Remote sensing-based evapotranspiration determination: A review of single-source energy balance models

Abstract

Remote Sensing evapotranspiration models are critical in order to understand the cycling of water in the environment. Initially, an outline of the concepts related to evapotranspiration, as well as the shortcomings of land-based methods, is presented. The aim of the study was based on reviewing remote sensing evapotranspiration models which provide an alternative data source. These models have proved to be a cheaper alternative to mapping and estimating spatiotemporal evapotranspiration measurements across local and regional scales. This paper reviews the single-source energy balance model, which differs from the two-source model, for estimating spatiotemporal measurements of evapotranspiration. The single-source energy balance model is underpinned by mathematical equations which differentiate the various single-source evapotranspiration models (Surface Energy Balance Systems, Simplified Surface Energy Systems, Surface Energy Balance Algorithm, and Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution and with Internalised Calibration). The soil surface and forest canopy components were observed to be the major difference between the single and dual-source models. Further advice was discussed on the implementation of the OpenET tool, which provides an open and accessible satellite-based estimation of evapotranspiration for improved water management.