Mean Annual Near Surface Evaporation between 1981 and 2006

This dataset is the mean annual surface evaporation between 1981 and 2006 and estimates potential evaporation using a variety of methods as as well as intermediary datasets. The main intermediary datasets relate to surface radiation but also include windspeed, vapour pressure deficit and air temperature. In addition, two 'reference datasets' are included: FAO56 crop reference evapotranspiration (Allen et al., 1998) and 'PenPan' evaporation (Rotstayn et al. 2006), which is synthetic US Class A pan evaporation. The source data (maximum and minimum air temperature, vapour pressure) are not available through this website (see Jones et al. (2009) for access).Each dataset describes a specific variable for a specific time-step. That is, data are supplied as daily values as well as monthly and annual aggregates/averages. Long-term (1981-2006) annual averages are also provided. Specifics on the source data and the formulations used to generate each variable are outlined fully in Donohue et al. (2009).CSIRO Land and Water is the custodian of this dataset and it can be downloaded from http://www-data.wron.csiro.au/ts/climate/evaporation/donahueFor full metadata, can acquire it at the above website or can see the publications: Donohue R. J., McVicar T. R. & Roderick M. L. (2010) Assessing the ability of potential evaporation formulations to capture the dynamics in evaporative demand within a changing climate. Journal of Hydrology, 386, 186-197, doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.03.020or Donohue R. J., McVicar T. R. & Roderick M. L. (2009) Generating Australian potential evaporation data suitable for assessing the dynamics in evaporative demand within a changing climate. CSIRO: Water for a Healthy Country National Research Flagship, Canberra. http://www.clw.csiro.au/publications/waterforahealthycountry/2009/wfhc-evaporative-demand-dynamics.pdffor more information.