Determination of Diurnal Soil-Temperature Cycles Using Remote Sensing Data

Abstract

A solution is found for the thermal conductivity equation describing the steady diurnal variation of soil temperature, which is nonuniform in depth. The solution is represented in the form of a Fourier series and is dependent on three characteristic parameters reflecting energy budget conditions at the soil surface. These parameters can be found using two remote temperature measurements with a known time for attaining a maximum value. The diurnal temperature variation retrieved on the basis of remote measurements is compared with the results of surface experiments for dry and moist soils.