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WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, VOL. 44, W00D04, doi:10.1029/2008WR006979, 2008

Evergreen trees as inexpensive radiation shields for temperature sensors

Jessica D. Lundquist

Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA


Brian Huggett

Forestry and Wildland Resources, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, USA


Abstract

Evergreen trees provide temperature sensors with shielding from solar radiation and an elevated location above the snowpack. Sensors were deployed with simple funnel radiation shields in the Sierra Nevada, California, and Rocky Mountains, Colorado. Compared with unaspirated, Gill-shielded thermistors, inexpensive self-recording temperature sensors hung in dense stands of trees have less than 0.8°C (0.4°C) mean difference in daily maximum (mean) temperature. In contrast, sensors in sparse and isolated trees had a bias of 2–5°C (0.3–1.3°C) in daily maximum (mean) temperature. Sensors on poles were biased 5–13°C (0.5–3.0°C) for daily maximum (mean) temperatures. In locations with deep winter snowpacks, sensors can be raised high into a tree using a pulley system.

Received 7 March 2008; accepted 15 July 2008; published 4 October 2008.

Keywords: temperature; sensors; trees.

Index Terms: 0794 Cryosphere: Instruments and techniques; 1848 Hydrology: Monitoring networks; 1895 Hydrology: Instruments and techniques: monitoring; 0394 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Instruments and techniques.

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Citation: Lundquist, J. D., and B. Huggett (2008), Evergreen trees as inexpensive radiation shields for temperature sensors, Water Resour. Res., 44, W00D04, doi:10.1029/2008WR006979.