Comparison of Single-source and Two-source Algorithms for Estimating Evapotranspiration in Borazjan

The exact estimation of evapotranspiration has significant importance in the programming of irrigation development and other distribution systems and water usage. Since the main user of water in the country is the agriculture sector, therefore, the exact estimation of plants’ water demand has been adverted extensively. The assessment methods of reference evapotranspiration are classified in two types of direct and indirect. The calculation of reference evapotranspiration in scientific and in vitro form and with high accuracy is possible by using lysimeter but in comparison to the indirect methods that are based on the climatic data of weather stations, the use of lysimeter is unfortunately inefficient. This is not just for the time consuming and high cost of lysimeter but it is for the limitation of weather stations and spottiness of the estimated values; in this way it is not possible to expand the obtained results to the large scale. Remote sensing is an authentic technique for the assessment of evapotranspiration in large scale which do not consume much time and money. The existence of different satellites by having different spatial and temporal resolution, redouble the importance and usability of this technique

Actual evapotranspiration assessment in the region were done based on SEBAL, SSEB and TSEB algorithms on 46 imageries of MODIS, seven imageries of Landsat7 (ETM+) and seven imageries of Landsat5 (TM) in years of 2001-2003. Multiplicity of imageries of MODIS show the proper time resolution of this sensor and is a reason for less errors in the assessment of reference evapotranspiration. In the evaluation of the three algorithms of SEBAL, SSEB and TSEB in the three satellites.

In the evaluation of the three algorithms of SEBAL, SSEB and TSEB in the three satellites, MODIS shows the least errors (respectively, RMSE=0.856, 1.385 and 2.7 mm/day), then Landsat7 is placed in the second class by having higher spatial resolution (respectively, RMSE=1.042, 1.56 and 2.76 mm/day) and Landsat5 has the highest errors (respectively, RMSE = 1.14, 1.97 and 3.06 mm/day). NDVI was found at the lowest amount in the beginning of cultivation period because of germination and sparseness of vegetation, and increase respectively by increasing temperature and crop canopy. L factor has a significant importance in the assessment of SAVI which is related to the area crop coverage percentage. Amount of L has been estimated as L=0.6 that has the least errors in comparison to the others.

In this study, the proper amount for L factor in estimation of the SAVI amount was about 0.6 which was based on the investigations on soil correction factor, the results of statistical indexes and the type and dispersal of vegetation in the region. The accuracy estimation of evapotranspiration of two single-source algorithms of SEBAL and SSEB and one two-source algorithm of TSEB in Bushehr province were evaluated. SEBAL algorithm presented more exact results based on statistical indexes among two single-source algorithms and the obtained results in 95% level of this algorithm showed significant differences with lysimetric measurements. This algorithm was chosen as the premier algorithm in the region. Two-source algorithm of TSEB showed the highest amount of errors. Satellite imageries by having higher spatial resolution estimated evapotranspiration with higher accuracy, the reason of which is proper choosing of cold and hot pixels. Although, because of having proper time resolution and variation of image numbers and also presenting of more time series in comparison to ETM+ and TM, MODIS was more adverted. ETM+ which is located on Landsat satellite was lied in the second place because of its resolution and having higher spatial resolution.