SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “evapotranspiration”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1981

Descriptive and sensitivity analyses of WATBALI: A dynamic soil water model

A soil water computer model that uses the IBM Continuous System Modeling Program III to solve the dynamic equations representing the soil, plant, and atmospheric physical or physiological processes considered is presented and discussed. Using values describing the soil-plant-atmosphere characteristics, the model predicts evaporation, transpiration, drainage, and soil water profile changes from an initial soil water profile and daily meteorological data. The model characteristics and simulations that were performed to determine the nature of the response to controlled variations in the input are described the results of the simulations are included and a change that makes the response of the model more closely represent the observed characteristics of evapotranspiration and profile changes for dry soil conditions is examined.

Hildreth, W. W.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Improvements in lake volume predictions using Landsat data

A cumulative error in the water balance budget for Lake Okeechobee produces a one million acre-foot discrepancy in the predicted water volume over a 4-year period. The major source of error appears to be complex shoreline marshes that comprise 20 percent of the lake surface. The water balance budget model presently treats these marshes as open water. Using Landsat data, the vegetation in the lake's littoral zone was classified multispectrally to provide a data base for determining water budget information. First, the acreage of a given plant species in the littoral zone was obtained with satellite data. Second, the surface area occupied by plants (which therefore could not be considered open water) was used to adjust the vegetation acreage giving an effective water surface. Based on this information, more detailed representations of evapotranspiration and total water surface (and hence total lake volume) could be provided to the water balance budget computation.

Gervin, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Remote sensing aided procedure for conifer growth modeling in the northeastern Sierra Nevada

The objective of this study was to use remotely-sensed data with ground-acquired data for preparing inputs to a mathematical model for generation of a potential conifer growth map of a wildland area. The study area, jointly selected by the resource managers of the U.S. Forest Service at the Plumas National Forest and researchers, covers approximately 500 sq km in the northeastern scrapment of Sierra Nevada. The approach involved a computerized databank based on both remotely-sensed and ground-acquired data. The remotely-sensed data included Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) data, NOAA-5 Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR) data and U-2 Color infrared photography. The ground data included U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps, Defense Mapping Agency (DMA)/USGS digital terrain data, soil maps, and vegetation data. The results included a series of maps for the final product as well as the intermediate products. The intermediate products were potential evapotranspiration, aspect, and soil plant available water.

Smith, H. G.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Heat Capacity Mapping Mission investigation no. 25 (Tellus project)

The TELLUS pilot project, utilizing 0.5 to 1.1 micron and 10.5 to 12.5 micron day and/or night imagery from the Heat Capacity Mapping Mission, is described. The application of remotely sensed data to synoptic evaluation of evapotranspiration and moisture in agricultural soils was considered. The influence of topography, soils, land use, and meteorology on surface temperature distribution was evaluated. Anthropogenic heat release was investigated. Test areas extended from semi-arid land in southern Italy to polders in the Netherlands, and from vine-growing hills in the Rhineland to grasslands in Buckinghamshire.

Deparatesi, S. G.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Recent advances in remote sensing; Proceedings of the First International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Washington, DC, June 8-10, 1981

The state of the art in remote sensing of the earth and the planets was discussed in terms of sensor performance, signal processing, and data interpretation. Particular attention was given to lidar for characterizing atmospheric particulates, the modulation of short waves by long ocean gravity waves, and runoff modeling for snow-covered areas. The use of NOAA-6 spacecraft AVHRR data to explore hydrologic land surface features, the effects of soil moisture and vegetation canopies on microwave and thermal microwave emissions, and regional scale evapotranspiration rate determination through satellite IR data are examined. A Shuttle experiment to demonstrate high accuracy global time and frequency transfer is described, along with features of the proposed Gravsat, radar image processing for rock-type discrimination, and passive microwave sensing of temperature and salinity in coastal zones.

Mcintosh, R.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Ecological optimality in water-limited natural soil-vegetation systems. II - Tests and applications

The long-term optimal climatic climax soil-vegetation system is defined for several climates according to previous hypotheses in terms of two free parameters, effective porosity and plant water use coefficient. The free parameters are chosen by matching the predicted and observed average annual water yield. The resulting climax soil and vegetation properties are tested by comparison with independent observations of canopy density and average annual surface runoff. The climax properties are shown also to satisfy a previous hypothesis for short-term optimization of canopy density and water use coefficient. Using these hypotheses, a relationship between average evapotranspiration and optimum vegetation canopy density is derived and is compared with additional field observations. An algorithm is suggested by which the climax soil and vegetation properties can be calculated given only the climate parameters and the soil effective porosity. Sensitivity of the climax properties to the effective porosity is explored.

Eagleson, P. S.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Evaluation of the CEAS trend and monthly weather data models for soybean yields in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana

The CEAS models evaluated use historic trend and meteorological and agroclimatic variables to forecast soybean yields in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. Indicators of yield reliability and current measures of modeled yield reliability were obtained from bootstrap tests on the end of season models. Indicators of yield reliability show that the state models are consistently better than the crop reporting district (CRD) models. One CRD model is especially poor. At the state level, the bias of each model is less than one half quintal/hectare. The standard deviation is between one and two quintals/hectare. The models are adequate in terms of coverage and are to a certain extent consistent with scientific knowledge. Timely yield estimates can be made during the growing season using truncated models. The models are easy to understand and use and are not costly to operate. Other than the specification of values used to determine evapotranspiration, the models are objective. Because the method of variable selection used in the model development is adequately documented, no evaluation can be made of the objectivity and cost of redevelopment of the model.

French, V.↗

NASA NTRS1983

A meteorologically-driven yield reduction model for spring and winter wheat

A yield reduction model for spring and winter wheat was developed for large-area crop condition assessment. Reductions are expressed in percentage from a base yield and are calculated on a daily basis. The algorithm contains two integral components: a two-layer soil water budget model and a crop calendar routine. Yield reductions associated with hot, dry winds (Sukhovey) and soil moisture stress are determined. Input variables include evapotranspiration, maximum temperature and precipitation; subsequently crop-stage, available water holding percentage and stress duration are evaluated. No specific base yield is required and may be selected by the user; however, it may be generally characterized as the maximum likely to be produced commercially at a location.

Ravet, F. W.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Hydrology team

General problems faced by hydrologists when using historical records, real time data, statistical analysis, and system simulation in providing quantitative information on the temporal and spatial distribution of water are related to the limitations of these data. Major problem areas requiring multispectral imaging-based research to improve hydrology models involve: evapotranspiration rates and soil moisture dynamics for large areas; the three dimensional characteristics of bodies of water; flooding in wetlands; snow water equivalents; runoff and sediment yield from ungaged watersheds; storm rainfall; fluorescence and polarization of water and its contained substances; discriminating between sediment and chlorophyll in water; role of barrier island dynamics in coastal zone processes; the relationship between remotely measured surface roughness and hydraulic roughness of land surfaces and stream networks; and modeling the runoff process.

Ragan, R.↗

NASA NTRS1982

USDA-ARS Hydrology Laboratory MISWG Hydrology Workshop

Current research being conducted in remote sensing techniques for measuring hydrologic parameters and variables deals with runoff curve numbers (CN), evapotranspiration (ET), and soil moisture. The CN and ET research utilizes visible and infrared measurements. Soil moisture investigations focus on the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Jackson, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

A study of the influence of soil moisture on future precipitation

Forty years of precipitation and surface temperature data observed over 261 Local Climatic Data (LCD) stations in the Continental United States was utilized in a ground hydrology model to yield soil moisture time series at each station. A month-by-month soil moisture dataset was constructed for each year. The monthly precipitation was correlated with antecedent monthly precipitation, soil moisture and vapotranspiration separately. The maximum positive correlation is found to be in the drought prone western Great Plains region during the latter part of summer. There is also some negative correlation in coastal regions. The correlations between soil moisture and precipitation particularly in the latter part of summer, suggest that large scale droughts over extended periods may be partially maintained by the feedback influence of soil moisture on rainfall. In many other regions the lack of positive correlation shows that there is no simple answer such as higher land-surface evapotranspiration leads to more precipitation, and points out the complexity of the influence of soil moisture on the ensuring precipitation.

Fennessy, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Satellite-derived surface energy balance estimates in the Alaskan sub-Arctic

The capabilities of the heat capacity mapping mission (HCMM) satellite are described, together with the numerical model used for data analysis. The HCMM carries the HCM radiometer for remote sensing in the visible and 0.55-1.1 micron wavelength regions, as well as in the 10.5-12.5 micron interval, with the swath being 720 km and each pixel being a square 500 m on a side. The HCMM is intended to aid in hydrological studies of soil moisture, runoff, and evapotranspiration estimates. Data are taken of the albedos and temperatures of vegetation, assuming that all reflection is diffuse. Corrections are made in the algorithm to account for sun angle and the spacecraft distance from the earth. Sample calculations are provided from scans of a coastal plain, mountains, and plateaus of Alaska.

Gurney, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Multisensor satellites and data systems for earth observations

The applications of multisensor satellites for earth sciences studies in the next two decades are discussed in terms of instrumentation and expected technology developments. Passive microwave and IR sounders with better resolution than currently available are forecast for the mid- to late-1980's, enabling improved understanding of the coupling between the atmosphere, ocean, land, and the biosphere. The global troposphere will be examined for sources, sinks, and fluxes of its chemistry, and interactions among radiation, chemistry, and dynamics in the upper atmosphere. The Landsat 4 Thematic Mapper, along with imagers, radars, and spectrometers carried aloft on the Shuttle are being used and tested to characterize the relative utility of various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Hydrologic studies with spacecraft imagery have led to the development of moisture models that will give improved predictive ability to soil moisture, snow cover variations, and the distribution and magnitude of global precipitation and evapotranspiration.

Thome, P. G.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Remote sensing of soil moisture - Recent advances

Recent advancements in microwave remote sensing of soil moisture include a method for estimating the dependence of the soil dielectric constant on its texture, the use of a percent of field capacity to express soil moisture magnitudes independently of soil texture, methods of estimating soil moisture sampling depth, and models for describing the effect of surface roughness on microwave response in terms of surface height variance and horizontal correlation length, as well as the verification of radiative transfer model predictions of microwave emission from soils and methods for the estimation of vegetation effects on the microwave response to soil moisture. Such researches have demonstrated that it is possible to remotely sense soil moisture in the 0-5 cm soil surface layer, and simulation studies have indicated how remotely sensed surface soil moisture may be used to estimate evapotranspiration rates and root-zone soil moisture.

Schmugge, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A note on the temporal behavior of bucket hydrologies

The use of a "canopy' bucket to more accurately represent evapotranspiration over land surfaces is explained. The temporal behavior of the traditional bucket model is compared with one that mimics the effects of interception loss. Results are presented in terms of the spectral response of the parameterization to a hypothetical white noise forcing.

Suarez, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Role of soil moisture in maintaining droughts

The influence of soil moisture on the persistence of an ongoing drought was investigated. The case study of drought of the summer of 1980 was selected. The difference in the simulation of two identical twin runs: one with the climatological normal soil moisture and the other with anomalous soil moisture for drought conditions, were examined on the mean monthly circulation. It is found that a reduction in soil moisture did produce a corresponding reduction in precipitation. The pattern of the rainfall anomaly however, was not identical to the soil moisture (evapotranspiration) anomaly but had a good resemblance with observations.

Sud, Y. C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

The Amazon and climate

The climatologies of cloudiness and precipitation for the Amazon, are reviewed and the physical causes of some of the observed features and those which are not well known are explained. The atmospheric circulation over the Amazon is discussed on the large scale tropical circulations forced by deep diabatic heating sources. Weather deforestation which leads to a reduction in evapotranspiration into the atmosphere, and a reduction in precipitation and its implicated for the gobal climate is discussed. It is indicated that a large scale clearing of tropical rainforests there would be a reduction in rainfall which would have global effects on climate and weather both in the tropical and extratropical regions.

Nobre, C. A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Land-surface influences on weather and climate

Land-surface influences on weather and climate are reviewed. The interrelationship of vegetation, evapotranspiration, atmospheric circulation, and climate is discussed. Global precipitation, soil moisture, the seasonal water cycle, heat transfer, and atmospheric temperature are among the parameters considered in the context of a general biosphere model.

Baer, F.↗