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Some Meteorological Aspects of Evapotranspiration¹

ABSTRACT

During the past decade increasing attention has been given to various engineering type equations designed to estimate, from available climatic data, the amount of water used by plants.

Some of the basic assumptions involved in these equations are examined in the ligh to frecent advances in knowledge of the physical processes at the earth-atmosphere interface.

It is found that the majority of equations involving the concept of potential evapotranspiration or consumptive use tend to assume a homogeneous soil moisture regime infinite in horizontal extent. Therefore, it has been difficult to apply these equations to irrigation practice, which obviously must create isolated areas of above normal moisture.

Consequently, the problem is approached from the strictly physical point of view, and it is shown that a solution can be obtained, provided that sufficient knowledge of soil interactions is available.

¹ Contribution from the Department of Oceanography and Meteorology of the A. & M. College of Texas, Oceanographic and Meteorological Series No. 80, based on investigations conducted on Air Force Contract No. 19(604)-1117 through the Texas A. & M. Research Foundation. The research reported in this paper has in part been made possible through support and sponsorship extended by the Geophysics Research Directorate of the Air Force Cambridge Research Center, under Contract No. AF 19(604)-1117. It does not necessarily represent conclusions of the sponsoring agency. Presented before Div. I, Soil Science Society of America, Aug. 17, 1955, at Davis, Calif.

² Associate Professor of Meteoroloogy and Agricultural Meteorologist, respectively, Department of Oceanography, Texas A. & M. College.

Received for publication March 5, 1956. Accepted for publication March 28, 1957.