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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Water Management and Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #165766

Title: ESTIMATION OF SURFACE ENERGY FLUXES USING ASTER THERMAL INFRARED DATA

Author
item French, Andrew

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/2004
Publication Date: 6/14/2004
Citation: French, A.N. 2004. Estimation of surface energy fluxes using aster thermal infrared data. Meeting Abstract. (http://asterweb:jpl.nasa.gov/publications).

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Estimation of surface energy fluxes is important for monitoring evapotranspiration (ET) from global scales to local agricultural scales. Knowledge of ET distributions is critical to understanding issues such as climate change, agricultural crop health and irrigation requirements. Retrieval of spatially distributed surface energy fluxes, however, can not be accomplished from scattered point observations, but must also utilize remote sensing observations. This presentation centers around the ASTER sensor, on board the Terra satellite, which is especially well suited to the task. ASTER's multispectral capabilities span visible to thermal infrared wavelengths at moderate to high resolutions (90-15 m) and include excellent radiometric and geometric calibration characteristics. These capabilities allow accurate imaging of land surface vegetation density, temperature, and reflectivity. To illustrate ASTER's suitability for surface energy flux estimation, three approaches are discussed: a two-source model (TSEB), a single-source model (SEBAL), and a vegetation index/temperature triangle model. Comparison of model results with ground observations over different landscapes will improve future flux model development and eventually lead to practical implementations.