Evapotranspiração da melancia irrigada por meio do sebal, balanço hídrico e correlações turbulentas

Abstract

In applications of the SEBAL (Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land) algorithm parameters for physical processes adjusted for other regions of the planet are commonly used. Therefore, there is a need for validation of the estimates made with the algorithm compared with other conventional methods of estimating evapotranspiration. Thus, this study main goal was to evaluate the satellite-based algorithm to estimate evapotranspiration of irrigated watermelon using as comparative methods: soil water balance and eddy correlation. The studied area was a plot of 1 ha located in the irrigated district of the low Acaraú River. Foliar coverage was obtained from digital images taken from a camera. Sensors were installed from the soil surface to a height of 1.5 m for monitoring the temperature in the air. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function of the soil was obtained using the instantaneous profile method. The water balance in the soil was done on days 17, 18 and 19 December, 2008, in the 0 to 30 cm depth using soil moisture capacitive sensors. To evaluate the components of net radiation and evapotranspiration using the method of eddy correlation, a micrometeorological tower was installed in the center of the studied area, where latent heat flux (LE), sensible heat flux (H) and evapotranspiration were determined. With climate data from a meteorological station nearby and using the FAO´s methodology, net radiation (Rn) and soil heat flow (G) were determined. The SEBAL algorithm was applied in two Landsat5 satellite images acquired in 17/12/2008 and 02/01/2009 for estimating the net radiation and daily evapotranspiration. The measured temperature at the soil surface and in the air at 10 cm high was over 40 ° C near noon time. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function found was of the form K (θ) = 0.089 e28, 53θ and K (θ) = 0.0469 e48, 773θ, respectively for 0 - 15 and 15 - 30 cm. The evapotranspiration obtained from soil water balance with capacitive sensors in the study period was 9.37; 12.18 and 11.27 mm day-1, respectively in 17; 18 and December 19, 2008. For the radiation balance it was found that the latent heat flux was underestimated by using the method of eddy correlation with maximum values of the order of 150 W m-2. The sensible heat flux was always larger than the LE during the day, with maximum values near 300 W m-2. The energy balance done but accounting H + LE and Rn – G produced a residual error of around 60%. The daily average values of ETc (eddy correlations) for part of the experimental period were in the range of 0.91 to 1.18 mm day-1, with an average of 0.96 mm day-1. The satellite image that was applied to SEBAL algorithm presented many clouds, affecting the estimation of the components of radiation balance and evapotranspiration. In the area of watermelon, SEBAL estimates of evapotranspiration for dates 17/12/2008 and 02/01/2009 were 6.5 and 4.0 mm day-1, respectively. For validation, the ETo obtained by Penman-Montheith method at the time of satellite overpass was 0.53 mm h-1, while Etc obtained with SEBAL, eddy correlation and soil-water balance was 0.78; 0.11 and 0.55 mm h-1, respectively.