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Article

Complementary Relationship-Based Validation and Analysis of Evapotranspiration in the Permafrost Region of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

1
School of Hydrology and Water Resources, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
2
Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Atmosphere 2025, 16(8), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16080932 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 17 June 2025 / Revised: 19 July 2025 / Accepted: 31 July 2025 / Published: 1 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Meteorology)

Abstract

The Complementary Relationship (CR) principle of evapotranspiration provides an efficient approach for estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa), owing to its simplified computation and effectiveness in utilizing meteorological factors. Accurate estimation of actual evapotranspiration (ETa) is crucial for understanding surface energy and water cycles, especially in permafrost regions. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of two Complementary Relationship (CR)-based methods—Bouchet’s in 1963 and Brutsaert’s in 2015—for estimating ETa on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP), using observations from Eddy Covariance (EC) systems. The potential evapotranspiration (ETp) was calculated using the Penman equation with two wind functions: the Rome wind function and the Monin–Obukhov Similarity Theory (MOST). The comparison revealed that Bouchet’s method underestimated ETa during frozen soil periods and overestimated it during thawed periods. In contrast, Brutsaert’s method combined with the MOST yielded the lowest RMSE values (0.67–0.70 mm/day) and the highest correlation coefficients (r > 0.85), indicating superior performance. Sensitivity analysis showed that net radiation (Rn) had the strongest influence on ETa, with a daily sensitivity coefficient of up to 1.35. This study highlights the improved accuracy and reliability of Brutsaert’s CR method in cold alpine environments, underscoring the importance of considering freeze–thaw dynamics in ET modeling. Future research should incorporate seasonal calibration of key parameters (e.g., ε) to further reduce uncertainty.
Keywords: evapotranspiration; complementary relationship; permafrost; Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau evapotranspiration; complementary relationship; permafrost; Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Yu, W.; Xie, Y.; Li, Y.; Kumar, A.; Shao, W.; Zhao, Y. Complementary Relationship-Based Validation and Analysis of Evapotranspiration in the Permafrost Region of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Atmosphere 2025, 16, 932. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16080932

AMA Style

Yu W, Xie Y, Li Y, Kumar A, Shao W, Zhao Y. Complementary Relationship-Based Validation and Analysis of Evapotranspiration in the Permafrost Region of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Atmosphere. 2025; 16(8):932. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16080932

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yu, Wenjun, Yining Xie, Yanzhong Li, Amit Kumar, Wei Shao, and Yonghua Zhao. 2025. "Complementary Relationship-Based Validation and Analysis of Evapotranspiration in the Permafrost Region of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau" Atmosphere 16, no. 8: 932. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16080932

APA Style

Yu, W., Xie, Y., Li, Y., Kumar, A., Shao, W., & Zhao, Y. (2025). Complementary Relationship-Based Validation and Analysis of Evapotranspiration in the Permafrost Region of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Atmosphere, 16(8), 932. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16080932

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