Labor 2 fr Umweltingenieurwissenschaften

ETH Zrich

Empirical evapotranspiration models

1

Radiation based ET models

1.1

Priestley-Taylor

The equation developed by Priestley-Taylor to estimate evapotranspiration is a simplification of

the FAO Penman-Monteith equation, where the aerodynamic part is neglected. Since the
relative importance of the aerodynamic part of the FAO Penman-Monteith equation is high
during night and winter, one can presume that Priestley-Taylor will underestimate
evapotranspiration during those periods.

PET

Rn G

PET

Rn
G
L

Evapotranspiration after Priestley-Taylor

Slope of vapour pressure curve
Psychometric constant
Net radiation at the crop surface
Soil heat flux density
Special heat of evaporation (equation (2))
Priestley-Taylor parameter ( 1.26 )

(1)

[mm day-1]
[kPa C-1]
[kPa C-1]
[MJ m-2 day-1]
[MJ m-2 day-1]
[MJ m-2 mm-1]
[-]

The special heat of evaporation is used to convert Radiation into evapotranspiration equivalent.
This factor can be assumed to be constant ( L 2.45 MJ m-2 hour-1 mm-1) or dependent of air
temperature. The second case is calculated after equation (2).

L T conv 28.9 0.028 T

LT
conv
T

1.2

Special heat of evaporation

Conversion factor ( conv 0.0864 )
Temperature

(2)

[MJ m-2 mm-1]

[MJ hour-1 W-1]
[C]

Makkink

The equation after Makkink as well is a simplification of the FAO Penman-Monteith equation.
Like Priestley-Taylor, also Makkink only includes the radiation part of FAO Penman-Monteith.
Compared to Priestley-Taylor it only uses solar radiation ( RS ) instead of the whole radiation
balance, specifically the net radiation ( Rn ). This has a huge advantage, since often only solar
radiation is measured and not all four relevant radiation parts.
In literature two slightly different Makkink equations can be found. They are named here 1. as
described by DVWK1 (see equation (3)) and 2. as in TOPKAPI2 (see equation (4)). The difference is
that once parameter c 2 is inside the brackets whereas in the other equation the parameter is
outside.

DVWK (Deutsche Vereinigung fr Wasserwirtschaft, Abwasser und Abfall)

Physically-based, spatially distributed hydrological model TOPKAPI (TOPographic Kinematic

APproximation and Integration)
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As by DVWK
RS

PET
c 1 c2

L

PET

RS
L
c1
c2

Evapotranspiration after Makkink

Saturation slope vapour pressure curve at Thr
Psychometric constant
Measured or calculated solar radiation
Special heat of evaporation (equation (2))
Makkink coefficient (0.61)
Makkink coefficient (-0.12)

(3)

[mm day-1]
[kPa C-1]
[kPa C-1]
[MJ m-2 day-1]
[MJ m-2 mm-1]
[-]
[mm day-1]

As in TOPKAPI
RS
PET
c 1 c2

L
PET

RS
L
c1
c2

1.3

Evapotranspiration after Makkink

Saturation slope vapour pressure curve at Thr
Psychometric constant
Measured or calculated solar radiation
Special heat of evaporation (equation (2))
Makkink coefficient (0.61)
Makkink coefficient (-0.12)

(4)

[mm day-1]
[kPa C-1]
[kPa C-1]
[MJ m-2 day-1]
[MJ m-2 mm-1]
[-]
[mm day-1]

Hargreaves

The model to estimate ET after Hargreaves is a strongly empirical model. Both, radiation and
temperature are used as input data. Advantageous is, that no radiation has to be measured,
since the model works with calculated extraterrestrial radiation.
Slightly different equations can be found in literature as well:
Hargreaves original
The history of development of the 1985 Hargreaves equation is described in Hargreaves et al.,
2003. Combining the two equations (5) and (6), the Hargreaves equation (7) for daily
evapotranspiration can be found. The actual factor of 0.0022 was adjusted by Hargreaves to
0.0023 .

PET 0.0135 Rs conv T 17.8

PET
T
Rs
conv

Evapotranspiration after Hargreaves

Mean temperature of the day
Solar radiation
Conversion to ET equivalent conv 0.4082

(5)
-1

[mm day ]
[C]
[MJ m-2 day-1]
[m2 mm MJ-1]

Rs 0.16 Ra Tmax Tmin 0.5

Rs
Ra
Tmax
Tmin

Solar radiation
Extraterrestrial radiation
Maximum temperature of the day
Minimum temperature of the day

(6)
-2

-1

[MJ m day ]
[MJ m-2 day-1]
[C]
[C]
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PET 0.0023 Ra conv Tmax Tmin 0.5 T 17.8

Evapotranspiration after Hargreaves
Maximum temperature of the day
Minimum temperature of the day
Mean temperature of the day
Extraterrestrial radiation
Conversion to ET equivalent conv 0.4082

PET
Tmax
Tmin
T
Ra
conv

(7)
-1

[mm day ]
[C]
[C]
[C]
[MJ m-2 day-1]
[m2 mm MJ-1]

DVWK
DVWK states equation (8). The conversion from radiation to equivalent evapotranspiration is
done with a temperature dependent function LT (equation (2)) else than in the original
Hargreaves model (equation (7)) where a constant factor was used.
PET 0.0023

Ra
Tmax Tmin 0.5 T 17.8
L

PET
Tmax
Tmin
T
Ra L
Ra
L

Evapotranspiration after Hargreaves

Maximum temperature of the day
Minimum temperature of the day
Mean temperature of the day
Evaporation equivalent of extraterrestrial radiation
Extraterrestrial radiation
Special heat of evaporation (equation (2))

(8)

[mm day-1]
[C]
[C]
[C]
[mm day-1]
[MJ m-2 day-1]
[MJ m-2 day-1 mm-1]

Some further Information

The empirical conversion from extraterrestrial radiation Ra to solar radiation R s as done in
equation (6) only holds for daily data. On the hourly time scale, it would have to be adjusted. In
order to not change the original equations of the models, equation (5) is used to calculate
hourly evapotranspiration after Hargreaves. The advantage of none measured radiation needed
for the model unfortunately falls away.
For the daily timescale, equation (8) will be used to estimate evapotranspiration.

1.4

Turc

The method after Turc (equation (9)) was developed for France and North Africa. As in the
Hargreaves equation, not only radiation, but also temperature is used as input parameters. The
Formula after Turc is only defined for temperatures above zero, and gets inaccurate at low
temperatures. Therefore for low temperatures, often the formula after Ivanov is used (see
equation (12)).
If global radiation is not measured, it can be estimated by equation (11).

PET a C RG b
PET
T
RG
a
b

T
0.1mm/d
T 15
Evapotranspiration after Turc
Average air temperature for the given time interval
Global radiation
Parameter a 0.31
Parameter b 2.094

(9)

[mm day-1]
[C]
[MJ m-2 d-1]
[m2 MJ-1 mm-1]
[MJ m-2 d-1]
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a& b

C 1

a 0.4 and b 50
for t 1 month and RG in [cal cm-2 d-1]
a 0.0268 and b 24
for t 1 day and RG in [W m-2]
a 0.0031 and b 209.4
for t 1 day and RG in [J cm-2 d-1]
a 0.31 and b 0.0872
for t 1 day and RG in [MJ m-2 hour-1]

50 RH
RH 50%
70

(10)

RH 50%

C 1

RH

Average air humidity

S
RG R0 0.19 0.55
S0

R0
S
S0

ETH Zrich

[%]

Extraterrestrial radiation
Sunshine duration of the day
Astronomic possible sunshine duration

(11)

[J cm-2]
[h]
[h]

Temperature based ET models

Most of the temperature based ET models were developed to estimate evapotranspiration on a

low temporal resolution (for example months). But one can test how they perform on a daily, or
even hourly resolution, too.

2.1

Ivanov

Because evapotranspiration after Turc is only defined for positive temperatures, a modified
formula after Ivanov (Wendling & Mller, 1984) is widely used to estimate monthly
evapotranspiration for the winter months November till February (see equation (12) for daily
respectively equation (13) for monthly ET).

PET 0.000036 25 T 2 100 RH

PET
T
RH

Evapotranspiration after Ivanov

Average air temperature for the given time interval
Average air humidity

(12)
-1

[mm day ]
[C]
[%]

PET 0.0011 25 T 2 100 RH

PET
T
RH

Evapotranspiration after Ivanov

Average air temperature for the given time interval
Average air humidity

(13)
-1

[mm month ]
[C]

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2.2

ETH Zrich

Thornthwaite

Thornthwaite developed the empirical equation (14) on basis of climatologic data from several
different regions. The values J and a have to be determined for every single location separately,
from the long term average monthly temperatures, where negative temperatures have to be
set zero. The formula was developed to estimate large-area monthly evapotranspiration.
PET 0.533 n

S0 10 T

12 J

(14)

Evapotranspiration after Thornthwaite

Average air temperature for the given time interval
Average daily astronomic possible sunshine
duration of time interval
Length of chosen time interval

PET
T
S0

n
DEC

J T 5

JAN

[mm day-1]
[C]
[h]
[d]

1.514

(15)

Parameter
Longtime average of monthly temperature ( T 0
for T 0 )

J
T

[C]

a (0.0675 J 3 7.71 J2 1792 J 49239) 105

Parameter

Astronomic possible sunshine duration, northern hemisphere [h day -1] (after IQBAL, 1983)

Table 1:
46
47
48
49
50

2.3

(16)

JAN
9.2
9.0
8.8
8.7
8.6

FEB
10.3
10.3
10.2
10.2
10.2

MAR
11.9
11.9
11.9
11.9
11.9

APR
13.5
13.6
13.6
13.7
13.8

MAY
15.0
15.1
15.2
15.3
15.4

JUN
15.7
15.8
16.0
16.2
16.4

JUL
15.3
15.5
15.6
15.8
15.9

AUG
14.1
14.2
14.3
14.4
14.5

SEP
12.6
12.6
12.6
12.7
12.7

OCT
10.9
10.9
10.9
10.8
10.8

NOV
9.6
9.4
9.3
9.2
9.1

DEC
8.6
8.5
8.3
8.2
8.1

Haude

Haude developed a method to estimate evapotranspiration on the basis of the Dalton

approach, for monthly sums. The Haude factor f is empirical, and estimated for low grass
cover on soils with a high groundwater table.
For daily evapotranspiration values the Haude approach is described to be inaccurate. It should
be used for the estimation of monthly sums or longtime averages.

PET f es T e14 7 mm/d

Evapotranspiration after Haude
PET
f
Haude factor for the single months
es T e14 Water vapour saturation deficit of air at 14:30 MEZ

(17)
-1

[mm day ]
[mm hPa-1]
[hPa]

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Table 2:

ETH Zrich

Haude-factors f for calculation of potential evapotranspiratio of grass. F D for average daily

values and fM for monthly sum. (after DIN 19685) [DVWK, 1996]

fD
fM

JAN
0.22
6.82

FEB
0.22
6.22

MAR
0.22
6.82

2.4

Blaney-Criddle

APR
0.29
8.70

MAY
0.29
8.99

JUN
0.28
8.40

JUL
0.26
8.06

AUG
0.25
7.75

SEP
0.23
6.90

OCT
0.22
6.82

NOV
0.22
6.60

DEC
0.22
6.82

Based on temperature and the yearly sum of astronomic possible sunshine duration, Blaney
and Criddle derived the formula to estimate potential evapotranspiration (see equation (18)).
The formula is developed for the Western United States. It says the formula should not be
assigned to other areas. For Central Europe the formula can be corrected after Schrdter (1985)
as given in Equation (19).

PET 8.128 0.457 T

(18)

Evapotranspiration after Blaney-Criddle

Average air temperature for the given time interval
Average daily astronomic possible sunshine
duration of time interval
Yearly sum of astronomic possible sunshine
duration

PET
T
S0

SYear

[mm day-1]
[C]
[h]
[h]

Astronomic possible sunshine duration, northern hemisphere [h day -1] and [h year-1] (after
IQBAL, 1983)

Table 3:

47
48
49
50

S0 100
SYear

JAN
9.0
8.9
8.8
8.6

FEB
10.3
10.2
10.2
10.1

MAR
11.9
11.9
11.9
11.9

APR
13.6
13.7
13.7
13.8

MAY
15.1
15.2
15.3
15.4

JUN
15.8
16.0
16.1
16.3

JUL
15.5
15.6
15.7
15.9

AUG
14.2
14.3
14.3
14.4

SEP
12.6
12.6
12.6
12.6

OCT
10.9
10.8
10.8
10.8

NOV
9.4
9.3
9.2
9.1

DEC
8.6
8.5
8.3
8.2

PET 1.55 0.96 PETBC

PETBC
PET

Evapotranspiration after Blaney-Criddle

Corrected Blaney-Criddle ET after Schrdter (1985)

Year
4470
4473
4476
4480

(19)
-1

[mm day ]

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