REVIEW: Estimating evapotranspiration using remote sensing and the Surface Energy Balance System – A South African perspective

Abstract

Remote sensing-based evapotranspiration (ET) algorithms developed in recent years are well suited for estimating evapo transpiration and its spatial trends over time. In this paper the application of energy balance methods in South Africa is reviewed, showing that the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model is the most widely used, but high lighting the potentials of the Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) model. The SEBS model is then reviewed in the international literature and lessons learned from South African examples are expanded upon. The SEBS model has been extensively used for teaching and training purposes and has been applied in research projects across many different environ ments. However, there are discrepancies in the reported accuracy of the SEBS model due to known model sensitivities.

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