Description
Return signed mean soil-core heat flux.
Soil bench and profile terms depend on geometry, reference origins, heat-capacity bases and sign conventions. A pressure, stress or strain is a limited measured/model quantity rather than a complete soil-strength, heat-transport or field-state assessment. Reference lines and physical coefficients are supplied rather than inferred.
Return signed mean soil-core heat flux.
When to use this tool
Use Soil Core Heat Flux Area Factor when checking the stated soil geometry, thermal, mechanical or measurement convention.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter energyJ, durationSeconds, areaM2. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read heatFlux. Use the output convention below.
Return signed mean soil-core heat flux. Require durationSeconds/areaM2 > 0; heatFlux = energyJ/(duration*area).1
The watt is a unit of power and the joule a unit of energy. A watt-hour equals 3600 joules; multiplying watts by supplied hours does not directly produce joules.2
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| energyJ | Energy J | Required. Finite number. |
| durationSeconds | Duration Seconds | Required. Finite number; strictly above 0. |
| areaM2 | Area M2 | Required. Finite number; strictly above 0. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| heatFlux | energyJ/(durationSeconds*areaM2), in W/m². | Required. Finite number. |
{
"input": {
"energyJ": 120,
"durationSeconds": 10,
"areaM2": 0.2
},
"output": {
"heatFlux": 60
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Output is W/m² on the supplied energy-flow direction; no local temperature gradient, conductivity or full heat balance is inferred.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use calibrated measurements and an appropriate complete soil/engineering model for material properties, field behavior or safe practical loading.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Soil Heat Capacity Basis Factor
Convert soil mass-specific to volumetric heat capacity.
- Soil Thermal Diffusivity Capacity Term
Return a two-component volume heat capacity and diffusivity.