Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key element of the water and energy cycle at the land surface. In general, ET is determined by (i) surface properties (e.g. snow, vegetation, soil moisture) and (ii) meteorological conditions (vapour pressure deficit, wind and available energy).
The total ET is composed of transpiration, interception and evaporation from the soil and open waters. The percentage of the individual ET components varies between different surface types and depends strongly on weather conditions.
In this master thesis we will estimate ET for various landscape types across Norway (based on station data and data from SeNorge) and analyse the various role of meteorological conditions and surface properties, including snow cover, vegetation characteristics, and soil moisture.
The work will involve data analyses and modeling (estimation of ET), and potentially also some field work.