Journal of Environmental Hydrology
ISSN 1058-3912


Electronic Journal of the International Association for Environmental Hydrology

JEH Volume 17 (2009), Paper 1    Posted January 16, 2009
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF LATENT HEAT FLUX FROM LANDSAT (ETM+) IMAGES

Juliano Schirmbeck1
Raúl Rivas1,2
Eduardo Usunoff1,2

1Instituto de Hidrología de Llanuras, Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

ABSTRACT
This paper describes the methodology used for estimating the latent heat flux (LE) by means of the energy balance equation and using data from Landsat EMT+ images. The aim of the application is to assess the LE distribution in an agricultural region located in the center of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The methodology made use of two images captured in November and December 2001, which correspond to the period of greatest demand in terms of evaporation and transpiration. The results from the image processing are quite consistent as compared to a local-scale Penman-Monteith model. Moreover, the maps obtained show variations of up to 3 mm/day among neighboring plots, a fact that is not detected by the local-scale model.

Reference: Schirmbeck, J., R. Rivas, and E. Usunoff. 2009. Spatial distribution of latent heat flux from Landsat (ETM+) images. Journal of Environmental Hydrology, Vol. 17, Paper 1.
CONTACT:
Juliano Schirmbeck
Instituto de Hidrología de Llanuras
Pinto 399
B7000GHG, Tandil
Buenos Aires, Argentina


E-mail: jschirmbeck@rec.unicen.edu.ar



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