Thermal remote sensing data for estimating evapotranspiration on a Regional Scale (A conceptual approach)

Abstract

The amount of evapotranspiration (ET) is an essential input for modelling the water balance equation, and also has substantial value in the overall estimation of available water for long-term planning of the water resources of regional or very large river basins, such as the Nile, Congo, Niger and Volta. As an alternative to in-situ hydro -physical measurements, theoretical and computer-based models, a method that applies thermal infrared band (6) of Landsat TM data for the estimation of ET on a basin-wide scale is presented.

Journal of Applied Science and Technology (JAST) , Vol. 5, Nos. 1 & 2, 2000, pp. 98 - 107