Radiative characteristics in a forested drainage basin during the snowmelt season were examined in order to better understand and predict snowmelt runoff in the basin. A method for estimating net radiation in a forest (
Rnf) was presented using the total sky view factor (
P) and the sun path sky view factor (
Q). Solar radiation, albedo, atmospheric radiation and air temperature observed at an open site were also required. The total and the sun path sky view factors were determined from all‐sky photographs.
Q was expressed as a linear function of
P for 0·15<
P<0·86 regardless of forest type. For
P<0·15,
Q was set to zero, and for
P>0·86,
Q was equal to unity. The short‐wave radiation budget at the forest floor (
Snf) increased with
P, whereas the long‐wave radiation budget (
Lnf) decreased with
P.
Rnf increased with
P for 0·15<
P<0·86, and changed little with
P for
P<0·15 and
P>0·86, as the increase in
Snf was offset by the decrease in
Lnf . The forest effect on
Rnf was diminished under cloudy or high albedo conditions, because
Snf was easily offset by
Lnf . This estimation method was extended to the whole basin, and
Rnf was obtained over a watershed covered by trees. At the beginning of the snowmelt season when the albedo remained high, the forest effect became null because the decrease in
Snf was balanced by the increase in
Lnf . As the albedo gradually lowered with the advance of the snowmelt season, the decrease in
Snf owing to forest covers exceeded the increase in
Lnf , and the forest effect to decrease
Rnf became evident. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
相似文献