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This script calculates the parameters needed to define the theorical thermocline using a set of data that is a vertical profile of the water temperature.
The Thermal stratification is a scientific concept used to refer to the phenomenon by which there is a stratification of the water masses of the marshes or lakes according to their temperature. During the winter and spring, the water has a uniform temperature distribution until the heat of the sun and the air above the water begin to increase its temperature. The thermal stratification divides the water masses into three horizontal layers, epilimnion, metalimnion (also known as thermocline and the object of this study) and hipolimnion.
- Epilimnion: top of the lake.
- Metalimnion (or thermocline): middle layer that may change depth throughout the day.
- Hypolimnion: the bottom layer.
The temperature profile graphically can be represented through the layers of water as:
The profile of the temperature can be adjusted by the empirical equation 1 (cook & Rimmer 2010):
Whose representation for specific values can be represented by:
And where: alpha = Parameter that adjust the curve (in m-1).Determine the depth of the gradient temperature. n = dimensionless parameter that control the slope of the thermal gradient in the curve fitting. Te = Temperature of the epilimnion. Th = Temperature of the hipolimnion. Z=medidas de la profundidad (variable independiente).
m = 1 - 1/n
In the study had been compared the measured in the marshes of Cuerda Del Pozo (Soria) with the adjust of the ecuation and also with the values obtained using a computer simulation model.