Eddy covariance (EC) is a micrometeorological technique that has several distinct advantages, particularly over tall canopies (Baldochi, 2003) and it is the most advanced “in situ” measurement technologies that directly provide actual evapotranspiration, but it is widely known to have energy balance closure problems. This closure requires that the sum of the measured latent (LE) and sensible (H) heat fluxes be equivalent to all other energy sinks and sources (Wilson et al., 2002). The typical value of the closure ratio for agricultural land is 0.8-0.9 (Twine et al., 2000). Wilson et al. (2002) suggested that the surface energy fluxes (LE+H) are frequently, but not always, undermeasured by about 10- 30% relative to estimates of available energy, i.e. the difference between net radiation (Rn ) and soil heat flux (G). Due to the need for information about energy balance in tropical regions, an important goal of this study is to analyze the energy balance closure in banana crop in the semiarid region of Brazil.
