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Title: Leaf wetness distribution in a heterogeneous agricultural landscape

Author
item Cosh, Michael
item HORNBUCKLE, B - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item KABELA, E - SAVANNAH RIVER NAT LAB
item GLEASON, M - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Jackson, Thomas

Submitted to: American Geophysical Union
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/19/2007
Publication Date: 12/14/2007
Citation: Cosh, M.H., Hornbuckle, B., Kabela, E., Gleason, M., Jackson, T.J. 2007. Leaf wetness distribution in a heterogeneous agricultural landscape [abstract]. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. Abstract No. H31D-0634.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Spatial variability of leaf wetness quantity is a rising concern for remote sensing and hydrology. The presence of liquid water on the plant surface may impact the ability of new and future remote sensing technologies to measure surface soil moisture. Furthermore, the potential recharge of surface soil moisture from leaf wetness is small but critical element of the water balance, especially in dry environments. Measuring the variability and spatial extent of leaf wetness events will provide an upper limit for modeling and remote sensing in determine the effect of such events on hydrologic studies. In coordination with the SMEX05 experiment, leaf wetness sensors were deployed and measurements collected during June of 2005 in and around the Walnut Creek Watershed near Ames, Iowa. Column density estimates of leaf wetness were calculated hourly for each day of record for the study region at 20 different fields. These data were combined with a vegetation leaf area index map to produce a spatial leaf wetness product daily during the experiment.