RT - Journal Article T1 - Comparison of Some Methods for Estimation of Daily Pan Evaporation: Case Study in Kerman Region JF - JSTNAR YR - 2011 JO - JSTNAR VO - 15 IS - 55 UR - http://jstnar.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1544-en.html SP - 69 EP - 84 K1 - Evaporation estimation K1 - Neuro-fuzzy K1 - Artificial neural network K1 - Non-linear regression K1 - Stephens-Stewart method. AB - In this research, based on the observed data of Class A pan evaporation and application of non-linear regression (NLR), artificial neural network (ANN), neuro-fuzzy (NF) as well as Stephens-Stewart (SS) methods daily evaporation of Kerman region was evaluated. In the cases of NLR, ANN and NF methods, the input variables were air temperature (T), air pressure, relative humidity (RH), solar radiation (SR) and wind speed (U2) which were used in various combinations to estimate daily pan evaporation (Ep) defined as output variable. Performance of the methods was evaluated by comparing the observed and estimated data, using determination coefficient (R2), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). Based on the observed data at Kerman meteorological station, the monthly and annual average evaporation values of the region were 272 and 3263 mm, respectively. The results of this study indicated that NF method is the most suitable method to estimate daily Class A pan evaporation. The statistics criteria of this model which is constituted based on the 5 input parameters were R2 = 0.85, RMSE=1.61 and MAE= 1.24 mm day-1. The sensitivity analysis of NF model revealed that the estimated EP is more sensitive to T and U2 (as the input variables), respectively. Due to weak accuracy of SS method, a new modification step of the model was also developed based on the SR and T in order to have a more exact daily evaporation estimation of the region. However, the result of the modified model was not acceptable LA eng UL http://jstnar.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1544-en.html M3 ER -