Capillary, Film, and Vapor Flow in Transient Bare Soil Evaporation (2): Experimental Identification of Hydraulic Conductivity in the Medium to Dry Moisture Range

Bare-soil evaporation involves coupled flow of liquid water, water vapor, and heat. As results in non-isothermal conditions the soil, temperature dependence transport properties thermal fluxes vapor must be accounted for. In a companion paper, we showed that Richards equation, is, single-phase model assuming isothermal conditions, is applicable to accurately determine soil hydraulic including medium dry range from experiments by inverse modeling. This warranted if pressure head data across wide moisture range, almost saturated air-dry, are used objective function suitable parameterization conductivity non-capillary used. this article, confirm theoretical examining real experiments, which measured temporal dynamics rate, temperature, laboratory columns. Pressure was with mini-tensiometers relative humidity sensors. The measurements were evaluated modeling equation ambient soil. Our for sandy loamy show observed transient drying could matched, provided curve considered diffusion film flow. These components dominate uniquely identified agreement analysis article.