Derivation of the Penman–Monteith Equation with the Thermodynamic Approach. II: Numerical Solutions and Evaluation
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 5
Abstract
A review of the derivation of the Penman–Monteith equation with the thermodynamic approach of Monteith is presented in a companion manuscript. The resultant set of equations (expressed in terms of latent heat flux, , sensible heat flux, , final air temperature, , and the slope parameter related to the saturation vapor pressure curve, ) represents a coupled system. Thus, a pair of alternative numerical solutions, with different levels of complexity, were developed and evaluated in the study reported here. Results showed that the alternative models (labeled as model 1 and 2) produced outputs that are essentially identical and also in close agreement with a reference solution. Intercomparison of the alternative models based on the criteria of numerical efficiency and robustness suggests that each model represents a comparable alternative to the other to estimate evaporation. However, owing to its simplicity, model 1 was selected for further consideration. A comparison of the outputs of model 1 with those of the conventional model (i.e., the approach widely used to evaluate the Penman–Monteith set of equations), based on data sets covering a range of evaporation conditions, showed that the difference in the approaches implemented in the two models has a significant effect on estimates of , a limited effect on , and a negligible effect on . Notably, the results also showed that the mean absolute residual for latent heat flux, (i.e., the mean of the absolute residuals between estimates obtained with model 1 and the conventional model) is relatively small (only about 8.2%), suggesting that differences between estimates computed with model 1 and the conventional model should generally be within the margin of error of the conventional model.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
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Zerihun, D., C. A. Sanchez, and A. French. 2023. “Derivation of the Penman–Monteith equation with the thermodynamic approach. I: A review and theoretical development.” J. Irrig. Drain Eng. 149 (5): 04023007. https://doi.org/10.1061/JIDEDH.IRENG-9887.
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Feb 17, 2022
Accepted: Oct 13, 2022
Published online: Mar 10, 2023
Published in print: May 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Aug 10, 2023
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- D. Zerihun, C. A. Sanchez, A. N. French, Derivation of the Penman–Monteith Equation with the Thermodynamic Approach. I: A Review and Theoretical Development, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 10.1061/JIDEDH.IRENG-9887, 149, 5, (2023).