Introduction - The Global Climate System: Patterns, Processes, and Teleconnections - page 5

Figure 1.3 Model of
energy transfer in the
atmospheric system.
In symbolic form:
G ¼ð K " K #Þ þ ð L " L #Þ LE H S
Since
ð K " K #Þ þ ð L " L #Þ ¼ Q*
then
G ¼ Q* LE H S
in terms of Q*
Q* ¼ G þ LE þ H S
The column will not experience a net change in temperature over an annual period;
that is, it is neither gaining nor losing heat over that time, so G ¼ 0 and can be
dropped from the equation.
Q* ¼ LE þ H S
This equation will apply to a mobile column, such as the oceans. On land, where
subsurface flow of heat is negligible, S will be unimportant. The land heat budget
becomes
Q* ¼ LE þ H
The ratio between LE and H is given as the Bowen Ratio.
(After Oliver and Hidore 2002 )
The opposite is true in dry environments. The ratio of one to another is expressed
by the Bowen Ratio; a high value would indicate that large amounts of energy
are available for sensible heat, a low value indicates that much available energy
is used for latent heat transfer. This partially explains why desert regions, which