Comparison of the observed temperature evolution in sinkholes D0–D1 (lower dashed lines) and D2–D4 (upper dashed lines) for (a) the analytical solution with ɛA = 0.60 for sky-view factors of 0.9 and 0.6 and for (b) the numerical solution with ɛA = 0.64 and a basin-atmosphere cooling rate of 0.5 (lower curve) and 0.3 (upper curve) K h−1.
Citation: Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 51, 8; 10.1175/JAMC-D-12-0155.1
As in Whiteman et al. (2004), the analytical solution matches observations only during the first hours of cooling. It does not explain the observed quasi-linear temperature decrease that continues through the night, and it underestimates the temperature difference between the higher- and lower-sky-view-factor basins. If the atmospheric temperature TA, which the surface “sees” and which is constant in the analytical model, is allowed to decrease with time, however, the downward longwave radiation decreases as well, and the model results show better agreement with observations (Fig. 1b).
Acknowledgments
We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience the errors may have created. We also thank Allison Houghton (University of Illinois) for pointing out the problem.
REFERENCE
Whiteman, C. D., T. Haiden, B. Pospichal, S. Eisenbach, and R. Steinacker, 2004: Minimum temperatures, diurnal temperature ranges, and temperature inversions in limestone sinkholes of different sizes and shapes. J. Appl. Meteor., 43, 1224–1236.
