1:1.2.5 Daily Net Radiation

Net radiation requires the determination of both incoming and reflected short-wave radiation and net long-wave or thermal radiation. Expressing net radiation in terms of the net short-wave and long-wave components gives:

Hnet=HdayαHday+HLHLH_{net}=H_{day}\downarrow-\alpha*H_{day}\uparrow+H_L\downarrow-H_L\uparrow 1:1.2.11

or

Hnet=(1α)Hday+HbH_{net} = (1-\alpha)*H_{day} + H_b 1:1.2.12

where HnetH_{net} is the net radiation (MJm2d1MJ m^{-2} d^{-1}), HdayH_{day} is the short-wave solar radiation reaching the ground (MJm2d1MJ m^{-2} d^{-1}), is the short-wave reflectance or albedo, HLH_L is the long-wave radiation (MJm2d1MJ m^{-2} d^{-1}), HbH_bis the net incoming long-wave radiation (MJm2d1MJ m^{-2} d^{-1}) and the arrows indicate the direction of the radiation flux.

Net Short-Wave Radiation

Net short-wave radiation is defined as (1α)Hday(1-\alpha)*H_{day} . SWAT+ calculates a daily value for albedo as a function of the soil type, plant cover, and snow cover. When the snow water equivalent is greater than 0.5 mm,

α=0.8\alpha=0.8 1:1.2.13

When the snow water equivalent is less than 0.5 mm and no plants are growing in the HRU,

α=αsoil\alpha=\alpha_{soil} 1:1.2.14

where soil_{soil} is the soil albedo. When plants are growing and the snow water equivalent is less than 0.5 mm,

α=αplant(1covsol)+αsoilcovsol\alpha=\alpha_{plant}*(1-cov_{sol})+\alpha_{soil}*cov_{sol} 1:1.2.15

where plant_{plant} is the plant albedo (set at 0.23), and covsolcov_{sol} is the soil cover index. The soil cover index is calculated

covsol=exp(5.0X105CV)cov_{sol}=exp(-5.0X10^{-5}*CV) 1:1.2.16

where CVCV is the aboveground biomass and residue (kgha1kg ha^{-1}).

Net Long-Wave Radiation

Long-wave radiation is emitted from an object according to the radiation law:

HR=εσTK4H_R=\varepsilon*\sigma*T_K^{4} 1:1.2.17

where HRH_R is the radiant energy (MJm2d1)MJ m^{-2} d^{-1}), is the emissivity, is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant (4.903109MJm2K4d1)4.903 10^{-9} MJ m^{-2} K^{-4} d^{-1}), and TKT_K is the mean air temperature in Kelvin (273.15 + °C\degree C). Net long-wave radiation is calculated using a modified form of equation 1:1.2.17 (Jensen et al., 1990):

Hb=fcld(εaεvs)σTK4H_b=f_{cld}*(\varepsilon_a -\varepsilon_{vs})*\sigma*T_K^{4} 1:1.2.18

where HbH_b is the net long-wave radiation (MJm2d1MJ m^{-2} d^{-1}), fcldf_{cld} is a factor to adjust for cloud cover, a is the atmospheric emittance, and vs is the vegetative or soil emittance.

Wright and Jensen (1972) developed the following expression for the cloud cover adjustment factor, fcldf_{cld}:

fcld=aHdayHMXbf_{cld}=a*\frac{H_{day}}{H_{MX}}-b 1:1.2.19

where aa and bb are constants, HdayH_{day} is the solar radiation reaching the ground surface on a given day (MJm2d1MJ m^{-2}d^{-1}), and HMXH_{MX} is the maximum possible solar radiation to reach the ground surface on a given day (MJm2d1MJ m^{-2}d^{-1}). The two emittances in equation 1:1.2.18 may be combined into a single term, the net emittance . The net emittance is calculated using an equation developed by Brunt (1932):

ε=εaεvs=(a1+b1(e))\varepsilon'=\varepsilon_a-\varepsilon_{vs}=-(a_1+b_1*\sqrt(e)) 1:1.2.20

where a1a_1 and b1b_1 are constants and ee is the vapor pressure on a given day (kPakPa). The calculation of e is given in Chapter 1:2. Combining equations 1:1.2.18, 1:1.2.19, and 1:1.2.20 results in a general equation for net long-wave radiation:

Hb=[aHdayHMXb][a1+b1(e)]σTk4H_b=-[a*\frac{H_{day}}{H_{MX}}-b]*[a_1+b_1*\sqrt(e)]*\sigma*T_k^4 1:1.2.21

Experimental values for the coefficients a,b,a1a,b,a_1 , and b1b_1 are presented in Table 1:1.3. The default equation in SWAT+ uses coefficient values proposed by Doorenbos and Pruitt (1977):

Hb=[0.9HdayHMX+0.1][0.340.139(e)]σTk4H_b=-[0.9*\frac{H_{day}}{H_{MX}}+0.1]*[0.34-0.139\sqrt(e)]*\sigma*T_k^4 1:1.2.22

Table 1:1-3: Experimental coefficients for net long-wave radiation equations (from Jensen et al., 1990).

Region
(a,
b)
(a1,
b1)

Davis, California

(1.35,

-0.35)

(0.35,

-0.145)

Southern Idaho

(1.22,

-0.18)

(0.325,

-0.139)

England

not available

not available

(0.47,

-0.206)

England

not available

not available

(0.44,

-0.253)

Australia

not available

not available

(0.35,

-0.133)

General

(1.2

-0.2)

(0.39,

-0.158)

General-humid areas

(1.0

0.0)

General-semihumid areas

(1.1

-0.1)

Table 1:1-4: SWAT+ input variables used in net radiation calculations.

Definition
Source Name
Input Name
Input File

soil_{soil}: moist soil albedo

SOL_ALB

alb

TmxT_{mx}: Daily maximum temperature (°C\degree C)

MAX TEMP

tmpmax

TmnT_{mn}: Daily minimum temperature (°C\degree C)

MIN TEMP

tmpmin

HdayH_{day}: Daily solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface (MJm2d1MJ m^{-2}d^{-1})

SOL_RAD

slr

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