Multisource Estimation of Long-Term Terrestrial Water Budget for Major Global River Basins

• DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-11-00300.1
• Publication Date: 2011-12-20T17:38:58Z
• Authors: Ming Pan; Alok K. Sahoo; Tara J. Troy; Raghuveer K. Vinu...; Justin Sheffield; Eric F. Wood
• Keywords: Water balance; Water cycle

A systematic method is proposed to optimally combine estimates of the terrestrial water budget from different data sources and enforce balance constraint using assimilation techniques. The applied create global long-term records by merging a number datasets including in situ observations, remote sensing retrievals, land surface model simulations, reanalyses. estimation process has three steps. First, conventional analysis on errors biases conducted based existing validation/error studies other information such as sensor network density, physics, calibration procedures. Then, combines so that can be compensated greatest extent merged have best possible confidence. Finally, are resolved constrained Kalman filter technique. procedure 32 globally distributed major basins for 1984–2006. authors believe resulting used baseline dataset large-scale diagnostic studies, example, integrated assessment basin resources, trend attribution, climate change studies. scale presents significant challenges carrying out error each variable. For some variables (e.g., evapotranspiration) assumptions underpinning lack supporting quantitative and, thus, may not hold specific locations. Nevertheless, constraining technique many problems.