Zhenchao Li

Observational study of surface spectral radiation and corresponding albedo over Gobi, desert, and bare loess surfaces in northwestern China

In this paper, the field experiments on ground surface spectral broadband solar radiation (SR) and corresponding albedo were introduced at three man-made sites at Gobi, desert, and bare loess zones during three different intensive observational periods (IOP) from 2010 to 2013 in Gansu Province, respectively. The continuous and high temporal resolution records of ground surface solar radiation are presented, including global (GR), ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS), and near-infrared radiation (NIR). The corresponding albedos are analyzed over three typical nonvegetated underlying surfaces in arid and semiarid and semihumid regions of northwestern China. The preliminary investigations were carried out. The results show that the variation trends of UV, VIS, and NIR are coincident with the GR, and the irradiances are gradually decreasing throughout the IOP at each site; the energy ratios of VIS/GR are all approximately 40.2%, and the ratios of NIR/GR are all approximately 54.4% at the Gobi, desert, and bare loess zones; and the averaged albedos of the soil for VIS are 0.231, 0.211, and 0.142 and for the NIR are 0.266, 0.252, and 0.255 over the Gobi, desert, and bare loess land surfaces, respectively. The energy ratios of VIS/GR and NIR/GR are not 50% as prescribed for all of the soil color classes in most of land surface models (LSMs). The observational soil albedo values for NIR are not twice to that of the VIS as predicted in some LSMs for the underlying surface at the three sites. GR albedo is determined by the energy ratios of SR/GR and SR albedos.

Impact of soil moisture and winter wheat height from the Loess Plateau in Northwest China on surface spectral albedo

The understanding of surface spectral radiation and reflected radiation characteristics of different surfaces in different climate zones aids in the interpretation of regional surface energy transfers and the development of land surface models. This study analysed surface spectral radiation variations and corresponding surface albedo characteristics at different wavelengths as well as the relationship between 5-cm soil moisture and surface albedo on typical sunny days during the winter wheat growth period. The analysis was conducted using observational Loess Plateau winter wheat data from 2015. The results show that the ratio of atmospheric downward radiation to global radiation on typical sunny days is highest for near-infrared wavelengths, followed by visible wavelengths and ultraviolet wavelengths, with values of 57.3, 38.7 and 4.0%, respectively. The ratio of reflected spectral radiation to global radiation varies based on land surface type. The visible radiation reflected by vegetated surfaces is far less than that reflected by bare ground, with surface albedos of 0.045 and 0.27, respectively. Thus, vegetated surfaces absorb more visible radiation than bare ground. The atmospheric downward spectral radiation to global radiation diurnal variation ratios vary for near-infrared wavelengths versus visible and ultraviolet wavelengths on typical sunny days. The near-infrared wavelengths ratio is higher in the morning and evening and lower at noon. The visible and ultraviolet wavelengths ratios are lower in the morning and evening and higher at noon. Visible and ultraviolet wavelength surface albedo is affected by 5-cm soil moisture, demonstrating a significant negative correlation. Excluding near-infrared wavelengths, correlations between surface albedo and 5-cm soil moisture pass the 99% confidence test at each wavelength. The correlation with 5-cm soil moisture is more significant at shorter wavelengths. However, this study obtained surface spectral radiation characteristics that were affected by land surface vegetation coverage as well as by soil physical properties.

The relationship between surface spectral albedo and soil moisture in an arid Gobi area

Surface albedo is one of the most important properties of underlying surface. However, errors still exist in the calculation of the surface albedo because of complex influencing factors. Understanding the relationship between the surface albedos in different wavebands, and soil moisture will provide theory basis for the parameterization of surface albedos. In this paper, using the data on the spectral radiation and soil moisture observation in Dunhuang, China, from August to October 2016, the spectral radiation characteristics of the underlying surface in this arid Gobi area, the variation characteristics of the surface spectral albedo and its relationship with 2-cm soil moisture were analyzed. The results show that the decrease of the angle of the sun due to seasonal change is the reason of the decrease of NIR, GR, VIS, and UV. The surface albedos in different wavebands are affected by the surface soil moisture, and they exhibit obvious anti-correlations. During the observation period, the average surface albedo of NIR, GR, VIS, and UV is 0.263, 0.230, 0.204, and 0.096, respectively, while the correlation coefficient with 2-cm soil moisture is − 0.522, − 0.678, − 0.804, and − 0.812, respectively. When solar altitude is larger than 40°, the correlation coefficients between the NIR, GR, VIS, and UV surface albedos and 2-cm soil moisture are becoming larger. And the linear regression coefficients between the NIR, GR, VIS, and UV surface albedos and 2-cm soil moisture are becoming smaller. Shorter wavelengths correspond to stronger relationships between the surface albedo and soil moisture. At longer wavelengths, the decrease in the surface albedo due to the increase in soil moisture is sharper.

Inclusion of Solar Elevation Angle in Land Surface Albedo Parameterization Over Bare Soil Surface

Abstract Land surface albedo is a significant parameter for maintaining a balance in surface energy. It is also an important parameter of bare soil surface albedo for developing land surface process models that accurately reflect diurnal variation characteristics and the mechanism behind the solar spectral radiation albedo on bare soil surfaces and for understanding the relationships between climate factors and spectral radiation albedo. Using a data set of field observations, we conducted experiments to analyze the variation characteristics of land surface solar spectral radiation and the corresponding albedo over a typical Gobi bare soil underlying surface and to investigate the relationships between the land surface solar spectral radiation albedo, solar elevation angle, and soil moisture. Based on both solar elevation angle and soil moisture measurements simultaneously, we propose a new two‐factor parameterization scheme for spectral radiation albedo over bare soil underlying surfaces. The results of numerical simulation experiments show that the new parameterization scheme can more accurately depict the diurnal variation characteristics of bare soil surface albedo than the previous schemes. Solar elevation angle is one of the most important factors for parameterizing bare soil surface albedo and must be considered in the parameterization scheme, especially in arid and semiarid areas with low soil moisture content. This study reveals the characteristics and mechanism of the diurnal variation of bare soil surface solar spectral radiation albedo and is helpful in developing land surface process models, weather models, and climate models.