The objectives of this webinar series are multiple, including:

1. updating and upgrading the knowledge regarding current RS ET determination, the most common and adopted algorithms and approaches and the latest advances;
2. increasing the capacity of key water professionals in the assessment of RS ET uncertainty and related acceptable limits for their field of application;
3. building awareness on the strengths, limitations and fits-for-purpose for the range of RS ET models and databases available;
4. providing the participants with a complete and advanced set of documentation on the various topics treated during the webinar series.

Structure of the webinar series:

A series of logically and consecutive webinar presentations that, comprehensively, provide clarity and complete answers to lingering questions and doubts regarding the adequacy and accuracy of remote sensing determination of ET.

The webinar series develops in the form of four Modules:

Module I

This module is composed of one ‘setting-the-scene’ webinar plus eight key-note webinars that introduce the most widely used RS ET models (SEBAL, METRIC, ALEXI/Dis-ALEXI, SSEBop, ETLook, ETMonitor, SIMS and ETWatch). Each model key-note presentation will be then followed by a presentation reporting on the experience of its application, mostly within countries of the NENA Region.

Module II

This module will address the major databases and portals providing ET as derived by some of the models presented in the Module I. The database presented are: FEWS (by USGS with ET data derived from SSEBop); WaPOR (by FAO with ET data derived from ETLook); GloDET (by the University of Nebraska, Water for Food Institute, with ET data derived from ALEXI); and EEFlux (by the University of Nebraska with ET data derived from METRIC).

Module III

This module will address the expected prospects for the near future, in terms of: improvements of RS ET determinations (both accuracy and resolutions); new development of databases/ portals available to the public (like WaPOR II and OpenET); new programmes, proposed satellite missions and associated sensors and resolutions (e.g., Copernicus, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, ECOSTRESS, etc.).

Module IV

This module will address the RS ET errors, testing and field data validation. The module assumes particular importance as the focus of the webinars will be: on the source of errors encountered in RS ET determinations and relative significance; the way to mitigate these errors and reduce biases; the challenges to benchmark, validate and calibrate the RS ET algorithms; the limitations of using field data for RS ET testing; the benefits of CIMEC (‘Calibration using Inverse Modelling of Extreme Conditions’) approaches to reduce impacts of bias in energy balance components.