Utility of Satellite Thermal Remote Sensing for Mapping Riparian and Upland Desert Water Use

A multiscale remote sensing-based land surface modeling system for estimating evapotranspiration (ET) is applied to satellite data collected during the 2004 Soil Moisture Experiment (SMEX04) conducted in southern Arizona and Mexico. The regional model can map ET estimates using high resolution thermal imagery from Landsat, ASTER and/or MODIS. The modeling system is described and preliminary results comparing modeled ET to tower observations will be given. In addition, issues related to resolution requirements for assessing ET of different ecosystems will be discussed.