A distributed stream temperature model using high resolution temperature observations (vol 11, pg 1469, 2007)

Distributed temperature data are used as input and
as calibration data for an energy based temperature model
of a first order stream in Luxembourg. A DTS (Distributed
Temperature Sensing) system with a fiber optic cable of
1500m was used to measure stream water temperature with
1m resolution each 2 min. Four groundwater inflows were
identified and quantified (both temperature and relative discharge).
The temperature model calculates the total energy
balance including solar radiation (with shading effects),
longwave radiation, latent heat, sensible heat and river bed
conduction. The simulated temperature is compared with the
observed temperature at all points along the stream. Knowledge
of the lateral inflow appears to be crucial to simulate the
temperature distribution and conversely, that stream temperature
can be used successfully to identify sources of lateral
inflow. The DTS fiber optic is an excellent tool to provide
this knowledge.