A scintillometer consists of a transmitter and a receiver separated by a distance of 250 to 5000 m that allows sensible heat flux retrievals over scales of distributed hydrological models and meso-scale atmospheric models at time intervals of 5 minutes. Scintillometers offer the unique opportunity for areally-averaged accurate heat flux measurements that are of substantial value for process studies at the pixel scale as well as the validation of remote sensing algorithms for prediction of regional evapotranspiration distributions.

Scintillometry has now become available for hydrologists with four different types of instruments fabricated mainly by two suppliers. Scintillometers are robust instruments that can be measured continuously and successfully for years if operated properly. Therefore, there is critical need for training of scintillometer users to increase their ability to identify, diagnose, and correct erroneous system setups or measurements as well as to understand measurements under different boundary layer conditions.

The objectives of the workshop are to instruct the participants

(1) in the theory of scintillometry, site selection, installation of scintillometers, data-logging, and data analysis through lectures and hands-on exercises in the field and

(2) how to assimilate scintillometer field measurements with ET remote sensing algorithms.

Parallel to the workshop the organizers and participants will conduct a Large Aperture Scintillometer Inter-Comparison Experiment. The main objective of this experiment is to compare -- along the same transect -- a large number of scintillometers brought by the participants in the presence of experts from the manufacturers in order to better quantify, understand, and resolve the issues of inter-instrument error observed in previous inter-comparison experiments.

The workshop will comprise four days while the experiment will comprise about two weeks including setup and takedown of participant’s scintillometers. Participation in the experiment is optional.

To register for the workshop, click the Registration button on the left-hand menu. To participate in the intercomparison experiment, click HERE.