Advective contribution of energy utilized in evapotranspiration by alfalfa in the east central great plains (U.S.A.)

Abstract Precise lysimetric measurements made in the east central Great Plains region indicate that, under weather conditions typical of late spring, the advection of sensible heat contributes an important share of the energy consumed in evaporation by a well-watered alfalfa crop. The data presented demonstrate that daily and hourly rate of evapotranspiration (ET)—or latent heat consumption (LE)—may be as great, at times, as in more arid desert or west coast locations from which observations of similar accuracy have been reported.