Subsurface Temperature Variations Due to Exponential Air Temperature Model

M. Ravi, D. V. Ramana, Kirti Srivastava

Abstract: Climate change is expected to increase air temperature and thus to disturb surface energy balance in a complex way. In this study we made an attempt to develop the shallow subsurface thermal model that enables or captures an exponential behaviour of land atmosphere interaction in subsurface thermal evolution. The model uses the one-dimensional heat advection-diffusion equation driven by vertical fluid flow and convective heat flux on the surface. The model solves the equation for given initial and boundary conditions using the finite element method for porous subsurface. The model allows the quantitative analysis of the subsurface thermal structure and evolution for variations of the parameters involved in the model in climate change scenario. This envisages their effect and significance on subsurface thermal environment.

Keywords: exponential model of air temperature, subsurface temperature, fluid flow, Robin type boundary condition, heat transfer coefficient