Mesh size selection in a soil-biosphere-atmosphere transfer model. Issue 1 (1st January 2003)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aubert, D; Demarty, J; Mangeney, A; Ottlé, C; Braud, I
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental engineering and science. Volume 2:Issue 1(2003)
• Page Start: 77
• Page End: 81
• Publication Date: 2003-01-01
• Subjects: numerical model; -- heat and mass transfer; -- vertical resolution; -- soil–atmosphere exchanges; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Sanitary engineering -- Periodicals; Environmental engineering -- Canada -- Periodicals; Environnement, Technique de l' -- Périodiques; Technique sanitaire -- Périodiques; Environnement, Technique de l' -- Canada -- Périodiques; Environmental engineering; Sanitary engineering; Canada; Electronic journals; Computer network resources; Periodicals; 628.05
• DOI: 10.1139/s03-004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1496-2551

Abstract

Abstract : The aim of this paper is to show the impacts of the vertical discretization in a physical soil numerical model on the calculation of the heat and mass transfer equations. The Simple Soil Plant Atmosphere Transfer (SISPAT) model was used in this study. It solves the coupled equations of mass and energy transfers in the soil and can deal with several horizons for vertically non-homogeneous soils. A series of numerical experiments have been performed to assess the influence of the vertical resolution grid on the simulation of the heat and water transfers using the SISPAT model in a one horizon configuration (homogeneous soil). In the studied case, a minimum of 20 layers has been found for a single 1.4 m thick horizon. Based on this analysis, numerical tests have been performed using SISPAT in a four horizons configuration.