Radiation and energy balance dynamics over young chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) system in Doon of western Himalayas

The regional impacts of future climate changes are principally driven by changes in energy fluxes. In this study, measurements on micrometeorological and biophysical variables along with surface energy exchange were made over a coniferous subtropical chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) plantation ecosystem at Forest Research Institute, Doon valley, India. The energy balance components were analyzed for two years to understand the variability of surface energy fluxes, their drivers, and closure pattern. The period covered two growth cycles of pine in the years 2010 and 2011 without and with understory growth. Net short wave and long wave radiative fluxes substantially varied with cloud dynamics, season, rainfall induced surface wetness, and green growth. The study clearly brought out the intimate link of albedo dynamics in chir pine system with dynamics of leaf area index (LAI), soil moisture, and changes in understory background. Rainfall was found to have tight linear coupling with latent heat fluxes. Latent heat flux during monsoon period was found to be higher in higher rainfall year (2010) than in lower rainfall year (2011). Higher or lower pre-monsoon sensible heat fluxes were succeeded by noticeably higher or lower monsoon rainfall respectively. Proportion of latent heat flux to net radiation typically followed the growth curve of green vegetation fraction, but with time lag. The analysis of energy balance closure (EBC) showed that the residual energy varied largely within ±30% of net available energy and the non-closure periods were marked by higher rainspells or forced clearance of understory growths.     

不同土壤热通量测算方法的比较及其对地表能量平衡闭合影响的研究

土壤热通量是地表能量平衡的重要分量,对其测算方法的研究对理解能量平衡过程具有十分重要的意义.利用2010年馆陶站土壤热通量等相关观测数据对多种测算土壤热通量的方法:实测土壤热通量和热储存量的结合方法(PlateCal)、热传导方程校正法(TDEC)、谐波分析法(HM)、平均土壤热电偶法(TCAV)、耦合热传导—对流法(ITCC)获取的地表土壤热通量进行了对比分析,并且采用最优方法计算馆陶站2008-2010年的地表土壤热通量,分析了该站土壤热通量日、季节变化特征.主要结论如下:①PlateCal和TDEC法分别为获取土壤热通量的最优观测与计算方法,而HM,TCAV和ITCC法计算结果均不理想;②PlateCal与TDEC法对地表土壤温度均不敏感,而HM法对地表土壤温度则比较敏感,各种地表土壤热通量的观测与计算方法均对土壤湿度敏感;③馆陶站冬小麦、玉米覆盖地表及地表裸露时期的地表土壤热通量均呈现典型的日、季节变化特征,与净辐射变化趋势一致;④考虑热储存后,可将馆陶站2010年各月地表能量闭合率提高4％～11％,对2008-2010年的年能量平衡闭合率提高3％～5％.     

黄土高原地表能量闭合特征及土壤通量参数化

利用兰州大学半干旱气候与环境观测站(简称SACOL站)2008年夏季晴天的湍流、 辐射、 土壤温度和通量梯度观测资料, 确定了晴天土壤热参数, 并结合土壤热流量板测量的温度积分法把实际测量通量推算到地表; 讨论了典型黄土高原沟壑区土壤热量储存对地表能量闭合率的影响; 建立了计算地表土壤热通量的模型. 结果表明: 黄土高原典型沟壑区夏季晴天平均土壤热容量为1.23×10⁶ J5m^-35K^-1; 能量平衡方程中, 以5 cm 埋深处HFP01SC热流量板观测值 (G₅) 表示土壤热通量时, SACOL站地表能量闭合率为75.7%. 采用温度积分法, 将HFP01SC的直接测量结果校正到地表(G_s)后, 地表能量闭合率可以达到81.8%; 0~5 cm土壤层的热量储存对能量平衡的贡献为6.1%. 模型计算得土壤热通量(G_m)与G_s之间的线性回归斜率为0.973(显著性水平为0.1‰). (H+LE)与(R_n-G_m)进行线性回归, 得到地表能量闭合率为81.7%. 表明模型与温度积分法计算计算土壤热通量非常接近, 但通过参数化方法计算时仅需要知道R_n即可.     

珠峰北坡地区近地层大气湍流与地气能量交换特征

利用珠峰北坡曲宗地区连续一年的大气观测资料（2005年4月至2006年3月）,分析了珠峰北坡地区近地层大气湍流宏观统计特征和西南季风爆发前后地气能量交换特征。研究表明在珠峰北坡地区Monin Obukhov相似定律同样适用。拟合得到了珠峰北坡曲宗地区近地层无因次风速分量方差以及温度和湿度归一化标准差和静力学稳定度的函数关系。研究得出曲宗地区能量平衡各分量（净辐射通量、感热通量、潜热通量和土壤热通量）以及地面加热场具有明显的季节变化和日变化规律。尤其是在西南季风的影响下,曲宗地区感热通量和潜热通量在季风爆发前后具有明显相反的变化趋势。其它特征参数（波文比和地表反射率）在西南季风爆发前后的变化规律也十分明显。     

春末黄土高原半干旱区地表能量闭合的观测研究

利用兰州大学半干旱气候与环境监测站的连续观测数据,分析了该站的数据质量情况和黄土高原半干旱区的近地层湍流通量特征及地表能量平衡能量闭合状况.结果表明:兰州大学半干旱气候与环境监测站(SACOL)湍流通量的平均时间取30min为宜.该站利用EdiRe获得的湍流通量较TK2和CR5000数据自动记录器输出的湍流通量结果要好.黄土高原半干旱区近地层湍流能量与地表含水量状况明显相关,地表干燥时感热通量处于主导地位,接近于干旱区的特征;地表湿润时感热通量和潜热通量则相当,接近于湿润地区的特征.地表能量平衡分析表明,兰州大学黄土高原半干旱环境监测站观测的地表能量闭合度高达85%,与已有的观测相比,能量闭合情况属于较好水平.     

2009/2010年黄河源区高寒草甸下垫面能量平衡特征分析

以青藏高原黄河源玛多为实验区, 基于TRM-ZS1气象生态环境监测仪2009年11月1日至2010年10月31日辐射及能量通量观测数据, 采用波文比能量平衡法, 进行了该区域潜热和感热通量的估算, 分析了黄河源区高寒草甸下垫面辐射收支, 潜热、 感热和土壤热通量在不同季节的分配, 对该区域冬季地面加热场强度的变化进行了研究.结果表明: 该区域总辐射、 净辐射较强, 总辐射平均日积分值为18.06 MJ·m^-2·d^-1, 净辐射平均日积分值5.95 MJ·m^-2·d^-1, 曾观测到高达979.5 W·m^-2的净辐射通量.全年地表平均反射率为0.30, 接近于荒漠和半荒漠下垫面的反射率.植物生长季土壤湿度和冬、 春季地面积雪是影响该区域地表反射率的两个最主要因素.该区域感热通量年积分值为742.68 MJ·m^-2·a^-1, 潜热通量年积分值为1 388.58 MJ·m²·a^-1, 全年中地表以潜热方式传递热量为主.分季节分析, 冬季感热潜热强度相当, 春季以感热为主, 夏秋季则以潜热为主.土壤热通量年积分值为38.06 MJ·m^-2·a^-1, 全年热通量在热量平衡中约占1.8%, 但季节分配不平衡, 在冬季, 有|G|>H+LE, 土壤热通量是热平衡最大的分量.该区域地表全年向大气释放热量, 地表对大气而言是热源.     

Limitations and improvements of the energy balance closure with reference to experimental data measured over a maize field

The use of energy fluxes data to validate land surface models requires that energy balance closure conservation is satisfied, but usually this condition is not verified when the available energy is bigger than the sum of turbulent vertical fluxes. In this work, a comprehensive evaluation of energy balance closure problems is performed on a 2012 data set from Livraga obtained by a micrometeorological eddy covariance station located in a maize field in the Po Valley. Energy balance closure is calculated by statistical regression of turbulent energy fluxes and soil heat flux against available energy. Generally, the results indicate a lack of closure with a mean imbalance in the order of 20%. Storage terms are the main reason for the unclosed energy balance but also the turbulent mixing conditions play a fundamental role in reliable turbulent flux estimations. Recently introduced in literature, the energy balance problem has been studied as a scale problem. A representative source area for each flux of the energy balance has been analyzed and the closure has been performed in function of turbulent flux footprint areas. Surface heterogeneity and seasonality effects have been studied to understand the influence of canopy growth on the energy balance closure. High frequency data have been used to calculate co-spectral and ogive functions, which suggest that an averaging period of 30 min may miss temporal scales that contribute to the turbulent fluxes. Finally, latent and sensible heat random error estimations are computed to give information about the measurement system and turbulence transport deficiencies.     

Local scale heat advection

Surface processes play an important role in the simulation of desertification and climate change. The present study shows that enhancement of evaporation at a given place is due to surface temperature and wetness inhomogeneities compared to its surroundings. Between any adjacent dry and wet strips the induced advective heat transport changes the available net radiation between sensible and latent heat fluxes. It also accommodates a redistribution of surface energy between two adjacent inhomogeneous surface strips. A combined model of Tarpley (1994) and Ya Guo and Schuepp (1994) about the advective heat transport over dry and wet strips has been tested over Andhra Pradesh. Taking the Ananthpur district as a relatively drier region, the induced transport over the rest of the districts is estimated. This study has been done for two monsoon seasons of 1990 and 1991. Attempts are made to identify an indexing criteria based on this study to estimate the magnitude of the heat transport.     

Transitions in the surface energy balance during the life cycle of a monsoon season

In this observational/diagnostic study, we illustrate the time history of some important parameters of the surface energy balance during the life cycle of a single monsoon season. This chronology of the surface energy balance portrays the differential equilibrium state from the preonset phase to the withdrawal phase. This includes an analysis of the time history of base variables such as soil moisture, ground temperature, cloud cover, precipitation and humidity. This is followed by an analysis of the components of the surface energy balance where we note subtle changes in the overall balances as we proceed from one epoch of the monsoon to the next. Of interest here is the transition sequence: preonset, onset, break, revival, break, revival and withdrawal during the year 2001. Computations are all illustrated for a box over central India where the coastal effects were small, data coverage was not sparse and where the semi-arid land mass changes drastically to a lush green area. This region exhibited large changes in the components of surface energy balance. The principal results pertain to what balances the difference among the incoming short wave radiation (at the earth’s surface) and the long wave radiation exhibited by the ground. That difference is balanced by a dominant sensible heat flux and the reflected short wave radiation in the preonset stage. A sudden change in the Bowen ratio going from>1 to <1 is noted soon after the onset of monsoon. Thereafter the latent heat flux from the land surface takes an important role and the sensible heat flux acquires a diminishing role. We also examine the subtle changes that occur in the components of surface energy balance between the break and the active phases. The break phases are seen to be quite different from the preonset phases. This study is aimed to illustrate the major importance of moisture and clouds in the radiative transfer computations that are central to the surface energy balance during each epoch. These sensitivities (of moisture and clouds) have major consequences for weather and climate forecasts     

Response of hydrothermal activity in different types of soil at ground surface to rainfall in permafrost region

In order to understand the hydrothermal activity mechanism of active layers to rainfall in permafrost regions caused by humidification of climate, the differences of ground surface energy balance and hydrothermal activity in different types of shallow soil with the consideration of rainfall were discussed. Based on the meteorological data in 2013 observed at Beiluhe observation station of Tibet Plateau, three types of shallow ground soil (i.e., sandy soil, sandy loam and silty clay) were selected to compare the differences in the water content and energy balance at the ground surface, dynamic processes of water and energy transport in active layers and coupling mechanism under rainfall condition in the plateau using a coupled water-vapor-heat transport model. The results show that the increase of soil particle size leads to the increase of surface net radiation and latent heat of evaporation, but the decrease of soil heat flux. The difference of surface energy balance, especially the sensible heat flux and latent heat of evaporation, are larger in the warm season but smaller in the cold season. The liquid water transport under hydraulic gradient and the water-vapor transport under thermal gradient are obvious as the particle size in soil increases. However, the water-vapor flux under thermal gradient increases but the liquid water flux under hydraulic potential gradient decreases. As a result, the water content in shallow soil decreases accordingly but it increases slightly at the depth of 25 ~75 cm. Moreover, with the increase of soil particle size, the thermal conductivity of soil, convective heat transfer under rainfall and surface evaporation increase, but the soil heat conduction flux and soil temperature gradient decrease. Thus, soil temperature in sandy soil is much higher than that of sandy loam and silty clay at the same depth. The permafrost table declines with the increase of the thickness of active layer, which is unfavourable to permafrost stability. The results can provide theoretical reference for stability prediction and protection of permafrost caused by humidification of climate.     

青藏高原唐古拉多年冻土区冻融循环过程中的能量平衡特征

青藏高原多年冻土区冻融循环过程对地表能量及其分配的影响研究相对较少,青藏高原唐古拉站多年冻土的实测资料,依据10 cm土壤温度划分浅层土壤冻融循环的各个阶段并结合能量闭合率、地表能量各通量等数据探讨浅层土壤冻融循环过程与地气间水热交换过程之间的影响.结果表明:浅层土壤冻融循环过程各阶段均受气候变化的影响,其融化过程起始...     

青藏公路沿线多年冻土区土壤热通量参数化方案的优化和检验

土壤热通量是地表能量平衡的重要分量,其估算方案在研究地表能量平衡研究中必不可少。利用青藏公路沿线5个站点0~20 cm的实测土壤层温、湿度及5 cm土壤热通量资料,以翁笃鸣气候学计算方案为基础建立了优化的5 cm土壤热通量计算方案。通过唐古拉和西大滩两个独立站点的检验结果表明,优化方案的结果相对于原方案有较大的改善,唐古拉和西大滩5 cm土壤热通量均方根误差值分别减小了3.2 W·m^-2和4.8 W·m^-2,而相对误差分别减小了61.9%和36.1%,即新方案能够较好地估算出青藏公路沿线多年冻土区5 cm土壤热通量。使用优化方案模拟了青藏公路沿线11个站点5 cm土壤热通量变化,结果显示,近十年青藏公路沿线土壤热通量呈现出增大的趋势,其中,5 cm土壤热通量增大了近1.0 W·m^-2,而且各观测场的年平均土壤热通量值均大于0.0 W·m^-2,表明就年尺度而言,热量有盈余,盈余热量用于加热下层土壤,引起活动层厚度增加,平均状况下土壤热通量每增大1.0 W·m^-2,活动层厚度增大约21.0 cm。     

Assessment of large aperture scintillometry for large-area surface energy fluxes over an irrigated cropland in north India

Amount of available net energy and its partitioning into sensible, latent and soil heat fluxes over an agricultural landscape are critical to improve estimation of evapotranspiration and modelling parse (ecosystem modelling, hydrological and meteorological modelling). Scintillometry is a peculiar and robust methodology to provide structure parameter of refractive index and energy balance. Scintillometer has proven for assessment of sensible and latent heat flux, which is based on the principle of Monin–Obukhov similarity theory. Scintillometer has been installed in the agricultural experimental farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, with a spatial covering path length of 990 m of irrigated and cultivable agricultural landscape. This paper discusses the patterns of energy flux as diurnal and seasonal basis at scintillometer path which was mainly covered by maize in Kharif and wheat in Rabi season during a crop growing seasons of 2014–2015. The biophysical parameters (leaf area, soil moisture, crop height) were recorded at a temporal resolution of fortnight basis along the path length at usual sampling distance. The Bowen ratio value for both Kharif and Rabi season was 0.76 and 0.88, respectively by scintillometer. Leaf area index had a significantly positive correlation with latent heat flux (\(R^{2} =0.80\)) while a significantly negative correlation with sensible heat flux (\(R^{2}{=}-0.79\)). Soil moisture had a significant negative correlation with sensible heat flux (\(R^{2}{=}-0.68\)). The average evapotranspiration from crop land was \(1.58 ~\hbox {mm d}^{-1}\) and total evapotranspiration was 543 mm over the 12 months study period. This study defines that large aperture scintillometer is robust instrument which can evaluate energy flux over a large area with a long term series time domain. Moreover, further studied should be conducted to use in crop simulation modelling, developing of new model with calibration and validation of remote sensing energy balance algorithm, etc.     

Evaluation of methane generation rate and potential from selected landfills in Malaysia

Methane emissions and oxidation were measured during the wet and dry seasons at the Air Hitam, Jeram, and Sungai Sedu landfills in Malaysia. The resulting levels of methane emissions and oxidation were then modeled using the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change 1996 first order decay (FOD) model to obtain methane generation rate and potential values. Emissions measurements were performed using a fabricated static flux chamber. A combination of gas concentrations in soil profiles and surface methane and carbon dioxide emissions at four monitoring locations in each landfill was used to estimate the methane oxidation capacity. The methane potential value was 151.7 m³ t^?1 for the Air Hitam and Jeram sanitary landfills and 75.9 m³ t^?1 for the Sungai Sedu open dumping landfill. The methane generation rate value of the Jeram and Air Hitam sanitary landfills during the wet season was 0.136 year^?1, while that of Jeram during the dry season was 0.072 year^?1. The methane generation rate values of the Sungai Sedu open dumping landfill during the wet and dry seasons were 0.008 and 0.0049 year^?1, respectively. The observed values of methane generation rate and potential assist to accurately estimate total methane emissions from Malaysian landfills using the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change FOD model.     

Annual variations in the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in the Upper Yellow River area

Measurements taken between July 2006 to May 2007 at the Maqu station in the Upper Yellow River area were used to study the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in this area. These data revealed distinct seasonal variations in downward shortwave radiation, downward longwave radiation, upward longwave radiation and net radiation, with larger values in the summer than in winter because of solar altitudinal angle. The upward shortwave radiation factor is not obvious because of albedo (or snow). Surface albedo in the summer was lower than in the winter and was directly associated with soil moisture and solar altitudinal angle. The annual averaged albedo was 0.26. Soil heat flux, soil temperature and soil water content changed substantially with time and depth. The soil temperature gradient was positive from August to February and was related to the surface net radiation and the heat condition of the soil itself. There was a negative correlation between soil temperature gradient and net radiation, and the correlation coefficient achieved a significance level of 0.01. Because of frozen state of the soil, the maximum soil thermal conductivity value was 1.21 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹ in January 2007. In May 2007, soil thermal conductivity was 0.23 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, which is the lowest value measured in the study, likely due to the fact that the soil was drier then than in other months. The soil thermal conductivity values for the four seasons were 0.27, 0.38, 0.55 and 0.83 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, respectively.     

黄河源鄂陵湖地区辐射收支和地表能量平衡特征研究

利用2010年6-7月鄂陵湖野外试验的近地层观测数据,分析了在不同天气条件下黄河源鄂陵湖地区辐射分量、地表能量分量、土壤温度和反照率的变化特征. 结果表明：不同天气条件下,辐射和地表能量各分量日变化差异较大,晴天、阴天和雨天的地表反照率依次递减,平均反照率约为0.21;观测期内,平均辐射贡献从大到小依次为向上长波、向下长波、向下短波、向上短波,日积分值分别为31.4 MJ·m^-2、25.6 MJ·m^-2、22.4 MJ·m^-2、4.2 MJ·m^-2,净辐射(12.5 MJ·m^-2)占向下短波辐射的55.7%;平均地表能量和土壤温度的变化幅度较晴天小,感热、潜热、0 cm土壤热通量的平均日积分值分别占净辐射的21.2%、43.1%、8.2%;平均土壤温度变化幅度随深度增加逐渐减小,浅层土壤温度峰值较晴天低2 ℃,深层土壤温度相差不大. 云和降水的扰动削弱了向下短波辐射,导致平均感热通量和0 cm土壤热通量的峰值比晴天小,而平均潜热通量的峰值大于晴天. 由于湖泊水体巨大的热容量和水分供应,鄂陵湖地区的气温日较差较小,地表温度变化幅度变小,附近地表温度升高缓慢. 鄂陵湖区的地表能量平衡中,潜热通量占主导,感热和地表土壤热通量次之. 研究结果有助于理解气候变化背景下黄河源区湖泊的能量水分循环过程,为促进该地区光热资源的合理利用和畜牧业的可持续发展提供数据支持.     

黑河下游绿洲地表辐射平衡及小气候特征分析

利用额济纳绿洲2004年5~10月微气象站观测资料,分析了该地区地表能量平衡及小气候特征.结果表明:在绿洲内太阳总辐射、光合有效辐射、净辐射有明显的季节变化及日变化,日峰值及月总量在7月份达到最高.地表能量平衡季节变化显著,5、8、9、10月份,地面能量交换基本以感热通量为主,Bowen比值在日间>4;6、7月份,潜热蒸发是能量平衡的主要部分,Bowen比基本<1.5~10月土壤热通量值始终较小,约占净辐射的15%~20%.绿洲内近地层风速基本在0~5 m·s^-1之间,夜间风速变化很小,日间风速较大.随着土壤深度的增加,土壤温度变化趋势越来越缓慢,地表温度波动变化最大,而在40 cm深处土壤温度日变化很小.     

Seasonal changes in the soil moisture distribution around bare rock outcrops within a karst rocky desertification area (Fuyuan County,Yunnan Province,China)

The spatial and temporal soil moisture distribution is an important control on surface ecological processes in areas with rock outcrops resulting from karst rocky desertification (KRD). To explore the local effects of bare rocks within different seasons, soil moisture was measured in a KRD region (Fuyuan County, Yunnan Province, southwest China) at different depths and in different directions and distances from rock outcrops in both the dry and the wet seasons. The soil moisture north and east of the rocks was higher compared to the other directions and to the control plot. This effect is attributed to the shading by the rocks. The shading effect is evident in all seasons but more pronounced in the dry season. In the wet season, the directional dependency is restricted to the surface layer and the increase in soil moisture with depth is more pronounced around the rocks than at the control plot. This is attributed to precipitation-induced runoff from the rock outcrops infiltrating into the deeper layers at the rock–soil interface. These findings suggest the redistribution of water in the wet season and the spatial variation of evapotranspiration in the dry season are factors controlling the local soil moisture pattern around the rock outcrops.     

Meteorological fields variability over the Indian seas in pre and summer monsoon months during extreme monsoon seasons

In this study, the possible linkage between summer monsoon rainfall over India and surface meteorological fields (basic fields and heat budget components) over monsoon region (30‡E-120‡E, 30‡S30‡N) during the pre-monsoon month of May and summer monsoon season (June to September) are examined. For this purpose, monthly surface meteorological fields anomaly are analyzed for 42 years (1958-1999) using reanalysis data of NCEP/NCAR (National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research). The statistical significance of the anomaly (difference) between the surplus and deficient monsoon years in the surface meteorological fields are also examined by Student’s t-test at 95% confidence level. Significant negative anomalies of mean sea level pressure are observed over India, Arabian Sea and Arabian Peninsular in the pre-monsoon month of May and monsoon season. Significant positive anomalies in the zonal and meridional wind (at 2 m) in the month of May are observed in the west Arabian Sea off Somali coast and for monsoon season it is in the central Arabian Sea that extends up to Somalia. Significant positive anomalies of the surface temperature and air temperature (at 2 m) in the month of May are observed over north India and adjoining Pakistan and Afghanistan region. During monsoon season this region is replaced by significant negative anomalies. In the month of May, significant positive anomalies of cloud amount are observed over Somali coast, north Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal and Bangladesh. During monsoon season, cloud amount shows positive anomalies over NW India and north Arabian Sea. There is overall reduction in the incoming shortwave radiation flux during surplus monsoon years. A higher magnitude of latent heat flux is also found in surplus monsoon years for the month of May as well as the monsoon season. The significant positive anomaly of latent heat flux in May, observed over southwest Arabian Sea, may be considered as an advance indicator of the possible behavior of the subsequent monsoon season. The distribution of net heat flux is predominantly negative over eastern Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. Anomaly between the two extreme monsoon years in post 1980 (i.e., 1988 and 1987) shows that shortwave flux, latent heat flux and net heat flux indicate reversal in sign, particularly in south Indian Ocean. Variations of the heat budget components over four smaller sectors of Indian seas, namely Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and west Indian Ocean and east Indian Ocean show that a small sector of Arabian Sea is most dominant during May and other sectors showing reversal in sign of latent heat flux during monsoon season.     

On the measurement of the surface energy budget over a land surface during the summer monsoon

The measurement of surface energy balance over a land surface in an open area in Bangalore is reported. Measurements of all variables needed to calculate the surface energy balance on time scales longer than a week are made. Components of radiative fluxes are measured while sensible and latent heat fluxes are based on the bulk method using measurements made at two levels on a micrometeorological tower of 10m height. The bulk flux formulation is verified by comparing its fluxes with direct fluxes using sonic anemometer data sampled at 10Hz. Soil temperature is measured at 4 depths. Data have been continuously collected for over 6 months covering pre-monsoon and monsoon periods during the year 2006. The study first addresses the issue of getting the fluxes accurately. It is shown that water vapour measurements are the most crucial. A bias of 0.25% in relative humidity, which is well above the normal accuracy assumed by the manufacturers but achievable in the field using a combination of laboratory calibration and field intercomparisons, results in about 20W m⁻² change in the latent heat flux on the seasonal time scale. When seen on the seasonal time scale, the net longwave radiation is the largest energy loss term at the experimental site. The seasonal variation in the energy sink term is small compared to that in the energy source term.