Comparative analysis of surface energy balance models for actual evapotranspiration estimation through remotely sensed images

A correct estimation of both the temporal and spatial distribution of evapotranspiration (ET) is essential to manage water resources, in particular, in Mediterranean areas, where water scarcity and a semiarid climate often cause fragility and severe damage to agro-ecosystems. The determination of ET is not simple due to the heterogeneity and complexity of hydrological processes. Following these needs, recently, the scientific community has developed detailed mathematical models for simulating land surface fluxes by integrating essential climatic data and remote sensing images to estimate quantitative soil and canopy parameters such as temporally and spatially distributed ET (Menenti 2000). Some reviews of relevant algorithms that were proposed to estimate surface energy fluxes and ET based on remotely sensed images can be found in the literature (Kustas and Norman 1996; Kalma et al. 2008; Schumugge et al. 2002).