Variation in Sediment Temperature in the Claromecó Creek Basin Energy Balance of the Sands

Abstract

The thermal variation of the sediments and the energy balance components are computed for a sandy beach in the Claromeco estuary located in the South-East of the Buenos Aires province Argentina. The study covers a seven days period in March 1999. Soil, air and water temperatures were measured continuously employ- ing thermistors at different heights and depth. An air sensor was installed in a shady, ventiled location 1.9 m above the sand. 

Soil temperature sensors were buried at three levels below the sediment surface at a depth of 0.05 m, 0.15 m and 0.30 m. The water sensor was located 0.40 m depth in the water column. The measurement time interval was 10 minutes. Mete- orological observation were also obtained from a meteorological station located in the study area. 

The thermal diffusivity was calculated by the temperature observed in the sedi- ment. The net means radiation were 0.60 x 10-6 m-2 s-1 for the upper values. The mean net radiation was 345 W m-2. The latent heat fux was 212 W m-2 and the soil fux with average value the 83 W m-2. 

The net radiation and the latent heat flux resulted the more important compo- nents of the balance. The components of the energy balance of the Claromeco estu- ary show a greater energic transference from the atmosphere to the sediments.