Thermal-based Remote Sensing Methods for Quantifying Evapotranspiration: Past, Present and Future Opportunities (Core Science Keynote)

The use of thermal-infrared (TIR) observations for estimating evapotranspiration (ET) and plant stress dates back to the 1960’s with the development of infrared radiometers. The potential for using these measurements to estimate plant water use and stress was first explored with handheld sensors and later expanded to aircraft and satellite platforms, beginning with the Landsat series in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Since then, the application of TIR for monitoring ET has greatly expanded with the advent of multiple satellite platforms equipped with TIR sensors. However, advances have been made not only in the application of TIR on satellite platforms but also in the proliferation of drone-based systems and proximal sensors. This Core Science Keynote talk will review past, current, and future efforts to use TIR for monitoring ET and plant stress across plant, field, regional, and global scales using various TIR platforms.