Lleida
Spain
The main objective of the GEWEX-supported Land surface Interactions with the Atmosphere over the Iberian Semi-arid Environment (LIAISE) project is to improve the understanding of land-atmosphere-hydrology interactions in a semi-arid region characterized by strong surface heterogeneity owing to contrasts between the natural landscape and intensive agriculture. Understanding the impact of anthropization on the lower atmosphere and representing it in models have been inhibited due to a lack of consistent and extensive observations. In recent years, land surface and atmospheric observation capabilities have advanced while irrigated surfaces have been increasing, leading to a renewed need for dedicated field campaigns over contrasting (climate) regions, especially over so-called breadbasket areas where climate change is directly threatening our food production.
The LIAISE study area is located over the Catalan counties of Urgell and Pla d’Urgell within the Ebro basin in northeastern Spain which is characterized by a semi-arid hot, dry Mediterranean climate. There is a sharp delineation between a vast, nearly continuous intensively-irrigated region and the dryer natural zone to the east. The main water source consists of artificial reservoirs located to the north in the Pyrenees mountains, and this water is brought into the irrigated area using a highly anthropized river and canal network. This conference invites contributions covering topics that include: modeling studies aimed at including anthropogenic processes (land surface, meteorological or hydrological) within or including the LIAISE area addressing the main project objectives, studies using observational data from the LIAISE field campaign, and applications using remote sensing data (from planes, drones or satellites) to estimate irrigation requirements or evapotranspiration over the region. We encourage contributions from the GEWEX Determining Evapotranspiration (ET) Crosscutting Project.
