Hosseini et al. (2026) Equivalent Subsurface Thermal Characteristics for Heterogeneous Surfaces

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

Identification

• Journal: Geophysical Research Letters
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-08-08
• Authors: Erfan Hosseini, Elie R. Bou-Zeid
• DOI: 10.1029/2026gl124698

Research Groups

• Department of Earth Sciences, University of California, Berkeley
• Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University

Short Summary

This study presents a new formulation for estimating equivalent thermal properties of horizontally heterogeneous land surfaces, improving predictions of land-atmosphere exchanges in urban environments.

Objective

• Develop a method to estimate the equivalent thermal properties of mixed land surfaces with distinct radiative and thermal characteristics.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Local to regional scales (urban environments)
• Temporal Scale: Diurnal forcing

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Surface energy balance and subsurface heat-conduction principles
• Data sources: Not specified, but likely based on simulations and theoretical analysis

Main Results

• The equivalent heat capacity is the area-weighted mean of individual material capacities.
• The equivalent diffusivity reproduces the correct average depth of diurnal temperature penetration.
• Simulations yield mean absolute errors of 0.34°C and 4.32 W for a representative composition of six materials.

Contributions

• This study provides an improved method for estimating equivalent thermal properties, particularly useful in urban environments with mixed land surfaces.
• The proposed formulation outperforms established approaches in predicting land-atmosphere exchanges.

Funding

• Not specified

Citation

@article{Hosseini2026Equivalent,
  author = {Hosseini, Erfan and Bou-Zeid, Elie R.},
  title = {Equivalent Subsurface Thermal Characteristics for Heterogeneous Surfaces},
  journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2026gl124698},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2026gl124698}
}