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Excess moisture factor. Determination of the moisture coefficient

It is easy to see that on earth's surface two oppositely directed processes are constantly taking place - irrigation of the area by precipitation and its drying out by evaporation. Both of these processes merge into a single and contradictory process of atmospheric humidification, which is understood as the ratio of precipitation and evaporation.
There are over twenty ways to express it. The indicators are called indices and coefficients of either air dryness or atmospheric moisture. The most famous are the following:

1. Hydrothermal coefficient G. T. Selyaninova.
2. Radiation index of dryness M. I. Budyko.
3. Moisture coefficient of G. N. Vysotsky - N. N. Ivanov. It is best to express it in %. For example, in the European tundra, precipitation is 300 mm, and evaporation is only 200 mm, therefore, precipitation exceeds evaporation by 1.5 times, atmospheric humidification is 150%, or \u003d 1.5. Humidification is excessive, more than 100%, or / 01.0, when more precipitation falls than can evaporate; sufficient, at which the amount of precipitation and evaporation are approximately equal (about 100%), or C = 1.0; insufficient, less than 100%. or to<1,0, если испаряемость превосходит количество осадков; в последней градации полезно выделить ничтожное увлажнение, в котором осадки составляют ничтожную (13% и меньше, или К = 0,13) долю испаряемости.
4. In Europe and the USA, C. W. Tortveit's coefficient is used, which is rather complex and highly inaccurate; it is not necessary to consider it here. The abundance of ways to express air humidification suggests that none of them can be considered not only accurate, but also more true than others. N. N. Ivanov's formula for evapotranspiration and moistening coefficient are quite widely used, and for the purposes of geography it is the most expressive.

Moisture coefficient - the ratio between the amount of precipitation for a year or other time and the evaporation of a certain area. Humidity coefficient is an indicator of the ratio of heat and moisture.


Usually, a zone of excessive moisture is distinguished, where K is greater than 1, for example, in tundro forests and taiga, K = 1.5; the zone of unstable moisture - in the forest-steppe 0.6-1.0; zone of insufficient moisture - in the semi-desert 0.1-0.3, and in the desert less than 0.1.

The amount of precipitation does not yet give a complete picture of the moisture supply of the territory, since part of the precipitation evaporates from the surface, and the other part seeps into the soil.
At different temperatures, different amounts of moisture evaporate from the surface. The amount of moisture that can evaporate from a water surface at a given temperature is called the volatility. It is measured in millimeters of the evaporated water layer. Evaporation characterizes the possible evaporation. The actual evaporation cannot be more than the annual amount of precipitation. Therefore, in the deserts of Central Asia, it is no more than 150-200 mm per year, although evaporation here is 6-12 times higher. To the north, evaporation increases, reaching 450 mm in the southern part of the taiga of Western Siberia and 500-550 mm in mixed and broad-leaved forests of the Russian Plain. Further north of this strip, evaporation again decreases to 100-150 mm in the coastal tundra. In the northern part of the country, evaporation is limited not by the amount of precipitation, as in deserts, but by the amount of evaporation.
To characterize the moisture content of the territory, the moisture coefficient is used - the ratio of the annual precipitation to the evaporation rate for the same period.
The lower the humidity coefficient, the drier the climate. Near the northern border of the forest-steppe zone, the amount of precipitation is approximately equal to the annual evaporation. The moisture coefficient here is close to unity. Such moisture is considered sufficient. Humidification of the forest-steppe zone and the southern part of the mixed forest zone fluctuates from year to year in the direction of increasing or decreasing, therefore it is unstable. When the moisture coefficient is less than one, moisture is considered insufficient (steppe zone). In the northern part of the country (taiga, tundra), the amount of precipitation exceeds evaporation. The moisture coefficient here is greater than unity. Such moisture is called excessive.
The moisture coefficient expresses the ratio of heat and moisture in a particular area and is one of the important climatic indicators, as it determines the direction and intensity of most natural processes.
In areas of excessive moisture, there are many rivers, lakes, swamps. Erosion dominates in the transformation of the relief. Meadows and forests are widespread.

High annual values ​​of the moisture coefficient (1.75-2.4) are typical for mountain areas with absolute surface elevations of 800-1200 m. 500 mm per year or more. The minimum values ​​of the moisture coefficient from 0.35 to 0.6 are characteristic of the steppe zone, the vast majority of the surface of which is located at elevations of less than 600 m abs. height. The moisture balance here is negative and is characterized by a deficit of 200 to 450 mm or more, and the territory as a whole is characterized by insufficient moisture, typical of a semi-arid and even arid climate. The main period of moisture evaporation lasts from March to October, and its maximum intensity falls on the hottest months (June - August). The lowest values ​​of the moisture coefficient are observed in these months. It is easy to see that the amount of excess moisture in mountainous areas is comparable, and in some cases exceeds the total amount of precipitation in the steppe zone. 

The relationship between the amount of precipitation and evaporation (or temperature, since evaporation depends on the latter). With excessive moisture, precipitation exceeds evaporation and part of the fallen water is removed from the area by underground and river runoff. With insufficient moisture, precipitation falls less than it can evaporate.[ ...]

Humidity coefficient in the southern part of the zone is 0.25-0.30, in the central part - 0.30-0.35, in the northern part - 0.35-0.45. In the driest years in the summer months, the relative humidity of the air drops sharply. Dry winds are frequent, having a detrimental effect on the development of vegetation.[ ...]

HUMIDIFICATION COEFFICIENT - the ratio of the annual amount of precipitation to the possible annual evaporation (from the open surface of fresh waters): K \u003d R / E, where R is the annual amount of precipitation, E is the possible annual evaporation. Expressed in %.[ ...]

The boundaries between the moisture series are marked by the values ​​of the Vysotsky moisture coefficient. So, for example, the hydroseries O is a series of balanced moisture. Rows SB and B are limited by moisture coefficients of 0.60 and 0.99. The moisture coefficient of the steppe zone is in the range of 0.5-1.0. Accordingly, the range of chernozem-steppe soils is located in the hydroseries of CO and O.[ ...]

In the eastern regions of precipitation is even less - 200-300 mm. The moisture coefficient in different parts of the zone from south to north ranges from 0.25 to 0.45. The water regime is non-flushing.[ ...]

The ratio of the annual precipitation to the annual evaporation is called the moisture coefficient (KU). in different natural areas ah KU ranges from 3 to OD.[ ...]

The modulus of elasticity of dry-method boards is 3650 MPa on average. Assuming moisture coefficients of 0.7 and operating conditions of 0.9, we get B = 0.9-0.7-3650 = 2300 MPa.[ ...]

Of the agro-climatic indicators, the most closely related to productivity are the sum of temperatures > 10 ° С, the moisture coefficient (according to Vysotsky-Ivanov), in some cases the hydrothermal coefficient (according to Selyaninov), the degree of continental climate.[ ...]

Evaporation in dry and desert steppe significantly exceeds the amount of atmospheric precipitation, the moisture coefficient is about 0.33-0.5. Strong winds further dry out the soil and cause vigorous erosion.[ ...]

Possessing relative radiation-thermal homogeneity, the type of climate - and, accordingly, the climatic zone - is divided into subtypes according to the conditions of moisture: humid, dry, semi-dry. In the humid subtype, the Dokuchaev-Vysotsky moistening coefficient is greater than 1 (precipitation is greater than evaporation), in the semi-dry - from 1 to 0.5, in the dry - less than 0.5. The ranges of subtypes form climatic zones in the latitudinal direction, in the meridional direction - climatic regions.[ ...]

Of the characteristics of the water regime, the most important are the average annual amount precipitation, their fluctuation, seasonal distribution, moisture coefficient or hydrothermal coefficient, the presence of dry periods, their duration and frequency, frequency, depth, time of establishment and destruction of snow cover, seasonal dynamics of air humidity, the presence of dry winds, dust storms and other favorable phenomena of nature.[ ...]

The climate is characterized by a set of indicators, but only a few are used to understand the processes of soil formation in soil science: annual precipitation, soil moisture coefficient, average annual air temperature, average long-term temperatures in January and July, the sum of average daily air temperatures for a period with temperatures above 10 ° C, the duration of this period, the length of the growing season.[ ...]

The degree of supply of the area with moisture necessary for the development of vegetation, natural and cultural. It is characterized by the ratio between precipitation and evaporation (humidity coefficient of N. N. Ivanov) or between precipitation and the radiation balance of the earth's surface (dryness index of M. I. Budyko), or between precipitation and sums of temperatures (hydrothermal coefficient of G. T. Selyaninov) .[ ...]

When compiling the table, I. I. Karmanov found correlations between yields and soil properties and with three agro-climatic indicators (the sum of temperatures for the growing season, the moisture coefficient according to Vysotsky-Ivanov and the coefficient of continentality) and built empirical formulas for calculations. Since the bonitet scores for low and high levels of farming were calculated according to independent hundred-point systems, the previously used concept of the yield price of a point (in kg/ha) was introduced. Table 113 shows the change in the degree of growth in yields during the transition from low to high intensity of agriculture for the main types of soils in the agricultural zone of the USSR and for the five main provincial sectors.[ ...]

The completeness of the use of incoming solar energy for soil formation is determined by the ratio of the total energy consumption for soil formation to the radiation balance. This ratio depends on the degree of moisture. Under arid conditions, with small values ​​of the moisture coefficient, the degree of use of solar energy for soil formation is very small. In well-moistened landscapes, the degree of use of solar energy for soil formation increases sharply, reaching 70-80%. As follows from Fig. 41, with an increase in the moisture coefficient, the use of solar energy increases, however, with a moisture coefficient of more than two, the completeness of energy use increases much more slowly than the increase in landscape moisture. The completeness of the use of solar energy in soil formation does not reach one.[ ...]

To create optimal conditions for the growth and development of cultivated plants, it is necessary to strive to equalize the amount of moisture entering the soil with its consumption for transpiration and physical evaporation, that is, to create a moisture coefficient close to unity.[ ...]

Each zonal-ecological group is characterized by the type of vegetation (taiga-forest, forest-steppe, steppe, etc.), the sum of soil temperatures at a depth of 20 cm from the surface, the duration of soil freezing at the same depth in months, and the moisture coefficient.[ ... ]

Thermal and water balances play a decisive role in the formation of landscape biota. A partial solution gives a moisture balance - the difference between precipitation and evaporation over a certain period of time. Both precipitation and evaporation are measured in millimeters, but the second value here represents the heat balance, since the potential (maximum) evaporation in a given place depends primarily on thermal conditions. In forest zones and tundra, the moisture balance is positive (precipitation exceeds evaporation), in steppes and deserts it is negative (precipitation is less than evaporation). In the north of the forest-steppe, the moisture balance is close to neutral. The moisture balance can be converted into a moisture coefficient, which means the ratio of atmospheric precipitation to the amount of evaporation over a known period of time. To the north of the forest-steppe, the moisture coefficient is higher than one, to the south it is less than one.[ ...]

To the south of the northern taiga, there is enough heat everywhere to form a powerful biostrome, but here another controlling factor of its development comes into force - the ratio of heat and moisture. The biostrome reaches its maximum development with forest landscapes in places with an optimal ratio of heat and moisture, where the Vysotsky-Ivanov moisture coefficient and M. I. Budyko's radiation dryness index are close to unity.[ ...]

The differences are due to the geographical and climatic unevenness of precipitation. There are places on the planet where not a drop of moisture falls (the Aswan region), and places where it rains almost incessantly, giving a huge annual rainfall - up to 12,500 mm (the Cherrapunji region in India). 60% of the world's population lives in areas with a moisture coefficient less than one.[ ...]

The main indicators characterizing the influence of climate on soil formation are average annual temperatures air and soil, the sum of active temperatures is more than 0; 5; 10 °С, annual amplitude of fluctuations in soil and air temperature, duration of the frost-free period, magnitude of the radiation balance, precipitation (average monthly, average annual, for warm and cold periods), degree of continentality, evaporation, moisture coefficient, radiation index of dryness, etc. In addition to those listed indicators, there are a number of parameters characterizing precipitation and wind speed, which determine the manifestation of water and wind erosion.[ ...]

IN last years a soil-ecological assessment has been developed and is widely used (Shishov, Durmanov, Karmanov et al., 1991). The technique makes it possible to determine the soil-ecological indicators and soil quality ratings of different lands, at any level - a specific site, region, zone, country as a whole. For this purpose, the following are calculated: soil indices (taking into account washout, deflation, rubble, etc.), average humus content, agrochemical indicators (coefficients for the content of nutrients, soil acidity, etc.), climatic indicators (sum of temperatures, moisture coefficients, etc. .). They also calculate the final indicators (soil, agrochemical, climatic) and, in general, the final soil-ecological index.[ ...]

In practice, the nature of the water regime is determined by the ratio between the amount of precipitation according to average long-term data and evaporation per year. Evaporation is the largest number moisture that can evaporate from an open water surface or from the surface of constantly waterlogged soil under given climatic conditions for a certain period of time, expressed in mm. The ratio of the annual precipitation to the annual evaporation is called the moisture coefficient (KU). In various natural zones, CU ranges from 3 to 0.1.

It is based on two interrelated processes: the moistening of the earth's surface by precipitation and the evaporation of moisture from it into the atmosphere. Both of these processes just determine the moisture coefficient for a particular area. What is moisture content and how is it determined? That is what this informative article will be about.

Moisture Coefficient: Definition

Humidification of the territory and evaporation of moisture from its surface all over the world occur in exactly the same way. However, when asked what is the coefficient of moisture, in different countries planets respond in completely different ways. And the very concept in this formulation is not accepted in all countries. For example, in the USA it is "precipitation-evaporation ratio", which can be literally translated as "index (ratio) of moisture and evaporation".

But still, what is the coefficient of moisture? This is a certain ratio between the amount of precipitation and the level of evaporation in a given area for a specific period of time. The formula for calculating this coefficient is very simple:

where O is the amount of precipitation (in millimeters);

and I - the value of evaporation (also in millimeters).

Different approaches to determining the coefficient

How to determine the moisture content? Today, about 20 different methods are known.

In our country (as well as in the post-Soviet space), the method of determination proposed by Georgy Nikolaevich Vysotsky is most often used. This is an outstanding Ukrainian scientist, geobotanist and soil scientist, the founder of forest science. During his life he wrote over 200 scientific papers.

It is worth noting that in Europe, as well as in the United States, the Torthwaite coefficient is used. However, the method of its calculation is much more complicated and has its drawbacks.

Coefficient definition

It is not at all difficult to determine this indicator for a particular area. Let's consider this technique in the following example.

Given the area for which you need to calculate the coefficient of moisture. At the same time, it is known that this territory receives 900 mm per year and evaporates from it over the same period of time - 600 mm. To calculate the coefficient, you should divide the amount of precipitation by evaporation, that is, 900/600 mm. As a result, we will get a value of 1.5. This will be the moisture coefficient for this area.

The Ivanov-Vysotsky humidification coefficient can be equal to one, be lower or higher than 1. Moreover, if:

  • K = 0, then humidification for the given territory is considered sufficient;
  • To more than 1, then the moisture is excessive;
  • To less than 1, then moisture is insufficient.

The value of this indicator, of course, will directly depend on temperature regime in a particular area, as well as on the amount of precipitation falling during the year.

What is the moisture factor used for?

The Ivanov-Vysotsky coefficient is an extremely important climatic indicator. After all, he is able to give a picture of the security of the area water resources. This coefficient is simply necessary for the development Agriculture, as well as for general economic planning of the territory.

It also determines the level of dryness of the climate: the greater it is, the more humid. In areas with excessive moisture, there is always an abundance of lakes and wetlands. The vegetation cover is dominated by meadow and forest vegetation.

The maximum values ​​of the coefficient are typical for high mountain regions (above 1000-1200 meters). Here, as a rule, there is an excess of moisture, which can reach 300-500 millimeters per year! The steppe zone receives the same amount of atmospheric moisture per year. The moisture coefficient in mountainous regions reaches its maximum values: 1.8-2.4.

Excessive moisture is also observed in the tundra, forest-tundra, and temperate. In these areas, the coefficient is not more than 1.5. In the forest-steppe zone, it ranges from 0.7 to 1.0, but in steppe zone insufficient moistening of the territory is already observed (K = 0.3-0.6).

The minimum moisture values ​​are typical for the semi-desert zone (about 0.2-0.3 in total), as well as for (up to 0.1).

Moisture coefficient in Russia

Russia is a vast country with a wide variety of climatic conditions. If we talk about the moisture coefficient, then its values ​​within Russia vary widely from 0.3 to 1.5. The poorest moisture is observed in the Caspian Sea (about 0.3). In the steppe and forest-steppe zone, it is somewhat higher - 0.5-0.8. Maximum moisture is typical for the forest-tundra zone, as well as for the high-mountain regions of the Caucasus, Altai, and the Ural Mountains.

Now you know what the moisture coefficient is. This is a fairly important indicator, which plays a very important role for the development National economy and agro-industrial complex. This coefficient depends on two values: on the amount of precipitation and on the volume of evaporation over a certain period of time.

As you know, the balance of moisture in nature is maintained by the cycle of water evaporation and precipitation. Areas that receive little rain or snow during the year are considered dry, and areas that experience heavy, frequent rainfall may even suffer from excessive levels of humidity.


But in order for the assessment of moisture to be sufficiently objective, geographers and meteorologists use a special indicator - the coefficient of moisture.

What is the moisture factor?

The degree of moisture in any territory depends on two indicators:

- the number of dropouts per year;

- the amount of moisture evaporated from the soil surface.

Indeed, the humidity of cool climate zones, where evaporation is slow due to low temperatures, may be higher than that of areas located in hot climates. climate zone, with the same amount of precipitation per year.

How is the moisture content determined?

The formula for calculating the moisture coefficient is quite simple: the annual amount of precipitation must be divided by the annual amount of moisture evaporation. If the division result is less than one, then the area is not sufficiently moistened.


When the moisture coefficient is equal to or close to unity, the moisture level is considered sufficient. For humid climatic zones, the moisture coefficient significantly exceeds unity.

Different countries use different methods for determining the moisture content. The main difficulty lies in the objective determination of the amount of moisture evaporated during the year. In Russia and CIS countries since Soviet Union the technique developed by the outstanding Soviet soil scientist G.N. Vysotsky was adopted.

It is distinguished by high accuracy and objectivity, since it does not take into account the actual level of moisture evaporation, which cannot be more than the amount of rainfall, but the possible amount of evaporation. European and American soil scientists use the Torthwaite method, which is more complex by definition and not always objective.

What is the moisture content for?

Determination of the moisture coefficient is one of the main tools for weather forecasters, soil scientists and scientists in other specialties. Based on this indicator, water supply maps are drawn up, land reclamation plans are developed - draining swampy areas, improving soils for growing crops, etc.


Meteorologists make their forecasts taking into account many indicators, including the humidity coefficient.

It is important to know that humidity depends not only on air temperature, but also on altitude. As a rule, high values ​​​​of the coefficient are characteristic of mountainous areas, since it always falls out there than on the plains.

It is not surprising that many small, and sometimes quite major rivers. For areas located at an altitude of 1000-1200 meters above sea level or higher, the humidity coefficient often reaches 1.8 - 2.4. Excess moisture flows downhill in the form of mountain rivers and streams, bringing additional moisture to the drier valleys.

IN natural conditions the value of the moisture coefficient corresponds to the terrain and the presence of water resources. Large and small rivers flow in areas of sufficient moisture, there are lakes and streams. With excessive moisture, swamps are often formed that are subject to drainage.


In areas of insufficient moisture, water bodies are rare, since the soil releases all the moisture that falls on it into the atmosphere.

The humidity coefficient is a special indicator developed by meteorologists to assess the degree of climate humidity in a particular region. At the same time, it was taken into account that the climate is a long-term characteristic of weather conditions in a given area. Therefore, it was also decided to consider the humidification coefficient in a long time frame: as a rule, this coefficient is calculated on the basis of data collected during the year.

Thus, the humidity coefficient shows how much precipitation falls during this period in the region under consideration. This, in turn, is one of the main factors determining the predominant type of vegetation in the area.

The formula for calculating the moisture coefficient is as follows: K = R / E. In this formula, the symbol K denotes the moisture coefficient itself, and the symbol R denotes the amount of precipitation that fell in a given area during the year, expressed in millimeters. Finally, the symbol E denotes the amount of precipitation that has evaporated from the surface of the earth during the same period of time.

The indicated amount of precipitation, which is also expressed in millimeters, depends on the type of soil, the temperature in a given region at a particular time period, and other factors. Therefore, despite the apparent simplicity of the above formula, the calculation of the moisture coefficient requires a large number preliminary measurements with the help of precise instruments and can only be carried out by a fairly large team of meteorologists.

In turn, the value of the moisture coefficient in a particular area, which takes into account all these indicators, as a rule, makes it possible to determine with a high degree of certainty which type of vegetation is predominant in this region. So, if the moisture coefficient exceeds 1, this indicates high level humidity in this area, which entails the predominance of such types of vegetation as taiga, tundra or forest-tundra.

A sufficient level of humidity corresponds to a moisture coefficient of 1, and, as a rule, is characterized by the predominance of mixed or deciduous forests. Moisture coefficient ranging from 0.6 to 1 is typical for forest-steppe massifs, from 0.3 to 0.6 - for steppes, from 0.1 to 0.3 - for semi-desert territories, and from 0 to 0.1 - for deserts .

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Home Atmospheric Humidification

On the earth's surface, two oppositely directed processes are constantly taking place - irrigation of the area by precipitation and drying it out by evaporation. Both of these processes merge into a single and contradictory process. atmospheric humidification, which is commonly understood as the ratio of precipitation and evaporation.

There are over twenty ways of expressing atmospheric moisture. The indicators are called indices And coefficients or dryness or atmospheric moisture. The most famous are the following:

Hydrothermal coefficient G.T . Selyaninova :

HTC = 10 R / Et, where

R- monthly amount precipitation,

Et - sum of temperatures for the same time; it is close to the volatility index.

Radiation dryness index M.I. Budyko:

Ri = R / LE is the ratio of the radiation balance to the amount of heat, which is extremely important for the evaporation of precipitation during the year.

In the range of the radiation index of dryness from 0.35 to 1.1, there are humid zones (tudra zone and forest zones of different latitudes); from 1.1 to 2.2 - semi-humid zones (forest-steppe, savannah, steppe); from 2.2 to 3.4 - semi-deserts; over 3.4 - deserts.

Moisture coefficient of G.N.Vysotsky - N.N.Ivanov:

where R is the amount of precipitation (in mm) per month,

Ep is the monthly volatility.

It is best to express it as a percentage (٪). For example, in the tundra, precipitation is 300 mm, and evaporation is only 200 mm.

502: Bad Gateway

Consequently, precipitation exceeds evaporation by 1.5 times; atmospheric humidification is 150%, or K = 1.5.

Humidification happens redundant more than 100%, or K > 1.0, when more precipitation falls than can evaporate; sufficient at which the amount of precipitation and evaporation are approximately equal (about 100%), or K = 1.0; insufficient less than 100%, or K< 1,0, если испаряемость превосходит количество осадков; в последней градации полезно выделить ничтожное увлажнение, в котором осадки составляют ничтожную (13% и меньше, или = 0,13) долю испаряемости.

In the zone of tundra, forests of temperate latitudes and equatorial forests excessive moisture (from 100 to 150%).

In the forest-steppe and savannahs, it is normal - a little more or less than 100%, usually from 99 to 60%.

Humidity decreases from the forest-steppe towards the deserts of temperate latitudes and from the savannas to the tropical deserts; it is insufficient everywhere: in the steppes 60%, in dry steppes from 60 to 30%, in semi-deserts less than 30% and in deserts from 13 to 10%.

According to the degree of humidity, the zones are humid - wet with excessive moisture and arid - dry with insufficient moisture. The degree of aridity and humidity is different and is expressed by the ratio of precipitation and evaporation.

Droughts. In forest-steppe and steppe zones, where moisture content is 100% or slightly less, even a slight decrease in precipitation leads to droughts. Meanwhile, the variability of monthly precipitation here fluctuates around 50-70%, and in some places reaches 90%.

Drought - long, sometimes up to 60-70 days, spring or summer period without rain or with precipitation below normal and with high temperatures. As a result, soil moisture reserves run out, the crop decreases or even dies.

Distinguish atmospheric And soil drought. The first is characterized by a lack of precipitation, low humidity and high temperature air. The second is expressed in the drying up of the soil, leading to the death of plants. Soil drought can be shorter than atmospheric drought due to spring moisture reserves in the soil or its entry from the soil.

Droughts occur during the years of particularly intensive atmospheric circulation, when anticyclones are stable and extensive on the Voeikov Great Continental Axis, the descending air heats up and dries up.

News and Society

What is the moisture coefficient and how is it determined?

The water cycle in nature is one of the most important processes in geographical envelope. It is based on two interrelated processes: the moistening of the earth's surface by precipitation and the evaporation of moisture from it into the atmosphere. Both of these processes just determine the moisture coefficient for a particular area. What is moisture content and how is it determined? That is what this informative article will be about.

Moisture Coefficient: Definition

Humidification of the territory and evaporation of moisture from its surface all over the world occur in exactly the same way. However, the answer to the question of what is the coefficient of moisture in different countries of the planet is answered in completely different ways. And the very concept in this formulation is not accepted in all countries. For example, in the USA it is "precipitation-evaporation ratio", which can be literally translated as "index (ratio) of moisture and evaporation".

But still, what is the coefficient of moisture? This is a certain ratio between the amount of precipitation and the level of evaporation in a given area for a specific period of time. The formula for calculating this coefficient is very simple:

where O is the amount of precipitation (in millimeters);

and H is the evaporation rate (also in millimeters).

Different approaches to determining the coefficient

How to determine the moisture content? Today, about 20 different methods are known.

In our country (as well as in the post-Soviet space), the method of determination proposed by Georgy Nikolaevich Vysotsky is most often used. This is an outstanding Ukrainian scientist, geobotanist and soil scientist, the founder of forest science. During his life he wrote over 200 scientific papers.

It is worth noting that in Europe, as well as in the United States, the Torthwaite coefficient is used. However, the method of its calculation is much more complicated and has its drawbacks.

Related videos

Coefficient definition

It is not at all difficult to determine this indicator for a particular area. Let's consider this technique in the following example.

Given the area for which you need to calculate the coefficient of moisture. At the same time, it is known that this territory receives 900 mm of atmospheric precipitation per year, and 600 mm evaporates from it over the same period of time. To calculate the coefficient, you should divide the amount of precipitation by evaporation, that is, 900/600 mm. As a result, we will get a value of 1.5. This will be the moisture coefficient for this area.

The Ivanov-Vysotsky humidification coefficient can be equal to one, be lower or higher than 1. Moreover, if:

  • K = 0, then humidification for the given territory is considered sufficient;
  • To more than 1, then the moisture is excessive;
  • To less than 1, then moisture is insufficient.

The value of this indicator, of course, will directly depend on the temperature regime in a particular area, as well as on the amount of precipitation falling during the year.

What is the moisture factor used for?

The Ivanov-Vysotsky coefficient is an extremely important climatic indicator.

After all, he is able to give a picture of the provision of the area with water resources. This coefficient is simply necessary for the development of agriculture, as well as for the general economic planning of the territory.

It also determines the level of dryness of the climate: the higher it is, the wetter the climate. In areas with excessive moisture, there is always an abundance of lakes and wetlands. The vegetation cover is dominated by meadow and forest vegetation.

The maximum values ​​of the coefficient are typical for high mountain regions (above 1000-1200 meters). Here, as a rule, there is an excess of moisture, which can reach 300-500 millimeters per year! The steppe zone receives the same amount of atmospheric moisture per year. The moisture coefficient in mountainous regions reaches its maximum values: 1.8-2.4.

Excessive moisture is also observed in the natural zone of the taiga, tundra, forest-tundra, as well as temperate broad-leaved forests. In these areas, the coefficient is not more than 1.5. In the forest-steppe zone, it ranges from 0.7 to 1.0, but in the steppe zone, insufficient moistening of the territory is already observed (K = 0.3-0.6).

The minimum moisture values ​​are typical for the semi-desert zone (about 0.2-0.3 in total), as well as for the desert zone (up to 0.1).

Moisture coefficient in Russia

Russia is a huge country, which is characterized by a wide variety of climatic conditions. If we talk about the moisture coefficient, then its values ​​within Russia vary widely from 0.3 to 1.5. The poorest moisture is observed in the Caspian Sea (about 0.3). In the steppe and forest-steppe zone, it is somewhat higher - 0.5-0.8. Maximum moisture is typical for the forest-tundra zone, as well as for the high-mountain regions of the Caucasus, Altai, and the Ural Mountains.

Now you know what the moisture coefficient is. This is a rather important indicator, which plays a very important role for the development of the national economy and the agro-industrial complex. This coefficient depends on two values: on the amount of precipitation and on the volume of evaporation over a certain period of time.

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HUMIDIFICATION COEFFICIENT

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Group work
  1. Tundra and taiga
  2. Steppes, semi-deserts and deserts
  1. Determine what is the moisture coefficient in the tundra?
  2. Why is the tundra strip on the Russian Plain narrow?
  3. Why don't trees grow in the tundra?
  4. What breeds are common in the taiga of the Russian Plain?
  5. Determine the coefficient of moisture in the taiga.

Mixed and broadleaf forests, forest-steppe

  1. What is woodland?
  2. What are the woodlands doing?
  3. What are sinkholes?
  4. Determine the moisture factor.
  5. Why has erosion intensified in the forest-steppe zone?

Steppes, semi-deserts and deserts

  1. What is the moisture coefficient in the steppe?
  2. What is the moisture coefficient in semi-desert and desert?
  3. Can trees grow in a semi-desert?
  4. How to explain the rapid destruction of rocks in the desert?
  5. How did plants adapt to life in the desert?

Fill in the table using the text of the textbook

Work in pairs

Exercise 1

  • determine the change in temperature, precipitation, evaporation in Western Siberia from west to east.
  • what is the reason for the increase in precipitation in the eastern part?

Task 2

  • Determine the change in temperature, precipitation and evaporation in Western Siberia from north to south.
  • In what part of the plain is excessive moisture?
  1. Geographical position
  2. Relief
  3. Minerals
  4. Climate (average temperatures in January, July, annual precipitation, humidity)
  5. Waters - rivers, lakes, permafrost
  6. natural area
  7. Occupations of the population (hunting, fishing, mining…)
  8. Problems and ways to solve them

Mark the following objects on the map:

Altai, Western Sayan, Eastern Sayan, Salair Ridge, Kuznetsk Alatau, Baikal, Khoma-Daban, Borshchovochny Ridge, Stanovoy, Yablonovy.

Highlands: Patom, Aldan

Peaks: Belukha

Basins: Kuznetsk, Minusinsk, Tuva.

Fill the table

Describe PTK

  1. Karelia
  2. Yamal Peninsula
  3. Altai
  4. Volga Upland
  5. Northern Ural
  6. Taimyr Peninsula
  7. Sakhalin island
Question score

(for correct answer)

1 Geographical location (which region of Russia it belongs to, position on the territory of the region) 5
2 Geological structure and relief (age of the territory, nature of the earth's crust, mountainous or flat relief)

Dominant height and highest height.

The influence of external processes on the formation of relief (glacier, water erosion, anthropogenic influence…)

5
3 Minerals (why exactly like this) 5
4 Climatic (zone, climate type, average January and July temperatures, precipitation, winds, special phenomena) 5
5 Water (rivers, lakes, swamps, permafrost, groundwater). Features of rivers - pool, ocean, food, mode) 4
6 Natural areas, their use protection 4
7 Soils 4
8 Plants and animals 3
9 Environmental problems of the territory 5
  1. Kamchatka
  2. Chukotka
  3. Sakhalin
  4. Commander Islands
  1. Geographical position
  2. who studied the territory
  3. Terrain (mountains, plains, volcanoes, earthquakes)
  4. Minerals
  5. Climate (type of climate, when is the best time to visit?)
  6. What to wear, what to bring
  7. Natural wonders - what to see?
  8. Things to do - fishing, climbing, hunting ...
  1. steppe people
  2. Pomors
  3. Do you live in taiga
  4. Do you live in the tundra
  5. Highlanders
  1. The main occupation of the population
  2. Additional classes (fishing, crafts)
  3. Where are settlements located?
  4. What is the dwelling made of?
  5. What are clothes made from?
  6. Means of transport
  7. What do they buy and sell from residents of neighboring areas?

Fill the table

Presentation

Ecological situation in Russia

  1. Acid rain and its consequences
  2. Water pollution
  3. Soil pollution

What is the moisture coefficient and how to calculate it

Moisture coefficient is an indicator used to determine climate parameters. It can be calculated by having information on precipitation in the region over a sufficiently long period.

Moisture coefficient

The humidity coefficient is a special indicator developed by meteorologists to assess the degree of climate humidity in a particular region. At the same time, it was taken into account that the climate is a long-term characteristic of weather conditions in a given area. Therefore, it was also decided to consider the moisture coefficient in a long time frame: as a rule, this coefficient is calculated on the basis of data collected during the year. Thus, the moisture coefficient shows how much precipitation falls during this period in the region under consideration. This, in turn, is one of the main factors determining the predominant type of vegetation in the area.

Moisture coefficient calculation

The formula for calculating the moisture coefficient is as follows: K = R / E. In this formula, the symbol K denotes the moisture coefficient itself, and the symbol R denotes the amount of precipitation that fell in a given area during the year, expressed in millimeters. Finally, the symbol E denotes the amount of precipitation that has evaporated from the surface of the earth during the same period of time. The indicated amount of precipitation, which is also expressed in millimeters, depends on the type of soil, the temperature in a given region at a particular time period, and other factors. Therefore, despite the apparent simplicity of the above formula, the calculation of the humidity coefficient requires a large number of preliminary measurements using accurate instruments and can only be carried out by a fairly large team of meteorologists. In turn, the value of the humidity coefficient in a particular area, taking into account all these indicators, as a rule , allows you to determine with a high degree of certainty which type of vegetation is predominant in this region.

Moisture coefficient

So, if the moisture coefficient exceeds 1, this indicates a high level of humidity in the area, which entails the predominance of vegetation types such as taiga, tundra or forest tundra. A sufficient level of humidity corresponds to a moisture factor of 1 and is usually characterized by the predominance of mixed or broad-leaved forests. Moisture coefficient ranging from 0.6 to 1 is typical for forest-steppe massifs, from 0.3 to 0.6 - for steppes, from 0.1 to 0.3 - for semi-desert territories, and from 0 to 0.1 - for deserts .

Moisture coefficient

Moisture coefficient - the ratio of the average annual rainfall to the average annual evaporation. Evaporation is the amount of moisture that can evaporate from a surface. Both precipitation and evaporation are measured in millimetres. You can find out the volatility empirically - set a wide open container with water and constantly note how much water evaporates in a certain time. So during the entire frost-free period. In fact, evaporation comes from the surface of the snow. Methods for its calculation exist, they are studied by the science of ice - glaciology.

Moisture coefficient, abbreviated as K uvl., is an important geographical indicator. If there is more precipitation than moisture can evaporate (K uvl. > 1), then excess water accumulates on the surface of the earth and swamping will occur in depressions. This is what happens, for example, in such natural areas as the tundra and taiga. If the amount of precipitation is equal to the evapotranspiration (Kwl. = 1), then theoretically all precipitation can evaporate. This best conditions for plants - there is enough moisture, but there is no stagnation. This is typical for the zone of mixed (coniferous-deciduous) forests. If precipitation is less than evaporation (K uvl.< 1), значит в году будут сезоны, более или менее продолжительные, когда влаги хватать не будет. Для растений это не очень хорошо. На территории России такие условия характерны для природных зон, находящихся южнее смешанных лесов — лесостепи, степи и полупустыни.

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