Assessment of the Potential Evapotranspiration MODIS Product Using Ground Measurements in the Pampas

Evapotranspiration is the hydrological variable of greatest relevance in the Argentina Pampas Region (APR). The estimation of potential evapotranspiration (PET) in this area becomes essential since primary productivity is directly linked to water availability. In order to evaluate the MOD16_A2 product of evapotranspiration (ET), a comparison with in situ measurements was conducted. We used ET data provided by the Oficina de Riesgo Agropecuario, corresponding to 24 stations placed in the region covering all seasons for the years 2012 to 2014. Results show an overestimation of 86% and 52% in Autumn-Winter and Spring-Summer, respectively. Mean Absolut Error (MAE) range between ±0.9 and ±2.1 mm…