Recent satellite image processing developments have provided the means to calculate evapotranspiration (ET) as a residual of the surface energy balance to produce ET “maps.” These ET maps (i.e., images) provide the means to quantify ET on a field by field basis in terms of both the rate and spatial distribution. The ET images show a progression of ET during the year or growing season as well as its spatial distribution. The mapping evapotranspiration at high resolution with internalized calibration (METRIC) is a satellite-based image-processing procedure for calculating ET. METRIC has been applied with high resolution Landsat images in southern Idaho, southern California, and New Mexico to quantify monthly and seasonal ET for water rights accounting, operation of ground water models, and determination of crop coefficient populations and mean curves for common crops. Comparisons between ET by METRIC, ET measured by lysimeter, and ET predicted using traditional methods have been made on a daily and monthly ...

Understanding the drivers of yield levels under climate change is required to support adaptation planning and respond to changing production risks. This study uses an ensemble of crop models applied on a spatial grid to quantify the contributions of various climatic drivers to past yield variability in grain maize and winter wheat of European cropping systems (1984–2009) and drivers of climate change impacts to 2050. Results reveal that for the current genotypes and mix of irrigated and rainfed production, climate change would lead to yield losses for grain maize and gains for winter wheat. Across Europe, on average heat stress does not increase for either crop in rainfed systems, while drought stress intensifies for maize only. In low-yielding years, drought stress persists as the main driver of losses for both crops, with elevated CO₂ offering no yield benefit in these years.