Obtaining evapotranspiration and surface energy fluxes with remotely sensed data to improve agricultural water management

The quantification of evapotranspiration from irrigated areas is important for agriculture water management, especially in arid and semiarid regions where water deficiency is becoming a major constraint in economic welfare and sustainable development. Conventional methods that use point measurements to estimate evapotranspiration are representative only of local areas and cannot be extended to large areas because of heterogeneity of landscape. Remote sensing based energy balance models are presently most suited for estimating evapotranspiration at both field and regional scales. In this study, SEBAL (Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land), a remote sensing based evapotranspiration model, has been applied with Landsat ETM+ sensor for theestimation of actual evapotranspiration in the Habra plain, a semiarid region in west Algeria with heterogeneous surface conditions. This model followed an energy balance approach, where evapotranspiration is estimated as the residual when the net radiation, sensible heat flux and soil heat flux are known. It involves in the input the remote sensing land surface parameters such as surface temperature, NDVI and albedo. Different moisture indicators derived from the evapotranspiration were then calculated: evaporative fraction, Priestley-Taylor parameter and surface resistance to evaporation. These calculated indicators facilitate the quantitative diagnosis of moisture stress status in pixel basis. Thestudy area contains extremes in surface albedo, vegetation cover and surface temperature. The land uses in this study area consists of irrigated agriculture, rain-fed agriculture and livestock grazing. The obtained results concern the validation of the used model for spatial distribution analysis ofevapotranspiration and moisture indicators. The evaluation of dailyevapotranspiration and moisture indicators are accurate enough for the spatial variations of evapotranspiration rather satisfactory than sophisticated models without having to introduce an important number of parameters in input with difficult accessibility in routine. In conclusion, the results suggest that SEBAL can be considered as an operational method to predict actual evapotranspiration from irrigated areas having limited amount of ground information

Prediction of diagenesis and reservoir quality using wireline logs: evidence from the Upper Triassic (Raethian) fluvial reservoir tags - Toual field, Gassi Touil Area, SE Algeria

Reservoir quality is mainly controlled by environment deposit type and diagenesis processes. To investigate such subject we usually proceed to microscopic techniques. Absence of outcrops and missing of core samples let us use conventional wireline logs and core lab measurements as primary data. Direct lecture of well logs calibrated by core photos and wellsite description, well logs correlation and cross plots were our main methodology axis. Target of this study is the fluvial Shaly Sandstones of Upper Triassic (Rhaetian) reservoir (abreviated in French; TAGS) located in Toual field – SE of Algeria. The present investigation confirms the absence of clean sandstone levels in the studied reservoir. It detects also the presence of halite and clays (Illite) as cements in sandstone. The influence of illite on permeability was confirmed whereas porosity is less affected.Keywords: Diagenesis; Reservoir Quality; Well logs; Fluvial System; Triassic; Toua

PERFORMANCES EPURATOIRES ET INTERET DU PROCEDE DE PHYTOTRAITEMENT DES EAUX USEES PAR DES VEGETAUX MACROPHYTES

Le but de ce travail estl’étude des performances épuratoires des eaux usées au profit des petites collectivités par le biais d’un système utilisant des lits plantés en végétaux. Les expériences à travers le monde, montrent l’intér êt grandissant de cette technique et de sa fiabilité, tant sur le plan économique que sur le plan et écologique. Dans une perspective d’application de cette nouvelle technique à échelle réelle, il a été procédé à la mise en œuvre d’un pilote expérimen tal, reproduisant le procédé dans toutes ses phases, suivie des analyses d’échantillons à l’entrée et la sortie des eaux traitées. Quatre (4) filières de traitement ont été expérimentées, tenant compte de la variabilité des écoulements (vertical, horizontal, mixte). Chaque filière consiste à faire passer l’effluent à travers des bassins, remplis de graviers et plantés en phragmites. Les résultats des principaux indicateurs de la pollution hydriques par rapport à ceux obtenus par une station de référence (lagunage aéré de Ghriss), semblent être très prometteurs pour l’avenir de ce procédé d’épuration en Algérie, particulièrement au profit en milieu rural. The aim of this work is the study of wastewater purification efficiency for small communities through a system using beds planted with macrophytes. Many experiences around the world show a growing interest in this technique and its reliability, both economically and environmentally. In view of application of this new technique at actual scale, we proceeded to implement a pilot experiment, replicating the process in all its phases, followed by analyzes of sam ples at the input and output of treated water. Four treatment processes were tested, taking intoaccount the flow variability (vertical, horizontal, mixed). Each process consists of passing the effluent through a basin filled with gravel and planted with Phragmites. The results of the main indicators of water pollution compared to those obtained froma reference station (aerated lagoon Ghriss) seem to be very promising for the future of this treatment process in Algeria, particularly in rural region

ANTILEISHMANIAL ACTIVITY OF SOME PLANTS GROWING IN ALGERIA: JUGLANS REGIA, LAWSONIA INERMIS AND SALVIA OFFICINALIS.

The current study was undertaken to evaluate in vitro the antileishmanial activity of three plants growing wild in Algeria : Juglans regia, Lawsonia inermis and Salvia officinalis. The hydroalcoholic extracts of these plants were tested on the growth of the promastigotes of Leishmania major. The plant extract effects were compared with three controls : CRL1 composed of 1 ml RPMI inoculated with 106 of promastigotes, CRL2 composed of 1 ml RPMI inoculated with 106 of promastigotes and 100 μl of hydroalcoholic solvent, CRL3 composed of 1 ml RPMI inoculated with 106 of promastigotes and 100 μl of Glucantim as a reference drug in the management of leishmaniasis. The results showed that both J. regia and L. inermis extracts reduced the promastigotes number significantly (

Using the Priestley-Taylor expression for estimating actual evapotranspiration from satellite Landsat ETM + data

The quantification of evapotranspiration from irrigated areas is important for agriculture water management, especially in arid and semi-arid regions where water deficiency is becoming a major constraint in economic welfare and sustainable development. Conventional methods that use point measurements to estimate evapotranspiration are representative only of local areas and cannot be extended to large areas because of landscape heterogeneity. Remote sensing-based energy balance models are presently most suited for estimating evapotranspiration at both field and regional scales. In this study, we aim to develop a methodology based on the triangle concept, allowing estimation of evapotranspiration through the classical equation of Priestley and Taylor (1972) where the proportional coefficient α in this equation is ranged using a linear interpolation between surface temperature and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values. Preliminary results using remotely sensed data sets from Landsat ETM+ over the Habra Plains in west Algeria are in good agreement with ground measurements. The proposed approach appears to be more reliable and easily applicable for operational estimation of evapotranspiration over large areas

Evaluating four remote sensing based models to estimate latent heat flux in semi-arid climate for heterogeneous surface coverage of western Algeria

Optimal estimation of water balance components at the local and regional scales is essential for many applications such as integrated water resources management, hydrogeological modelling and irrigation scheduling. Evapotranspiration is a very important component of the hydrological cycle at the soil surface, particularly in arid and semi-arid lands. Mapping evapotranspiration at high resolution with internalised calibration (METRIC), trapezoid interpolation model (TIM), two-source energy balance (TSEB), and soil-plant-atmosphere and remote sensing evapotranspiration (SPARSE) models were applied using Landsat 8 images for four dates during 2014-2015 and meteorological data. Surface energy maps were then generated. Latent heat flux estimated by four models was then compared and evaluated with those measured by applying the method of Bowen ratio for the various days. In warm periods with high water stress differences and with important surface temperature differences, METRIC proves to be the most robust with the root-mean-square error (RMSE) less than 40 W∙m-2. However, during the periods with no significant surface temperature and soil humidity differences, SPARSE model is superior with the RMSE of 35 W∙m-2. The results of TIM are close to METRIC, since both models are sensitive to the difference in surface temperature. However, SPARSE remains reliable with the RMSE of 55 W∙m-2 unlike TSEB, which has a large deviation from the other models. On the other hand, during the days when the temperature difference is small, SPARSE and TSEB are superior, with a clear advantage of SPARSE serial version, where temperature differences are less important

Évaluation par analyse multicriteres de la vulnérabilité des sols a l'érosion : cas du bassin versant de l'Isser – Tlemcen – Algérie |Full article|

The drainage basin of Isser, space weakened by the periods of drought and characterized by exposures of marls and very fragile clays, prese nts a high sensitivity to erosion. In addition to the deterioration of the quality of water, the eros ion phenomenon in this zone presents risks of depletion of topsoil, loss of fertility, loosening of plants and pollution by pesticides dissolved in surface water runoff. The erosion results from the conjunction of many pe rmanent factors (as those related to the soil or to the topography), that are evolving o r presenting a random character (such as precipitations) and intervene at different levels i n erosion processes. The purpose of the work is to produce a map of soil vulnerability to the erosion by integrating field data, different thematic maps and satellite images through GIS solution. This map sho uld be a basis for the development of the anti-eros ive land use plan adapted to the specific context of th e drainage basin of Isser. We do integrate four factors which determine the erosion: precipitations , topography, lithology, and vegetation cover. For combining these different factors, we use a cut ting space in regular meshes. The resulting map of the vulnerability to the erosion should reveal homo geneous areas for priority interventions

Analyse et suivi du phénomène de la désertification en Algérie du nord

The present study aims to work out a methodology based on the use of the sensors such TERRA MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) in the desertification following and the detection of desertification risk zones in the  northern area of Algeria.  To this end, some geophysical parameters (albedo "R0", vegetation index "NDVI'' and surface temperature "TS") are produced regularly and cover the period of 2000 to 2005. The combination of these parameters two per two especially R0 -TS, NDVI-TS and R0 - NDVI has allowed respectively the characterization of the hydric and vegetation state. The synthesis of the totality of results under a geographical information system GIS as well as their confrontation with others types of data have allowed to map the desertification risk following five degrees (very high, high, moderated, weak and stable). Our results show that 75 % of the risk zones are already desertify or near of desertification

Analyse et suivi du phénomène de la désertification en Algérie du nord

The present study aims to work out a methodology based on the use of the sensors such TERRA MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) in the desertification following and the detection of desertification risk zones in the  northern area of Algeria.  To this end, some geophysical parameters (albedo "R0", vegetation index "NDVI'' and surface temperature "TS") are produced regularly and cover the period of 2000 to 2005. The combination of these parameters two per two especially R0 -TS, NDVI-TS and R0 - NDVI has allowed respectively the characterization of the hydric and vegetation state. The synthesis of the totality of results under a geographical information system GIS as well as their confrontation with others types of data have allowed to map the desertification risk following five degrees (very high, high, moderated, weak and stable). Our results show that 75 % of the risk zones are already desertify or near of desertification