Estimating surface sensible heat fluxes using surface temperatures measured from a geostationary satellite during FIFE 1989 - Note

Twelve-hour daytime totals of surface sensible heat flux were estimated using geostationary satellite measured surface ''skin'' temperatures and models of the land surface and the planetary boundary layer for 4 days in August 1989 at the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) Field Experiment site. During this period in August a rapid ''dry down'' occurred in which daytime surface sensible heat flux totals as estimated from the surface flux measurements, rose from approximately 2-4 MJ m(-2) to 6-9 MJ m(-2) within the span of a few days. In this period the daytime surface temperature range as measured from the geostationary satellite rose by several degrees Celsius. The standard errors of estimate comparing satellite-derived sensible heating totals with surface measurements were 0.93 and 1.43 MJ m(-2), respectively, using surface roughness length estimates of 1 and 5 cm in the planetary boundary layer model.