Influence of Thermal Properties of Soils with Different Texture on Soil Heat Flux

Katerina Doneva, Milena Kercheva, Stanimir Stoinov

Abstract: The influence of thermal properties of soils with different texture on surface soil heat flux was studied in case of Alluvial-meadow soil in the bio-climatic station in the village of Tsalapitsa, Plovdiv region and Deluvial-meadow soil in the bio-climatic station in the village of Gorni Lozen, Sofia region. The midday data over a dry year for soil heat flux measured with heat flux plate and soil temperatures were used in this study. The soil texture of surface horizons of the Alluvial-meadow soil is Loam and of the Deluvial-meadow soil is Clay according to Soil Taxonomy. The clayey soil swells at moistening and shrinks at drying which cause formation of large cracks. The drying of the Alluvial-meadow soil during the warm and dry period of the year decreased the surface soil thermal conductivity and soil heat flux at midday time. The thermal conductivity of the Deluvial-meadow soil and soil heat flux at midday increased during the same period most probably because of the soil shrinking.

Keywords: soil heat flux; soil texture; soil thermal conductivity

Date published: 2018-07-09