SRB/GEWEX evapotranspiration (Penman-Monteith) L4 3 hour 0.5 degree x 0.5 degree V1 (WC_PM_ET_050) at GES DISC

SRB/GEWEX evapotranspiration (Penman-Monteith) L4 3 hour 0.5 degree x 0.5 degree V1 is a global, 24-year (1984-2007), satellite-derived evapotranspiration over land data set. It is based on the Penman-Monteith model. Evapotranspiration provides the critical link between the water and energy cycles within the Earth system. Better representation of the spatial distribution and temporal development of surface evapotranspiration is needed not only to improve the description of water vapor exchanges for global water budget estimation but also to advance our understanding of the climate system.

Input data sets include (1) vegetation index data, i.e., Leaf Area Index (LAI), derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensors onboard the NOAA-7, NOAA-9, NOAA-11, NOAA-14, and NOAA-16 satellites and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the EOS-Terra and EOS-Aqua satellites; (2) meteorology data from the latest version of the Princeton University global forcing data sets and from the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) land surface model output; and (3) radiative data from the NASA Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX) Surface Radiation Budget Project.