Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Evaporation Processes in a Semi-Arid Region

This study combines field experiments and numerical analysis using the HYDRUS model to investigate the impact of water table depths on evaporation processes in semi-arid regions with shallow groundwater. Two lysimeters with different water table depths were set up in the Ordos Basin, Northwest China, and instrumented with multi-depth soil moisture and temperature sensors. The experimental data were used to calibrate and validate numerical models that simulated both non-isothermal and isothermal flows. The results reveal that groundwater levels significantly influence the evaporation rate, dictating the position of the evaporation front and zero-flux plane. Isothermal models underestimated cumulative evaporation by 14.7% and 44.2% for the shallow and deep-water table lysimeters, respectively, while non-isothermal models produced more accurate results with 0.95% overestimation and 5.2% underestimation. The study demonstrates that incorporating both water and heat transport into numerical models enhances the accuracy of evaporation estimates under varying groundwater conditions. Furthermore, the findings show that when the evaporation front occurs near the surface, liquid water flux dominates, whereas water vapor flux plays a crucial role when the evaporation front is located below the surface. These results offer valuable insights for refining water management strategies and models in agricultural and ecological systems of semi-arid areas, underscoring the critical role of considering soil moisture and temperature dynamics, along with groundwater levels, in accurately quantifying evaporation for improved resource management.