, monthly averaged diurnal variations of SEB components were revealed. A 30-min forward phase displacement of soil heat flux (G) observed by a fluxplate at the depth of 5-cm below the soil surface was conducted and its effect on the SEB was studied. Secondly, the surface soil heat flux (G _s) was computed by using harmonic analysis and the effect of the soil heat storage between the surface and the fluxplate on the SEB was examined. The results show that with the 30-min forward phase displacement of observed G, the slope of the ordinary linear regression (OLR) of turbulent fluxes (H+LE) against available energy (R _n-G) increased from 0.835 to 0.842, i.e., the closure ratio of SEB increased by 0.7%, yet energy imclosure of 15.8% still existed in the SEB. When G _s, instead of G was used in the SEB equation, the slope of corresponding OLR of (H+LE) against (R _n-G _s) reached 0.979, thereby the imclosure ratio of SEB was reduced to only 2.1%.     

Characteristics of microscale evapotranspiration: a comparative analysis

Summary ?Evapotranspiration characteristics on the point-scale (several hundred square meters) and the local scale (several square kilometers) are analysed by comparing a deterministic and a statistical – deterministic surface energy balance model. The vegetation surface variability is represented by both the surface heterogeneity and inhomogeneity. Heterogeneity means the mosaic of wet (wif ≠ 0) and dry (1-wif) fractions of vegetation surface, while inhomogeneity addresses small scale variations of soil moisture content. The microscale characteristics of evapotranspiration are considered in terms of analysing evapotranspiration E _v versus soil moisture content θ, relative frequency distribution characteristics of E _v (θ) and the aggregation algorithms for its estimation. The analyses are performed for loam soil type under different atmospheric forcing conditions. The main result is as follows: For dry vegetation surface (wif = 0), the relationship between the aggregated (θ_agg) and the area-averaged (θ _m ) soil moisture content is nonlinear and depends on both the states of the surface and the atmospheric forcing conditions. In the study, we assumed that there are no advective effects and mesoscale circulation patterns induced by surface discontinuities. Based on this fact it seems unlikely to be able to construct an aggregation algorithm for calculating θ_agg without inclusion of the atmospheric forcing conditions. This means that it will be difficult to construct a simple formula for calculating area-averaged transpiration, if it is possible at all. Received May 3, 2001; revised May 31, 2002; accepted June 3, 2002     

An experimental investigation of a wind-generated suspension of particulate matter from a tailings disposal area

A wind tunnel investigation of the wind erosion of uranium mine-tailings material typical of a northern Ontario site has been carried out. The aim of the study was to measure the effects of various parameters, including mean and turbulent wind characteristics of the boundary layer and surface moisture content, upon the erosion process. The analysis of experimental data has yielded a mathematical model for predicting the net vertical mass fluxes. The results show that the dry vertical flux is proportional to u _* ^2.3and the wet flux to u _* ^5.0 Partical size analysis was also carried out.     

WRF4.0模式陆气耦合对不同物理参数化方案的敏感性初探

模式的不同参数化方案会对模拟的天气和气候产生影响,但如何影响陆气耦合还不是很清楚。利用WRF 4.0模式设计了一组16种不同参数化方案组合的集合试验,对华北地区2013年夏季气候进行模拟。结果表明,不同积云对流参数化方案对模拟的降水平均态影响较大,其次是短波辐射方案,而微物理方案影响较小。进一步利用潜热通量(LH,Latent Heat flux)和土壤湿度(SM,Soil Moisture)、抬升凝结高度(LCL,Lifting Condensation Level)的相关系数R_(SM,LH)和R_(LH,LCL)表征陆气耦合过程,评估了陆气耦合对不同参数化方案的敏感性。模式模拟的R_(SM,LH)在不同区域随着平均降水、相对湿度的增加以及平均短波辐射的减少而减小,而R_(LH,LCL)的变化正好相反。它们内在的物理机制类似,与气候态的干湿变化密切相关,即随着土壤湿度趋于饱和,蒸散发过程逐渐受太阳辐射的限制,陆面对大气的影响减弱。另外,陆气耦合强度受积云对流方案、微物理方案和短波辐射方案的影响而产生差别,这与不同参数化方案模拟的气候态的不同密切相关,因此本研究对于WRF 4.0模式中参数化方案特别是积云对流方案的选择同样有着重要的指导意义。     

The diurnal cycle of surface air temperature in simulated present and doubled CO2 climates

 The diurnal range of surface air temperature (rT _a ) simulated for present and doubled CO₂ climates by the CSIRO9 GCM is analysed. Based on mean diurnal cycles of temperature and surface heat fluxes, a theory for understanding the results is developed. The cycles are described as the response to a diurnal forcing which is represented well by the diurnal mean flux of net shortwave radiation at the surface (SW) minus the evaporative (E) and sensible (H) fluxes. The response is modified by heat absorbed by the ground, and by the cycle in downward longwave (LW) radiation, but these effects are nearly proportional to the range in surface temperature. Thus in seasonal means, rT _a is approximately given by SW–E–H divided by 6 W m^-2/^°C. A multiple regression model for (rT _a ) is developed, based on quantities known to influence SW, E and H, and applied to both spatial variation in seasonal means, and day-to-day variation at a range of locations. In both cases, rT _a is shown to be influenced by cloud cover, snow extent and wind speed. It is influenced by soil moisture, although this effect is closely tied to that of cloud. In seasonal means rT _a is also well correlated with precipitable water, apparently because of the latter’s influence on E+H. The regression model describes well the spatial variation in the doubled CO₂ change in rT _a . The annual mean change in rT _a over land on doubling CO₂ was −0.36 ^°C, partly because of a decrease in the mean diurnal forcing (as defined in the theory), but also apparently because of the effect of nonlinearity in T _s of the upward longwave emission. A diagnostic radiation calculation indicates that the CO₂ and water vapour provide a small increase in rT _a through the downward LW response, which partially counters a decrease due to a reduction of SW by the gases. Received: 8 November 1995 / Accepted: 3 January 1997     

Markov-chain simulation of particle dispersion in inhomogeneous flows: The mean drift velocity induced by a gradient in Eulerian velocity variance

The Langevin equation is used to derive the Markov equation for the vertical velocity of a fluid particle moving in turbulent flow. It is shown that if the Eulerian velocity variance _wE is not constant with height, there is an associated vertical pressure gradient which appears as a force-like term in the Markov equation. The correct form of the Markov equation is: w(t + t) = aw(t) + b _wE + (1 – a)T _L ( _wE ²)/z, where w(t) is the vertical velocity at time t, a random number from a Gaussian distribution with zero mean and unit variance, T _L the Lagrangian integral time scale for vertical velocity, a = exp(–t/T _L), and b = (1 – a ²)^1/2. This equation can be used for inhomogeneous turbulence in which the mean wind speed, _wE and T _L vary with height. A two-dimensional numerical simulation shows that when this equation is used, an initially uniform distribution of tracer remains uniform.     

The impact of soil moisture on dispersion-related characteristics

This study investigates the impact of soil moisture availability on dispersion-related characteristics: surface fric-tion velocity (u*), characteristic scales of temperature and humidity (T* and q*), the planetary boundary layer height (h) and atmospheric stability classified by Monin-Obukhov length (L), Kazanski-Monin parameter (μ) and convective velocity scale (w*) during daytime convective condition using a one-dimensional primitive equation with a refined soil model.     

Rapid vertical sampling in stably stratified turbulent shear flows

A new method for obtaining instantaneous vertical profiles of two components of velocity and temperature in thermally stratified turbulent shear flows is presented. In this report, the design and construction of the traversing system will be discussed and results to date will be presented. The method is based on rapid vertical sampling whereby probe sensors are moved vertically at a high speed such that the measurement is approximately instantaneous. The system is designed to collect many measurements for the calculation of statistics such as vertical wave number spectra, mean square vertical gradients, and Thorpe scales. Results are presented for vertical profiles of temperature and compared to vertical profiles measured by single-point Eulerian time averages. The quality of the vertical profiles is found to be good over many profiles. Some comparisons are made between vertical measurements and standard single-point Eulerian measurements for three cases of stably stratified turbulent shear flow in which the initial microscale Reynolds number, Re_λ≈30. In case 1, the mean conditions are characterized by a gradient Richardson number, Ri_g=0.015, for which the flow is “unstable”, meaning the spatially evolving turbulent kinetic energy (E_k) grows. In case 2, Ri_g=0.095, for which the evolving turbulent kinetic energy is almost constant. In case 3, the flow is highly stable, where Ri_g=0.25 and E_k decays with spatial evolution. The measurements indicate anisotropy in the small scales for all cases. In particular, it is found that the ratio grows initially to a maximum and then decays with further evolution. Maximum Thorpe displacements are measured and compared to single-point measures of the vertical scales. It is found that vertical length scales derived from single-point measurements, such as the Ozmidov scale, L_O=(ε/N³)^1/2 and the overturn scale, L_t=θ′/(dT/dz), do not represent well the wide range of overturning scales which are actually present in the turbulence.     

A reassessment of the soil sink for atmospheric carbon tetrachloride based upon static flux chamber measurements

Static flux chamber measurements of CCl₄ uptake by soils in boreal, subtropical and tropical forests have been used to reassess the sink strength for this ozone depleting chemical. Happell and Roche (Geophys. Res. Lett. 30(2), 1088–1091, 2003) used flux estimates from soil concentration gradients to calculate a partial CCl₄ atmospheric lifetime (τ_soil) of 90 years. More recently, it is has been assumed that a better estimate of τ_soil is 195 years (Montzka et al. 2011). In the work here, the rate of CCl₄ uptake was calculated from 453 flux chamber measurements using an exponential fit to the chamber CCl₄ concentration change with time. This analysis indicated that the flux rate estimate in Happell and Roche (Geophys. Res. Lett. 30(2) 1088–1091, 2003) was overestimated by 2.75, yielding a new estimate of τ_soil for CCl₄ of 245 years. Significant correlations of CCl₄ uptake to temperature, soil moisture, or time of year were not observed. This work provides additional evidence that CCl₄ uptake by soils is a common process and needs to be considered when developing an atmospheric budget for this compound.     

Surface Energy Balance Measurements Above an Exurban Residential Neighbourhood of Kansas City,Missouri

Previous measurements of urban energy balances generally have been limited to densely built, central city sites and older suburban locations with mature tree canopies that are higher than the height of the buildings. In contrast, few data are available for the extensive, open vegetated types typical of low-density residential areas that have been newly converted from rural land use. We made direct measurements of surface energy fluxes using the eddy-covariance technique at Greenwood, a recently developed exurban neighbourhood near Kansas City, Missouri, USA, during an intensive field campaign in August 2004. Energy partitioning was dominated by the latent heat flux under both cloudy and near clear-sky conditions. The mean daytime Bowen ratio (β) values were 0.46, 0.48, and 0.47 respectively for the cloudy, near clear-sky and all-sky conditions. Net radiation (R _n ) increased rapidly from dawn (−34 and −58W m⁻²) during the night to reach a maximum (423 and 630W m⁻²) after midday for cloudy and near clear-sky conditions respectively. Mean daytime values were 253 and 370W m⁻², respectively for the cloudy and near clear-sky conditions, while mean daily values were 114 for cloudy and 171W m⁻² for near clear-sky conditions, respectively. Midday surface albedo values were 0.25 and 0.24 for the cloudy and near clear-sky conditions, respectively. The site exhibited an angular dependence on the solar elevation angle, in contrast to previous observations over urban and suburban areas, but similar to vegetated surfaces. The latent heat flux (Q _E ), sensible heat flux (Q _H ), and the residual heat storage ΔQ _s terms accounted for between 46–58%, 21–23%, and 18–31% of R _n , respectively, for all-sky conditions and time averages. The observed albedo, R _n , and Q _E values are higher than the values that have been reported for suburban areas with high summer evapotranspiration rates in North America. These results suggest that the rapidly growing residential areas at the exurban fringe of large metropolitan areas have a surface energy balance that is more similar to the rural areas from which they were developed than it is to the older suburbs and city centres that make up the urban fabric to which they are being joined.