Numerical simulation and data assimilation of the water-energy cycle over semiarid northeastern China

The default fractional vegetation cover and terrain height were replaced by the estimated fractional vegetation cover, which was calculated by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI) of Earth Observing System Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(EOS-MODIS) and the Digital Elevation Model of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM) system. The near-surface meteorological elements over northeastern China were assimilated into the three-dimensional variational data assimilation system(3DVar) module in the Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) model. The structure and daily variations of air temperature, humidity, wind and energy fields over northeastern China were simulated using the WRF model. Four groups of numerical experiments were performed, and the simulation results were analyzed of latent heat flux, sensible heat flux, and their relationships with changes in the surface energy flux due to soil moisture and precipitation over different surfaces. The simulations were compared with observations of the stations Tongyu, Naiman, Jinzhou, and Miyun from June to August, 2009. The results showed that the WRF model achieves high-quality simulations of the diurnal characteristics of the surface layer temperature, wind direction, net radiation, sensible heat flux, and latent heat flux over semiarid northeastern China in the summer. The simulated near-surface temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed were improved in the data assimilation case(Case 2) compared with control case(Case 1). The simulated sensible heat fluxes and surface heat fluxes were improved by the land surface parameterization case(Case 3) and the combined case(Case 4). The simulated temporal variations in soil moisture over the northeastern arid areas agree well with observations in Case 4, but the simulated precipitation should be improved in the WRF model. This study could improve the land surface parameters by utilizing remote sensing data and could further improve atmospheric elements with a data assimilation system. This work provides an effective attempt at combining multi-source data with different spatial and temporal scales into numerical simulations. The assimilation datasets generated by this work can be applied to research on climate change and environmental monitoring of arid lands, as well as research on the formation and stability of climate over semiarid areas.     

Determination of regional land surface heat fluxes over a heterogeneous landscape of the Jiddah area of Saudi Arabia by using Landsat‐7 ETM data

In this study, a parameterization method based on Landsat‐7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) data and field observations is presented and tested for deriving the regional land surface variables, vegetation variables and land surface heat fluxes over a heterogeneous landscape. As a case study, the method and two Landsat‐7 ETM images are applied to the Jiddah area of Saudi Arabia. The regional distribution maps of surface reflectance, normalized difference vegetation index, modified soil adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI), vegetation coverage, leaf area index, surface temperature, net radiation flux, soil heat flux, sensible heat flux and latent heat flux have been determined over the Jiddah area. The derived results have been validated by using the ‘ground truth’. The results show that the more reasonable regional distributions of land surface variables (surface reflectance, surface temperature), vegetation variables (MSAVI and vegetation coverage), net radiation, soil heat flux and sensible heat flux can be obtained by using the method proposed in this study. Further improvement of the method is also discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of seasonal vegetation dynamics on hydrological connectivity in tropical drylands

Seasonally dry forests in tropical regions show over 300% inter-annual biomass variability that directly affects the runoff and erosion dynamics. However, biomass fluctuation is mostly overlooked in hydrosedimentological analysis, including in connectivity analysis. The aim of this paper is to understand how the dryland vegetation seasonality in Brazilian drylands affects the potential runoff and sediment connectivity using the Index of Connectivity (stream and outlet targets). Two main analytical steps were used to identify the influence of dry forest biomass fluctuation on connectivity: Creation of vegetation scenarios based on the relationship between rainfall patterns and NDVI fluctuations (Landsat images); Identification of the effect of the vegetation scenarios on Index of Connectivity. The method was applied to a 90 km² watershed in NE Brazil, creating a daily vegetation classification using five vegetation scenarios related to rainfall parameters, with average NDVI values from 0.18 during very dry scenarios (<20 mm of antecedent rainfall) to 0.62 in very wet scenario (>500 mm of antecedent rainfall). The primary connectivity behaviour is controlled by a continuous connectivity decrease, reaching 32%, related to increase of humidity and vegetation biomass. At the same time, due to rainfall irregularity, high magnitude rainfall events can occur even during very dry scenarios, when the watershed shows very high potential connectivity. It indicates that connectivity in runoff-dominated regions is temporally variable due to the highly seasonal vegetation and variable incidence of intense rainstorms.     

Estimation of spatially distributed surface energy fluxes using remotely‐sensed data for agricultural fields

Land surface energy fluxes are required in many environmental studies, including hydrology, agronomy and meteorology. Surface energy balance models simulate microscale energy exchange processes between the ground surface and the atmospheric layer near ground level. Spatial variability of energy fluxes limits point measurements to be used for larger areas. Remote sensing provides the basis for spatial mapping of energy fluxes. Remote‐sensing‐based surface energy flux‐mapping was conducted using seven Landsat images from 1997 to 2002 at four contiguous crop fields located in Polk County, northwestern Minnesota. Spatially distributed surface energy fluxes were estimated and mapped at 30 m pixel level from Landsat Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper images and weather information. Net radiation was determined using the surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) procedure. Applying the two‐source energy balance (TSEB) model, the surface temperature and the latent and sensible heat fluxes were partitioned into vegetation and soil components and estimated at the pixel level. Yield data for wheat and soybean from 1997 to 2002 were mapped and compared with latent heat (evapotranspiration) for four of the fields at pixel level. The spatial distribution and the relation of latent heat flux and Bowen ratio (ratio of sensible heat to latent heat) to crop yield were studied. The root‐mean‐square error and the mean absolute percentage of error between the observed and predicted energy fluxes were between 7 and 22 W m⁻² and 12 and 24% respectively. Results show that latent heat flux and Bowen ratio were correlated (positive and negative) to the yield data. Wheat and soybean yields were predicted using latent heat flux with mean R² = 0·67 and 0·70 respectively, average residual means of −4·2 bushels/acre and 0·11 bushels/acre respectively, and average residual standard deviations of 16·2 bushels/acre and 16·6 bushels/acre respectively (1 bushel/acre ≈ 0·087 m³ ha⁻¹). The flux estimation procedure from the SEBAL‐TSEB model was useful and applicable to agricultural fields. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Observational study of land-atmosphere turbulent flux exchange over complex underlying surfaces in urban and suburban areas

Based on observation data from urban observation stations in Nanjing and Suzhou at two heights in the roughness sublayer above the canopy and observation data at three heights in the SORPES station at the Xianlin Campus of Nanjing University in a suburban area, the of land-atmosphere turbulent flux exchange and the energy balance over complex underlying surfaces were analyzed. The results indicated that in the roughness sublayer above the canopy, the nearsurface momentum flux, sensible heat flux, and latent heat flux increase with height, and the observation value of the surface albedo increases with height. However, the observation value of the net radiation decreases with height, thus resulting in a change in the urban surface energy budget with height. At the SORPES station in the Xianlin Campus of Nanjing University located in a hilly area, the momentum flux, sensible heat flux, and latent heat flux of the ground observation field significantly differed from those of the two heights on the tower, while the two heights on the tower were extremely close. These results indicate that the flux observation over the complex underlying surface exhibits adequate local only when it is conducted at a higher altitude above the ground. The turbulent flux observation results at a lower altitude in urban areas are underestimated, while the turbulent flux observation results near the surface produce a large deviation over the underlying hilly complex.     

Remote sensing parameterization of the processes of energy and water cycle over desertification areas

In order to understand the processes of land surface-atmosphere interaction over desertification area, it is indispensable to utilize of satellite remote sensing. Two scenes of Landsat TM were used to produce a set of maps of surface reflectance, MSAVI, vegetation coverage, surface temperature, net radiation, soil heat flux, sensible heat flux and latent heat flux. Statistical analysis based on these maps revealed some quantitative significant land surface characteristics. Future developments of the method are also discussed.     

Spatial characterization of land surface energy fluxes and uncertainty estimation at the Salar de Atacama,Northern Chile

We use Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER) data to estimate spatial energy flux and evaporation distributions at the Salar de Atacama, a playa in Northern Chile. Our approach incorporates ASTER surface kinetic temperature, emissivity, and reflectance data, ground-based meteorological measurements, and empirical parameters. Energy flux distributions are estimated using either spatially constant or spatially distributed values of model parameters, with spatially distributed parameters assigned separately to each land cover category in an image classification. We test the sensitivity of energy budget calculations to state variable and parameter values by conducting Monte Carlo simulations for regions with ground energy budget measurements. Results show that assigning spatially distributed model parameters via land cover classifications yields significant improvements to ground and sensible heat flux predictions. Latent heat fluxes cannot, however, be predicted with sufficient accuracy to allow estimation of area-integrated evaporative moisture loss at this low-evaporation playa.     

不同下垫面湍流通量计算方法的比较研究

本文利用1990~1994年在中国内蒙古奈曼市半干旱地区沙丘和植被区下垫面观测的微气象数据,采用变分法、波文比能量平衡方法和空气动力学方法计算了7种下垫面（沙丘、草原、四种放牧强度的草地、玉米田）的湍流通量并进行了比较.结果表明：除沙丘和重度放牧草地外,三种方法计算的湍流通量在大多数时刻是比较一致的,相关性较高,能量闭合程度也较好.在用于计算植被相对茂盛下垫面的湍流通量时,变分法得到的结果更好一些.随着放牧强度的增大,地表生物量、覆盖率和植被高度相应减少,潜热和动量通量相应减小,而感热通量增大.草地等植被茂盛的下垫面能够增加垂直方向的动量输送,增加空气动力学粗糙度,减小风速,阻止地表沙粒的运动和沙丘的起伏,对防止沙漠化能起到较大作用.     

沙漠陆面过程参数化与模拟

沙漠地区植被稀疏、干旱少雨,其陆面物理过程具有与全球其它地区显著不同的特点.本文利用巴丹吉林沙漠观测资料,分析和计算了地表反照率、比辐射率、粗糙度和土壤热容量、热传导系数等关键陆面过程参数,建立了适合于沙漠地区的陆面过程模式DLSM (Desert Land Surface Model),并与NOAH陆面过程模式的模拟结果和观测资料进行了比较.结果表明:巴丹吉林沙漠地表反照率为0.273,比辐射率为0.950,地表粗糙度为1.55×10^-3 m,土壤热容量和热扩散系数分别为1.08×10⁶ J·m^-3·K^-1和3.34×10^-7 m²·s.辐射传输、感热输送和土壤热传导过程是影响沙漠地区地表能量平衡的主要物理过程.通过对这三种过程的准确模拟检验,DLSM能够较准确地模拟巴丹吉林沙漠地气能量交换特征;短波辐射、长波辐射和感热通量的模拟结果与观测值间的标准差分别为7.98,6.14,33.9 W·m^-2,与NOAH陆面过程模式的7.98,7.72,46.6 W·m^-2的结果接近.地表反照率是沙漠地区最重要的陆面过程参数,地表反照率增大5%,向上短波辐射通量随之增加5%,感热通量则减小2.8%.本文研究结果对丰富陆面过程参数化方案,改进全球陆面过程模式、气候模式具有参考意义.     

三峡水库香溪河库湾水-气界面热交换过程及水体稳定性

水库或湖泊的热分层结构是其动力与环境过程的重要研究方面,虽然很多学者针对水体分层结构和演变机理开展了大量研究,但水体通过水-气界面与大气进行热交换的过程,各气象因子的贡献机理等研究成果还很缺乏。本文基于三峡水库香溪河库湾2019年3月-2020年2月期间的水温、水位及气象等监测数据,针对水-气界面热交换过程如何影响水温垂向结构及表层水体湍流混合作用开展研究。结果表明,(1)香溪河水体年内呈高温期分层、低温期混合的基本特征,高温期混合层深度小于8 m,低温期混合层深度超过30 m。(2)太阳短波辐射是香溪河水体的主要热源,潜热通量和长波辐射是香溪河水体的主要冷源,感热通量贡献极小。(3)香溪河平均风速较弱,约为1.6 m/s,主要通过增强潜热和感热通量的方式影响水体垂向稳定性结构特征,其机械扰动作用较弱。(4)表层水体湍能通量在高温期较低(10^-7m³/s³量级),此时水体处于分层状态,风应力大概率主导表层水体湍流发育;低温期表层水体湍能通量较高(10^-6 m³/s^3<...     

Seasonal variations between sampling and classical mean turbulent heat flux estimates in the eastern North Atlantic

The two commonly used statistical measures of the air-sea heat flux, the sampling and classical means, have been compared using hourly reports over a 7-year-period from a weather ship stationed in the NE Atlantic. The sampling mean is the average over all flux estimates in a given period, where individual flux estimates are determined from ship reports of meteorological variables using the well-known bulk formulae. The classical mean is the flux derived by substituting period-averaged values for each of the meteorological variables into the bulk formula (where the averaging period employed is the same as that over which the fluxes are to be determined). Monthly sampling and classical means are calculated for the latent and sensible heat fluxes. The monthly classical mean latent heat flux is found to overestimate the sampling mean by an amount which increases from 1–2 W m⁻² in summer to 7 W m⁻² in winter, on average, over the 7-year-period. In a given winter month, the excess may be as great as 15 W m⁻², which represents about 10% of the latent heat flux. For the sensible heat flux, any seasonal variation between the two means is of the order of 1 W m⁻² and is not significant compared to the interannual variation. The discrepancy between the two means for the latent heat flux is shown to arise primarily from a negative correlation between the wind speed and sea-air humidity difference, the effects of which are implicitly included in the sampling method but not in the classical. The influence of the dominant weather conditions on the sign and magnitude of this correlation are explored, and the large negative values that it takes in winter are found to depend on the typical track of the mid-latitude depressions with respect to the position sampled. In conclusion, it is suggested that sampling means should be employed where possible in future climatological studies.     

Establishment and analysis of a High-Resolution Assimilation Dataset of the water-energy cycle in China

For better prediction and understanding of land-atmospheric interaction, in-situ observed meteorological data acquired from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) were assimilated in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the monthly Green Vegetation Coverage (GVF) data, which was calculated using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of the Earth Observing System Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (EOS-MODIS) and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) system. Furthermore, the WRF model produced a High-Resolution Assimilation Dataset of the water-energy cycle in China (HRADC). This dataset has a horizontal resolution of 25 km for near surface meteorological data, such as air temperature, humidity, wind vectors and pressure (19 levels); soil temperature and moisture (four levels); surface temperature; downward/upward short/long radiation; 3-h latent heat flux; sensible heat flux; and ground heat flux. In this study, we 1) briefly introduce the cycling 3D-Var assimilation method and 2) compare results of meteorological elements, such as 2 m temperature and precipitation generated by the HRADC with the gridded observation data from CMA, and surface temperature and specific humidity with Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) output data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). We find that the simulated results of monthly 2 m temperature from HRADC is improved compared with the control simulation and has effectively reproduced the observed patterns. The simulated special distribution of ground surface temperature and specific humidity from HRADC are much closer to GLDAS outputs. The spatial distribution of root mean square errors (RMSE) and bias of 2 m temperature between observations and HRADC is reduced compared with the bias between observations and the control run. The monthly spatial distribution of surface temperature and specific humidity from HRADC is consistent with the GLDAS outputs over China. This study could improve the land surface parameters by utilizing remote sensing data and could further improve atmospheric elements with a data assimilation system. This work provides an effective attempt at combining multi-source data with different spatial and temporal scales into numerical simulations, and the simulated results could be used in further research on the long-term climatic effects and characteristics of the water-energy cycle over China.     

海面动量、感热和水汽输送的动力学分析

基于大气边界层动量、感热和水汽通量的基本方程,定量地计算了波动海面的动量、感热和水汽通量。首先,应用Prandtl的混合长概念,推导出贴海面大气层中风速、位温和比湿的涡动交换率及其贴海面层厚度,并且证明了波面上位温或比湿贴海面层厚度与速度贴海面层厚度的比值,和平面上的相应比值完全相等。随后,利用空气动力学理论讨论了贴海面动量、感热和水汽输送的参数化问题。最后,对现有五种理论模式进行了比较说明。     

2002年南海季风爆发前后西沙海区海-气通量交换及其变化

利用2002年4月24日至6月20日在西沙海区进行的第三次南海海-气通量观测试验资料,采用涡相关法和TOGA COARE25b版本通量计算方案,计算了西南季风爆发前后海洋-大气间的通量交换,讨论了辐射、动量、感热通量、潜热通量、海洋热量净收支的时间变化特征及其与气象要素变化的关系.结果表明：西南季风爆发前后,太阳短波辐射、海面净辐射、潜热通量和海洋热量净收支变化特别强烈;通量变化受不同环境要素的影响：感热通量与海-气温差呈正相关关系,与气温呈明显的负相关关系.潜热通量与风速、海-气温差及海面水温均有正相关关系,其中与风速的关系最密切.动量通量（τ）主要随风速变化,它与风速（V）的关系可以表示为τ=000185V2-000559V+001248.     

Evaporation and energy balance of a sub‐Arctic hillslope in northern Finland

This paper presents measurements of the energy balance (radiation, sensible heat flux, evaporation) from a sub‐arctic hillside in northern Finland for a summer season. Comparisons are also made with a nearby wetland site. The hillslope measurements show an equal partition of the radiant energy into sensible and latent heat flux. The evaporative ratio of just over one half was remarkably constant throughout the season, despite very large day‐to‐day and diurnal variations of temperature, humidity deficit and radiation input. This conservative behaviour of the evaporation was caused by a strong rise in effective surface resistance to evaporation with increasing vapour pressure deficit. This suggests a strong physiological control on the evaporation, with stomata closing at times of high evaporative demand. There was no obvious impact of soil‐water stress on the evaporation. However, a comparison with the evaporation measured at a nearby mire site in 1997 suggests that the mire has a significantly lower surface resistance, even when the impact of a significantly lower humidity deficit in the earlier year is taken into account. The measurements are used to test, off‐line, the performance of MOSES (Meteorological Office Surface Exchange Scheme), a simple, but comprehensive, land surface model. The sensitivity of the energy exchanges to the thermal properties of the top soil layer (a surrogate for the upper soil/vegetation layer) is investigated with the use of the model. It is found that the evaporation is insensitive to these properties; they do, however, influence the partition of energy between the sensible heat flux and the ground heat flux (and hence the soil temperatures). It is suggested that the model needs to represent the thermal properties of the canopy more realistically. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一种基于地表能量平衡的遥感干旱监测新方法及其在甘肃河东地区干旱监测中的应用初探

目前遥感干旱监测方法的精度普遍不高,探求新的遥感干旱监测方法有助于干旱监测预警技术的提升与发展.波文比是感热通量与潜热通量之比,能综合反映地表水热特征,可尝试将其引入到遥感干旱监测领域加以利用.应用甘肃河东地区的EOS-MODIS卫星资料和同步地面气象资料,基于地表能量平衡原理构建了波文比干旱监测模型,对比分析了波文比(β)指数、温度植被指数(TVX)与土壤水分的相关性,并以典型晴空影像(2014年10月5日)为例初步建立了β的干旱分级标准,对研究区进行了旱情评估.结果表明:β与土壤相对湿度呈现出高度负相关,相比于当下广泛应用的TVX,β与0~20cm平均土壤相对湿度具有更好的相关性,监测精度得到了显著提高.用β干旱分级标准评估的研究区干湿状况与前期降水空间分布吻合得相当好,评估表明2014年10月5日研究区基本为适宜(无旱),与2014年9月的降水距平百分率特征一致.基于地表能量平衡的波文比(β)指数在干旱监测中效果突出,具有很好的应用前景.     

Treatment of anchor pixels in the METRIC model for improved estimation of sensible and latent heat fluxes

Abstract

Reliable estimation of sensible heat flux (H) is important in energy balance models for quantifying evapotranspiration (ET). This study was conducted to evaluate the value of adding the Priestley-Taylor (PT) equation to the METRIC (Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration) model. METRIC was used to estimate energy fluxes for 10 Landsat images from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 crop growing seasons in south-central Nebraska, USA, where each image owing to recent rainfall exhibited high residual moisture content even at the hot pixel. The METRIC model performed satisfactorily for net radiation (R_n ) and soil heat flux (G) estimation with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 52 and 24 W m^-2, respectively. A RMSE of 122 W m^-2 for H indicated the limitation of the METRIC model in estimating H for high residual moisture content of the hot pixel (Alfalfa reference ET fraction, ET _r F > 0.15). The modified METRIC model (wet METRIC or wMETRIC) incorporating the PT equation was applied to calculate H at the anchor pixels (hot and cold) for high residual moisture content of the hot pixel. The α coefficient of the PT equation was locally calibrated using hourly meteorological data from an automatic weather station and R_n and G data from a Bowen ratio flux tower. The mean α coefficient value was 1.14. The wMETRIC model reduced the RMSE of H from 122 to 64 W m^-2 and that of latent heat flux, LE, from 163 to 106 W m^-2. The RMSE of daily ET decreased from 1.7 to 1.1 mm d^-1 with wMETRIC. The results indicate that treatment of anchor pixels for high residual moisture content with the PT approach gives improved estimation of H, LE and daily ET. It is recommended that the wMETRIC model be used for estimating ET if the hot pixel has high residual moisture (i.e. reference ET fraction > 0.15).

Citation Singh, R. K. & Irmak, A. (2011) Treatment of anchor pixels in the METRIC model for improved estimation of sensible and latent heat fluxes. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(5), 895–906.     

Spatial distribution of surface energy fluxes over the Loess Plateau in China and its relationship with climate and the environment

China's Loess Plateau is located at the edge of the Asian summer monsoon in a transition zone of climate and ecology. In the Loess Plateau, climate and environments change along with space, which has an obvious impact on the spatial distribution of surface energy fluxes. Because of scarce land-surface observation sites and short observation time in this area, previous studies have failed to fully understand the land-surface energy balance characteristics over the entire the Loess Plateau and their effect mechanisms. In this paper, we first test the simulation ability of the Community Land Model(CLM) model by comparing its simulated data with observed data. Based on the simulation data for the Loess Plateau over the past thirty years, we then analyze the spatial distribution of surface energy fluxes and compare the pattern differences between the area averages for the driest year and wettest year. Furthermore, we analyze the relationship between the spatial distribution of the components of the surface energy balance with longitude, latitude, altitude, precipitation and temperature. The main results are as follows: the spatial distribution of surface energy fluxes are significantly different, with the surface net radiation and sensible heat flux increasing from south to north and latent heat flux and soil heat flux decreasing from southeast to northwest. The sensible heat flux at the driest point is nearly twice as high as that at the wettest point, whereas the latent heat flux and soil heat flux at the driest point are half as much as that at the wettest point. The impact of variations of annual precipitation on the components of the surface energy balance is also obvious, and the maximum magnitude of the changes to the sensible heat flux and latent heat flux is nearly 30%. To a certain extent, geographical factors(including longitude, latitude, and altitude) and climate factors(including temperature and precipitation) affect the surface energy fluxes. However, the surface net radiation is more closely related to latitude and altitude, sensible heat flux is more closely related to the monsoon rainfall and latitude, and latent heat flux and soil heat flux are more closely related to the monsoon rainfall.     

Monitoring Heat Losses Using Landsat ETM + Thermal Infrared Data: a Case Study in Unzen Geothermal Field, Kyushu, Japan

The Unzen geothermal field, our study area, is situated in the Shimabara Peninsula of Kyushu Island in Japan and is an area of active fumaroles.. Our prime objectives were (1) to estimate radiative heat flux (RHF), (2) to calculate approximately the heat discharge rate (HDR) using the relationship of RHF with the total heat loss derived from two geothermal field studies, and (3) finally, to monitor RHF as well as HDR in our study area using seven sets of Landsat 7 ETM + images from 2000 to 2009. We used the normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) method for spectral emissivity estimation, the mono-window algorithm for land surface temperature (LST), and the Stefan–Boltzmann equation analyzing those satellite TIR images for RHF. We estimated that the maximum RHF was about 251 W/m² in 2005 and minimum was about 27 W/m² in 2001. The highest total RHF was about 39.1 MW in 2005 and lowest was about 12 MW in 2001 in our study region. We discovered that the estimated RHF was about 15.7 % of HDR from our studies. We applied this percentage to estimate HDR in Unzen geothermal area. The monitoring results showed a single fold trend of HDR from 2000 to 2009 with highest about 252 MW in 2005 and lowest about 78 MW in 2001. In conclusion, TIR remote sensing is thought as the best option for monitoring heat losses from fumaroles with high efficiency and low cost.