Variation in sediment temperature in the Claromecó Creek basin, Argentina. Energy balance of the sand

CARBONE, M.E.; PICCOLO, M.C.; PERILLO, G.M.E.

Revista Geofísica

IPGH

Lugar: Mexico; Año: 2007 vol. 62 p. 5 - 16

0252-9769

The thermal variation of the sediments and the energy balance components arecomputed for a sandy beach in the Claromeco estuary located in the south – east ofthe Buenos Aires province Argentina. The study covers a seven days period inMarch 1999. Soil, air and water temperatures were measured continuouslyemploying thermistors at different heights and depth. An air sensor was installed ina shady, ventiled location 1.9 m above the sand. Soil temperature sensors wereburied at three levels below the sediment surface at a depth of 0.05m, 0.15m and0.30m. The water sensor was located 0.40m depth in the water column. Themeasurement time interval was 10 minutes. Meteorological observation were alsoobtained from a meteorological station located in the study area.The calculated mean value of thermal diffusivity was 0.60 x 10-6 m2 , the thermalconductivity was 1.83 W m-1 K-1 . The ground heat flux averaged is 83 W m-2 . Thelatent heat flux is 212 W m-2 . The mean net radiation with 345 W m-2 .The netradiation and the latent heat flux resulted the more important components of thebalance. The components of the energy balance of the Claromeco estuary show agreater energic transference from the atmosphere to the sediments.