Zhang et al. (2025) A generalized Complementary Principle (GCP) Model With Atmospheric Stability Correction for Estimating Sub‐Daily Evaporation

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Research
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-11-01
• Authors: Lu Zhang, Shujing Qin, Wilfried Brutsaert
• DOI: 10.1029/2025wr040300

Research Groups

Not specified in abstract.

Short Summary

This study tested the validity of the Generalized Complementary Principle (GCP) for estimating land surface evaporation at sub-daily timescales, finding it to be accurate when combined with Monin-Obukhov similarity theory and atmospheric stability corrections.

Objective

• To test the validity of the Generalized Complementary Principle (GCP), combined with Monin-Obukhov similarity theory, for describing sub-daily (e.g., 30 minutes or 1 hour) land surface evaporation.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Two Australian flux sites with different surface and climatic conditions (point scale).
• Temporal Scale: Sub-daily (e.g., 30 minutes or 1 hour).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Generalized Complementary Principle (GCP), Monin-Obukhov similarity theory, Penman equation (for apparent potential evaporation).
• Data sources: Evaporation rates measured by eddy covariance systems at two Australian flux sites, routine meteorological data.

Main Results

• Atmospheric instability can increase apparent potential evaporation by up to 17% compared to assumed neutral conditions.
• Estimated sub-daily evaporation values showed good agreement with measurements, with a mean R² of 0.84 and an average bias of -0.60%.
• The generalized complementary relationship is valid at the sub-daily timescale.
• The effect of atmospheric stability is important for describing sub-daily evaporation.

Contributions

• First thorough test and validation of the Generalized Complementary Principle (GCP) for estimating land surface evaporation at sub-daily timescales.
• Demonstrated the importance of incorporating atmospheric stability corrections for accurate sub-daily evaporation estimates.
• Integrated the GCP with Monin-Obukhov similarity theory for sub-daily applications.

Funding

Not specified in abstract.

Citation

@article{Zhang2025generalized,
  author = {Zhang, Lu and Qin, Shujing and Brutsaert, Wilfried},
  title = {A generalized Complementary Principle (GCP) Model With Atmospheric Stability Correction for Estimating Sub‐Daily Evaporation},
  journal = {Water Resources Research},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1029/2025wr040300},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr040300}
}