Actual evapotranspiration by use of MODIS data

The aim of this research is to assess a technique to retrieve actual evapotranspiration (ET) maps from remote sensing images by the combination of two different procedures. The first one, known as triangle method, computes the evapotranspiration fraction (EF) defined as the ratio LE/Rn, where Rn is the net radiation at the surface and LE is the latent heat flux. LE is directly proportional to ET. In order to retrieve LE, and consequently the surface evapotranspiration, a second procedure computes the net radiation of the investigated area. Therefore, by inversion, it is possible to obtain an estimate of the ET. The validation of these variables, net radiation and evapotranspiration derived from MODIS data, has been undertaken on the Capitanata area, Southern Italy, by comparison of model results with in-situ measurements provided by the Consorzio per la Bonifica della Capitanata di Foggia. © 2012 IEEE.