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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Chemistry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #211874

Title: Evapotranspiration: A measurement system and remote-sensing method for regional estimates

Author
item HEIMBURG, K - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item Allen Jr, Leon
item HUBER, W - UNIVERSTIY FO FLORIDA

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/5/2007
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: N/A

Technical Abstract: A method was developed for making evapotranspiration (ET) estimates based on measured air temperature, remotely sensed surface temperature, and net radiation (Rn). The method was validated from ET measurements made over a pasture near Gainesville using the energy budget--profile Bowen ratio technique. A data acquisition system, air sampling system, and time constant matched humidity, temperature, and radiation sensors were developed to log data and calculate half hour average surface energy budgets. Generally, radiation surface temperatures were not the same as effective heat transport surface temperatures. Because parameters were assumed constant, estimated instantaneous ET was sometimes too high or low, but these errors tended to cancel in estimated cumulative ET. The method was well suited for use with 1-3 hour time resolution satellite data. The method evaluated surface parameters such as moisture availability, required no interpolation for ET estimates between data sets, was adapted to inevitable cloud-caused loss of satellite surface temperatures, and reduced calculation of ET to estimating total positive Rn and duration of positive Rn in a particular period.