Towards an improved mapping of evapotranspiration in semi-arid regions

Mustafa Gökmen, Christiaan van der Tol, Zoltán Vekerdy, Wouter Verhoef, Okke Batelaan, Hasan Z. Sarikaya

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Abstract

In drylands, evapotranspiration is mainly limited by soil moisture, but current surface energy balance models do not directly make use of this fact. We tested the single-source energy balance model SEBS in a semi-arid region and showed that SEBS is significantly overestimating the evaporative fraction for sparsely vegetated drylands. As an alternative for such conditions, we derived an empirical function of soil moisture, temperature gradient and NDVI, which performed significantly better. This was then integrated with the evaporative fraction output of SEBS for an improved mapping of evapotranspiration in a semi-arid region. Ground measurements of the evaporative fraction from five Bowen ratio energy balance systems were used first to test SEBS and then to calibrate the empirical equation. The resulting method uses remote sensing data and in situ air temperature measurement.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationRemote Sensing and Hydrology
Subtitle of host publicationProceedings of the 2010 Symposium held at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, 27-30 September 2010
EditorsC.M.U. Neale, M.H. Cosh
Place of PublicationWallingford
PublisherInternational Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS)
Pages149-153
ISBN (Print)978-1-907161-27-8
Publication statusPublished - 2012
EventRemote Sensing and Hydrology Symposium 2010 - Jackson Hole, United States
Duration: 27 Sept 201030 Sept 2010

Publication series

NameIAHS Publication
PublisherIAHS
Number352

Conference

ConferenceRemote Sensing and Hydrology Symposium 2010
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityJackson Hole
Period27/09/1030/09/10

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