18 February 2011

Global Evapo-Transpiration and Aridity Index Data

The Global Potential Evapo-Transpiration (Global-PET) and Global Aridity Index (Global-Aridity) datasets provide FREE high-resolution global raster climate data related to evapo-transpiration processes and rainfall deficit for potential vegetative growth.

These datasets are based on modeling and analyses by Antonio Trabucco (currently at the Forest, Ecology and Management Research Group, K.U. Leuven), with the support of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), and are provided online by the CGIAR-CSI Consortium for Spatial Information with the support of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).

The Global-PET and Global-Aridity datasets are provided for non-commercial use in standard ARC/INFO Grid format, at 30 arc seconds (~ 1km at equator), to support studies contributing to sustainable development, biodiversity and environmental conservation, poverty alleviation, and adaption to climate change globally, and in particular in developing countries. The methods used to derive these datasets, and the data dictionary, are described briefly below.

FREE DATA DOWNLOAD:The Global-PET dataset consists of the following data layers (Available for download by clicking on links below):
  • Monthly Mean PET (monthly averages over the period 1950-200) (12 data layers, i.e for each month)

  • Mean Annual PET (annual average over the period 1950-2000) (1 data layer)

  • The Global-Aridity data layer: Mean Annual Aridity (annual average over the period of 1950-2000) (1 data layer)
    •
Methods, Dataset Description, and Non-Commercial Use Policy:Users should read the Methodology and Dataset Description to understand and appropriately apply the Global-Aridity and Global-PET datasets, and to be aware of the Non-Commercial Use Policy. The authors of the Global-Aridity and Global-PET datasets recommend that all users who intend to apply these datasets to assess more regional and local condtions should consider the issues of scale, resolution and degree of interpolation of the original data.

The data set may be freely used for non-commercial scientific and educational purposes, provided it is described as the CGIAR-CSI Global-Aridity and Global-PET Geospatial Database.

Posted by Moderator at 10:54 AM

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