Correlation between Atmospheric Temperature and Soil Temperature: A Case Study for Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

The main intention of this study was to substantiate the relation between atmospheric temperature and soil temperature within a system boundary. The study focused on coefficient of correlation that demonstrates the association between two variables. The earth surface temperature is anticipated to be affected by a set of meteorological parameters. Atmospheric temperature, humidity, precipitation and solar radiation directly influence the adjacent soil and the extent of impact must be varied at different part of the earth because of multiple factors. The primary step to validate the correlation was to collect two series of data for two variables i.e. atmospheric temperature and soil temperature of last ten years from 2003 to 2012. The coefficient of correlation was determined through Pearson’s distribution whereas atmospheric temperature was considered as independent and soil temperature was dependent variable. The coefficients were calculated distinctly taking the soil temperature not only at several depths but also at separate faces of a day commensurate to overlying air temperature. The results indicated strong positive correlation up to 20 cm depth of soil which blatantly validates the premise of the study. The procedure was concluded with the regression analyses through which dependent variable (soil temperature) is projected corresponding to independent variable (air temperature). All possible coefficients of correlation were gathered in order to make the final comparison and analyses over the variation of magnitudes. Anomalies at which two variables are unable to continue linearity were portrayed in figures of the paper. Finally, influence graph is made to illustrate relative influence at different nominated depth of soil based on the coefficient of correlation.