Evapotranspiration modelling at large scale using near-real time MSG SEVIRI derived data

Atmospheric model; Derived data; Down-welling; European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts; Field of views; Ground observations; Input variables; Land data assimilation systems; Land surface analysis; Land-cover types; Long waves; Model outputs; Model qualities; National Weather Services; Near-real time; Northern Hemispheres; Remote sensed data; Root-mean square errors; Satellite application facilities; SEVIRI instruments; Soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfers; Spatial correlations; Spatial resolution; Temperate climate; Temporal evolution; Time-scales; Validation results; Vegetation cycles; Weather conditions; Water Science and Technology; Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)

Abstract :

[en] We present an evapotranspiration (ET) model developed in the framework of the EUMETSAT "Satellite Application Facility" (SAF) on Land Surface Analysis (LSA). The model is a simplified Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Transfer (SVAT) scheme that uses as input a combination of remote sensed data and atmospheric model outputs. The inputs based on remote sensing are LSA-SAF products: the Albedo (AL), the Downwelling Surface Shortwave Flux (DSSF) and the Downwelling Surface Longwave Flux (DSLF). They are available with the spatial resolution of the MSG SEVIRI instrument. ET maps covering the whole MSG field of view are produced from the model every 30 min, in near-real-time, for all weather conditions. This paper presents the adopted methodology and a set of validation results. The model quality is evaluated in two ways. First, ET results are compared with ground observations (from CarboEurope and national weather services), for different land cover types, over a full vegetation cycle in the Northern Hemisphere in 2007. This validation shows that the model is able to reproduce the observed ET temporal evolution from the diurnal to annual time scales for the temperate climate zones: the mean bias is less than 0.02 mm h-11 and the root-mean square error is between 0.06 and 0.10 mm h-11. Then, ET model outputs are compared with those from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). From this comparison, a high spatial correlation is noted, between 80 to 90%, around midday. Nevertheless, some discrepancies are also observed and are due to the different input variables and parameterisations used. © 2011 Author(s).

Disciplines :

Earth sciences & physical geography

Author, co-author :

Ghilain, Nicolas ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Sphères ; Royal Meteorological Institute, Brussels, Belgium

Arboleda, A.; Royal Meteorological Institute, Brussels, Belgium

Gellens-Meulenberghs, F.; Royal Meteorological Institute, Brussels, Belgium

Language :

English

Title :

Evapotranspiration modelling at large scale using near-real time MSG SEVIRI derived data

Publication date :

14 March 2011

Journal title :

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences

ISSN :

1027-5606

eISSN :

1607-7938

Publisher :

Copernicus GmbH

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

771 - 786

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/15/771/2011/hess-15-771-2011.pdf

Available on ORBi :

since 20 February 2026

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