Bowen Ratio

The Bowen ratio commonly used in meteorology (also Bowenratio; after Ira S. Bowen ) is the ratio of sensible heat F to latent heat L :   

${\displaystyle \beta ={\dfrac {F}{L}}}$

In inner-city areas it can be 2: 1, as there is often a lack of water due to the high proportion of sealed surfaces. A large part of the energy is converted into sensible heat.

In rural areas, where there is usually no shortage of evaporable water, the Bowen ratio is approximately 1: 2.

See also

• Saturation vapor pressure
• Evaporation
• transpiration

Footnotes

1. ↑ Hans Häckel : Meteorology. 5th edition. Uni-Taschenbücher, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-8252-1338-2