LI-710 Evapotranspiration Sensor

Accurately measure evapotranspiration with this simplified, easy-to-use sensor.

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New Direct and Economical Evapotranspiration Measurements for Immediate Societal Benefits

with Dr. George Burba

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plugging in the LI-830

Quality

Uses established scientific methods

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Accuracy

Direct measurements instead of estimates

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Simplicity

Easy to connect, operate, and maintain

Actual evapotranspiration measurements

The direct measurement of evapotranspiration hasn’t been widely performed because of the cost and complexity of measurement methods. Indirect methods rely on estimates based on crop coefficients and reference or potential evapotranspiration, which leads to uncertainty.

The LI-710 measures actual evapotranspiration—water vapor moving out of the field and into the atmosphere—without the need for crop coefficients. It works over any relatively flat and uniform ground cover at field or ecosystem scale.

Actual evapotranspiration measurements

Applications

Use the LI-710 Evapotranspiration Sensor to accurately quantify evapotranspiration for many applications:

  • Irrigation management
  • Weather stations
  • Water budgeting
  • Drought monitoring
  • Verification of remote sensing
  • Regulatory oversight
  • Watershed management

Research-grade accuracy

A comparison of the LI-710 to traditional eddy covariance and Penman-Monteith Estimates shows that the LI-710 reports evapotranspiration with the accuracy of traditional eddy covariance.

The LI-710 applies the eddy covariance method to measure vertical wind and water vapor concentration at 10 Hz, then provides fully processed results every 30 minutes.

Penman Monteith Estimates
A comparison of the LI-710 to Potential ET, Reference ET, and traditional eddy covariance methods using open and closed-path analyzers shows that the LI-710 reports evapotranspiration with the accuracy of traditional eddy covariance.
Penman Monteith Estimates
30-minute latent energy fluxes measured by 5 LI-710s and an LI-7200 (traditional enclosed path) compared against an LI-7500 (traditional open path).

Easy to use and maintain

The LI-710 Evapotranspiration Sensor gives you answers—no data processing is necessary. From mounting to output, it is designed for ease-of-use.

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    Mounting

    Attach it to a simple pole—no tower or tripod needed—and it is compatible with NuRail® and other commonly used mounting hardware.

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    Power

    Its 1.5 W power requirement means you only need a battery and small solar panel to run it.

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    Output

    SDI-12 output from a single cable makes it easy to collect data and integrate the sensor into existing infrastructures.

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    Maintenance

    It requires no calibration and is low maintenance.

A high-quality, cost-effective solution

With the LI-710, you get high-quality evapotranspiration measurements for a fraction of the cost of more complex direct measurement methods. You can deploy multiple sensors to expand your data collection footprint. You don’t need to hire a data analyst, and it has low ongoing power and maintenance costs.

Actual evapotranspiration measurements

The LI-710 or traditional eddy covariance?

The LI-710 measures evapotranspiration at the field scale as accurately as traditional eddy covariance systems, but there are differences.

The LI-710 is a straightforward solution if you want to directly measure water vapor moving from the field into the atmosphere. However, if you want to measure CO2 flux, integrate other sensor inputs, or process raw data, you’ll want a complete eddy covariance system.

Which is right for you—the LI-710 Evapotranspiration Sensor or a traditional eddy covariance system? The table below compares the two.

Feature LI-710 LI-7500DS
Measures actual evapotranspiration Yes Yes
Measures at the field scale Yes Yes
Measures CO2 flux No Yes
Allows customized data processing No Yes
Provides raw data No Yes
Integrates other sensor inputs No Yes

If you have additional questions and would like to discuss your specific needs, contact envsales@licor.com

Case Studies

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