Radiative surface temperature and convective flux calculation over crop canopies

The analysis presented in this paper aims at a better understanding of the potential role of radiative temperature, as measured by a radiometer over crops, in sensible heat flux calculation. Defining radiative temperature as the mean temperature of the surfaces viewed by the radiometer (leaves and soil surface) and assuming that an Ohm's law type formula can be used to express sensible heat flux as a function of the difference between air temperature and radiative temperature, the aerodynamic resistance which divides this temperature difference has been analytically defined. The parameters which appear in the resistance expression depend essentially on wind velocity and canopy structure but also on the inclination angle of the radiometer. Finally an experimental verification is presented with data obtained over a potato crop.