Trends in pan evaporation and actual evapotranspiration across the conterminous U.S.: paradoxical or complementary?

Michael T. Hobbins; Jorge A. Ramirez; Thomas C. Brown

doi:10.1029/2004gl019846

Treesearch

Trends in pan evaporation and actual evapotranspiration across the conterminous U.S.: paradoxical or complementary?

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Michael T. Hobbins, Jorge A. Ramirez, Thomas C. Brown

Year:

2004

Type:

Miscellaneous Publication

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1029/2004gl019846

Source:

Geophysical research letters. 30(13): L13503 [5 pages]

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Download (PDF 1.17 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/23744.pdf

Abstract

Pan evaporation (ET_pan) has decreased at 64% of pans in the conterminous U.S. over the past half-century. Comparing trends in ET_pan and water budget-derived actual evapotranspiration (ET^*_a), we observe the so-called ‘‘Pan Evaporation Paradox,’’ which we confirm is no more than a manifestation of the complementarity between actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) and potential evapotranspiration (ET_p). Examining trends in the components of ET_a—the radiative energy and regional advective budgets—we show that both components must be considered together to explain the relationship between ET_pan and ET^*_a.

Keywords

hydrology, evaporation, evapotranspiration, hydroclimatology, global change, water cycles, meteorology, climatology, trends

Citation

Hobbins, Michael T.; Ramirez, Jorge A.; Brown, Thomas C. 2004. Trends in pan evaporation and actual evapotranspiration across the conterminous U.S.: paradoxical or complementary?. Geophysical research letters. 30(13): L13503 [5 pages]