Operational tools and applications of EO satellite data to retrieve surface fluxes in semi-arid countries

Abstract

Research highlights: ¿ We assess the performance of a new parameterisation scheme of ground heat flux (G) to be used in remote sensing ET estimation methods (Chapter 4) ¿ The G-parameterisation optimized with AMMA flux data performs well and improves H and ET retrieved by means of the triangle method (Chapter 4) ¿ The triangle method was compared with ET estimated by means of a land surface model (JULES, Chapter 5). An attempt was made to calibrate JULES using the triangle method through Monte Carlo simulations, but the two methods supply rather different results, indicating that further intercomparison tasks should be carried out to assess the performance of RS-based algorithms and land surface models in estimating the components of the land surface energy balance. ¿ We apply the new scheme to retrieve and analyse the long term evolution (2000-2009) of the surface energy balance components, G, Rn, H and ET at several sites of the Segura Basin (S-E Spain) using MODIS-Terra data (land surface temperature and NDVI). Temporal and spatial distribution of evapotranspiration reveals different controls on ET. (Chapter 6) ¿ MODIS-Aqua Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is used to validate a mathematical model to retrieve surface fluxes in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon (Mar Menor, S-E Spain) (Chapter 6). http://repositorio.bib.upct.es/dspace/