Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis

Laboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative d...

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Main Authors: Jiangbo Han, Zhifang Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/240280
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author Jiangbo Han
Zhifang Zhou
author_facet Jiangbo Han
Zhifang Zhou
author_sort Jiangbo Han
collection DOAJ
description Laboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative drying process could be divided into three stages, beginning with a relatively high evaporation rate during stage 1, followed by a lower rate during transient stage and stage 2, and finally maintaining a very low and constant rate during stage 3. The condensation zone was located immediately below the evaporation zone in the profile. Both peaks of evaporation and condensation rate increased rapidly during stage 1 and transition stage, decreased during stage 2, and maintained constant during stage 3. The width of evaporation zone kept a continuous increase during stages 1 and 2 and maintained a nearly constant value of 0.68 cm during stage 3. When the evaporation zone totally moved into the subsurface, a dry surface layer (DSL) formed above the evaporation zone at the end of stage 2. The width of DSL also presented a continuous increase during stage 2 and kept a constant value of 0.71 cm during stage 3.
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issn 1537-744X
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spelling doaj-art-ad248c8823cf4b2b8cfa507bf3ea3a922025-08-20T02:20:36ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2013-01-01201310.1155/2013/240280240280Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical AnalysisJiangbo Han0Zhifang Zhou1School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, ChinaSchool of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, ChinaLaboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative drying process could be divided into three stages, beginning with a relatively high evaporation rate during stage 1, followed by a lower rate during transient stage and stage 2, and finally maintaining a very low and constant rate during stage 3. The condensation zone was located immediately below the evaporation zone in the profile. Both peaks of evaporation and condensation rate increased rapidly during stage 1 and transition stage, decreased during stage 2, and maintained constant during stage 3. The width of evaporation zone kept a continuous increase during stages 1 and 2 and maintained a nearly constant value of 0.68 cm during stage 3. When the evaporation zone totally moved into the subsurface, a dry surface layer (DSL) formed above the evaporation zone at the end of stage 2. The width of DSL also presented a continuous increase during stage 2 and kept a constant value of 0.71 cm during stage 3.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/240280
spellingShingle Jiangbo Han
Zhifang Zhou
Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis
The Scientific World Journal
title Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis
title_full Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis
title_fullStr Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis
title_short Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis
title_sort dynamics of soil water evaporation during soil drying laboratory experiment and numerical analysis
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/240280
work_keys_str_mv AT jiangbohan dynamicsofsoilwaterevaporationduringsoildryinglaboratoryexperimentandnumericalanalysis
AT zhifangzhou dynamicsofsoilwaterevaporationduringsoildryinglaboratoryexperimentandnumericalanalysis