Spatial mapping of evapotranspiration and energy balance components over riparian vegetation using airborne remote sensing

High resolution, airborne multispectral imagery of a riparian system dominated by salt cedar (Tamarix spp) along the Rio Grande in New Mexico, USA, was used to determine the instantaneous evapotranspiration rates and spatially distributed energy balance components over the system. Comparisons of instantaneous spatially distributed upwind fluxes with values of ground based measured fluxes using eddy correlation techniques and other micrometeorological instruments, were conducted for two different dates. Results show considerable differences between the fluxes that can be attributed to advection, canopy heat storage and wind variability. A careful footprint analysis will need to be conducted in the future to better match the ground-based and aircraft measurements.