Evaluation of the METRIC model for mapping energy balance components and actual evapotranspiration for a super-intensive drip-irrigated olive orchard

Authors

Samuel Ortega, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Ayse Kilic

Date of this Version

8-2019

Comments

A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science, Major: Natural Resource Sciences, Under the Supervision of Professor Ayse Kilic. Lincoln, Nebraska: August, 2019

Copyright © 2019 Samuel Ortega-Salazar

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the METRIC (Mapping EvapoTranspiration at high Resolution Internalized with Calibration) model for mapping net radiation (Rni), soil heat flux (Gi), sensible heat flux (Hi), latent heat flux (LEi), actual evapotranspiration (ETa) and crop coefficient (Kc) of a superintensive drip-irrigated olive (Olea europeae L. cv Arbequina) orchard located in Pencahue Valley, Region del Maule, Chile (35 23’ LS; 71 44’ LW; 96 m above sea level). The study was conducted in an experimental plot of 21.1 hectares using 9 satellite images (Landsat 7 ETM+) acquired on clear sky days during 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 growing seasons. Specific functions to estimate Gi, leaf area index (LAI) and aerodynamic roughness length for momentum transfer (z_om) were incorporated in the standard METRIC model. The performance of the METRIC model was evaluated at the time of satellite overpass using measurements of LE and H obtained from an eddy correlation system. Validation indicated that METRIC using the specific functions was able to estimate Rn, G, H, LE, ETa, and Kc with errors less than +5%.