A simple pan-evaporation model for analysis of climate simulations: Evaluation over Australia

Leon D. Rotstayn; Michael L. Roderick; Graham D. Farquhar

doi:10.1029/2006GL027114

A simple pan-evaporation model for analysis of climate simulations: Evaluation over Australia

Leon D. Rotstayn^*, Michael L. Roderick, Graham D. Farquhar

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

125 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We show that a simple model of pan evaporation ("PenPan") can be used to analyze monthly mean output from a global climate model (GCM). PenPan is based on a modified version of Penman's potential evapotranspiration equation. Very good agreement is obtained with observed annual pan evaporation for Australian sites when PenPan is forced by surface observations of radiation, wind speed, humidity and air temperature. When PenPan is forced with monthly mean output from the CSIRO GCM, the results are still satisfactory, but pan evaporation is overestimated over southern Australia, primarily due to excessive surface solar radiation simulated by the GCM. The results suggest that PenPan will be a valuable tool for reconciling observed panevaporation trends with climate-model simulations.

Original language	English
Article number	L17715
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	33
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027114
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2006

Access to Document

10.1029/2006GL027114

Cite this

@article{cbace04f2156445fbb3cc1c7defff144,

title = "A simple pan-evaporation model for analysis of climate simulations: Evaluation over Australia",

abstract = "We show that a simple model of pan evaporation ({"}PenPan{"}) can be used to analyze monthly mean output from a global climate model (GCM). PenPan is based on a modified version of Penman's potential evapotranspiration equation. Very good agreement is obtained with observed annual pan evaporation for Australian sites when PenPan is forced by surface observations of radiation, wind speed, humidity and air temperature. When PenPan is forced with monthly mean output from the CSIRO GCM, the results are still satisfactory, but pan evaporation is overestimated over southern Australia, primarily due to excessive surface solar radiation simulated by the GCM. The results suggest that PenPan will be a valuable tool for reconciling observed panevaporation trends with climate-model simulations.",

author = "Rotstayn, {Leon D.} and Roderick, {Michael L.} and Farquhar, {Graham D.}",

year = "2006",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1029/2006GL027114",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "John Wiley & Sons Inc.",

number = "17",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A simple pan-evaporation model for analysis of climate simulations

T2 - Evaluation over Australia

AU - Rotstayn, Leon D.

AU - Roderick, Michael L.

AU - Farquhar, Graham D.

PY - 2006/9/1

Y1 - 2006/9/1

N2 - We show that a simple model of pan evaporation ("PenPan") can be used to analyze monthly mean output from a global climate model (GCM). PenPan is based on a modified version of Penman's potential evapotranspiration equation. Very good agreement is obtained with observed annual pan evaporation for Australian sites when PenPan is forced by surface observations of radiation, wind speed, humidity and air temperature. When PenPan is forced with monthly mean output from the CSIRO GCM, the results are still satisfactory, but pan evaporation is overestimated over southern Australia, primarily due to excessive surface solar radiation simulated by the GCM. The results suggest that PenPan will be a valuable tool for reconciling observed panevaporation trends with climate-model simulations.

AB - We show that a simple model of pan evaporation ("PenPan") can be used to analyze monthly mean output from a global climate model (GCM). PenPan is based on a modified version of Penman's potential evapotranspiration equation. Very good agreement is obtained with observed annual pan evaporation for Australian sites when PenPan is forced by surface observations of radiation, wind speed, humidity and air temperature. When PenPan is forced with monthly mean output from the CSIRO GCM, the results are still satisfactory, but pan evaporation is overestimated over southern Australia, primarily due to excessive surface solar radiation simulated by the GCM. The results suggest that PenPan will be a valuable tool for reconciling observed panevaporation trends with climate-model simulations.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845629767&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1029/2006GL027114

DO - 10.1029/2006GL027114

M3 - Article

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 33

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 17

M1 - L17715

ER -

A simple pan-evaporation model for analysis of climate simulations: Evaluation over Australia

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this