Geoinformatika 2012; 2(42) : 60-66

ESTIMATION OF TRANSPIRATION USING SATELLITE IMAGES FOR REGIONAL WATER BALANCE EVALUATION

V.I. Lyalko, O.I. Levchik, O.I. Sakhatsky

Considered in the paper is an estimation of transpiration by vegetation communities as a component of water balance of the territory, which is comparable with river flow. For transpiration estimation it is offered to use land cover classification on the base of multispectral satellite images. The classified satellite image in combination with statistical estimation of the water transpiration by different vegetation communities during vegetation period allows to build corresponding maps and to evaluate components of water cycle in vegetation cover within significant territory that can be useful for hydrological, hydro-geological and ecological researches. The results of application of the offered approach within the territory of Chernobyl Exclusion Zone are shown.

Keywords: regional water balance, classification of satellite images, transpiration by vegetation communities.