Streamflow variation due to glacier melting and climate change in upstream Heihe River Basin,Northwest China

Streamflow simulation is often challenging in mountainous watersheds because of incomplete hydrological models, irregular topography, immeasurable snowpack or glacier, and low data resolution. In this study, a semi-distributed conceptual hydrological model (SWAT-Soil Water Assessment Tool) coupled with a glacier melting algorithm was applied to investigate the sensitivity of streamflow to climatic and glacial changes in the upstream Heihe River Basin. The glacier mass balance was calculated at daily time-step using a distributed temperature-index melting and accumulation algorithm embedded in the SWAT model. Specifically, the model was calibrated and validated using daily streamflow data measured at Yingluoxia Hydrological Station and decadal ice volume changes derived from survey maps and remote sensing images between 1960 and 2010. This study highlights the effects of glacier melting on streamflow and their future changes in the mountainous watersheds. We simulate the contribution of glacier melting to streamflow change under different scenarios of climate changes in terms of temperature and precipitation dynamics. The rising temperature positively contributed to streamflow due to the increase of snowmelt and glacier melting. The rising precipitation directly contributes to streamflow and it contributed more to streamflow than the rising temperature. The results show that glacial meltwater has contributed about 3.25 billion m³ to streamflow during 1960–2010. However, the depth of runoff within the watershed increased by about 2.3 mm due to the release of water from glacial storage to supply the intensified evapotranspiration and infiltration. The simulation results indicate that the glacier made about 8.9% contribution to streamflow in 2010. The research approach used in this study is feasible to estimate the glacial contribution to streamflow in other similar mountainous watersheds elsewhere.     

Development of the sediment and water quality management strategies for the Salt-water River,Taiwan

The Salt-water River watershed is one of the major river watersheds in the Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Water quality and sediment investigation results show that the river water contained high concentrations of organics and ammonia–nitrogen, and sediments contained high concentrations of heavy metals and organic contaminants. The main pollution sources were municipal and industrial wastewaters. Results from the enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (I_geo) analyses imply that the sediments can be characterized as heavily polluted in regard to Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, and Cu. The water quality analysis simulation program (WASP) model was applied for water quality evaluation and carrying capacity calculation. Modeling results show that the daily pollutant inputs were much higher than the calculated carrying capacity (1050 kg day⁻¹ for biochemical oxygen demand and 420 kg day⁻¹ for ammonia–nitrogen). The proposed watershed management strategies included river water dilution, intercepting sewer system construction and sediment dredging.     

Glacier changes and their impacts on the discharge in the past half-century in Tekes watershed,Central Asia

The glacier is an important and stable water supply in Central Asia. Monitoring the change of glacier and understanding the impacts of glacier change on river discharge are critical to predict the downstream water availability change in future. Glacier changes were discussed and their impacts on river discharge were evaluated by hydrological modeling with a distributed hydrological model SWAT under two land use and land cover scenarios (1970 and 2007) in Tekes watershed, the most important source of water discharge to the Ili River. Compared to the glacier area of 1511 km² in 1970s it decreased by 332 km² in 2007, which resulted in the contribution the discharge from precipitation in the glacier area to the average annual discharge of the watershed changing from 9.8% in the period 1966–1975 to 7.8% in the period 2000–2008. In the month scale, with the decrease of glacier area, the distribution of the contribution of monthly discharge from precipitation in the glacier area to the total of the watershed changed from bimodal pattern to unimodal pattern. By linking a hydrological model to remote sensing image analysis and Chinese glacier inventories to determine glacier area change our approach in quantifying the impacts of glacier changes on hydrology at different scales, will provide quantitative information for stakeholders in making decisions for water resource management.     

Future runoff from a partly glacierized watershed in Central Switzerland: A two-model approach

We present a comprehensive hydrological modeling study in the drainage area of a hydropower reservoir in central Switzerland. To investigate the response of this 95 km² alpine watershed to a changing climate, we used both a conceptual and a physically based hydrological model approach. The multi-model approach enabled detailed insights into the uncertainties associated with model projections of future runoff based on climate scenarios. Both hydrological models consistently predicted changes of the seasonal runoff dynamics, including the timing of snowmelt and peak-flow in summer as well as the future spread between high and low flow years. However the models disagreed regarding the evolution of glacier melt rates thus leading to a considerable difference in predicted annual runoff figures. The findings suggest that snow-glacier feedbacks require particular attention when predicting future runoff from glacio-nival watersheds.     

Optical signatures of dissolved organic matter in the watershed of a globally large river (Yangtze River,China)

Parallel factor analysis of fluorescence excitation emission matrices of surface water samples of a globally large river (Yangtze River, China) watershed identified three classes of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) that had ex/em = 280/330 nm, 305/385 nm and 350/450 nm respectively, resembling “peak T”, “peak M” and “peak C” commonly identified in natural water, respectively. Peak T (a tyrosine/tryptophan-like FDOM) did not show correlations to peak M or C which were humic-like substances, while a positive correlation (r = 0.935, p < 0.001) was present between the natural log-transformed maximum fluorescence intensity (F_max) of peaks T and M indicating a tight link during their production and processing. F_max values (in Raman unit nm^?1) normalized to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration were low, varying in ranges 15.93–85.95, 29.83–83.54 and 19.73–51.05 × 10^?5 nm^?1 (μmol/L)^?1 for peaks T, M and C, respectively, in line with the history of strong photobleaching of the water samples as indicated by fairly high absorption spectral slope ratios (0.75–1.53 with a mean 1.03). Intermediate fluorescence index (FI) (1.46–1.83 with a mean 1.61) and small specific absorption at 254 nm (0.64–1.93 with a mean 1.15 m^?1 mg^?1 L) of the water samples, indicated the presence of both aquatic microbial DOM (e.g. peak T) and soil DOM (e.g. peak C). Peak C could be substantially removed by UV-A (320–400 nm) irradiation, while peak M was slightly increased when a microbe-containing water was exposed to the same UV-A irradiation. Taken together, peak C was attributed to diffuse soil source while peak M was likely attributed to joint effects of microbial activities and solar irradiation on the chromophores in the sample.     

Biosorption of heavy metals in polluted water,using different waste fruit cortex

The biosorption capacity of different cortex fruit wastes including banana (Musa paradisiaca), lemon (Citrus limonum) and orange (Citrus sinensis) peel were evaluated. In order to perform these experiments, grinded dried cortexes were used as package in 100 mm high, 10 mm i.d. columns. The grinded material was powdered in a mortar and passed through a screen in order to get two different particle sizes, 2 and 1 mm, for all powders. To estimate the biosorption capabilities of the tested materials, different heavy metals were passed through the columns and the elution filtrate reloaded different times to increase the retention of metals. The heavy metals used were prepared as synthetic samples at 10 mg/L of Pb(NO₃)₂, Cd(NO₃)₂, and Cu(NO₃)₂·6H₂O using primary standards. In preliminary experiments using banana cortex, it was found that material with 1 mm of particle size showed higher retention capability (up to12%) than the material with 2 mm of particle size. Considering these results, 1 mm particle size material was used in further experiments with the other waste materials. It was found that for Pb and Cu removal, lemon and orange cortex showed better biosorption capability when compared with banana cortex (up to 15% less for Pb and 48% less for Cu). For Cd, banana cortex showed better biosorption capability 57% (67.2 mg/g of cortex) more than orange (28.8 mg/g of cortex), and 82% more than lemon (12 mg/g of cortex). Reload of the columns with the filtrate after passing through the column improved the removal capability of all the materials tested from 10% to 50% depending on the cortex and metal tested.     

Water mass variation in the Mediterranean and Black Seas

The mass-induced sea level variability and the net mass transport between Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea are derived for the interval between August 2002 and July 2008 from satellite-based observations and from model data. We construct in each basin two time series representing the basin mean mass signal in terms of equivalent water height. The first series is obtained from steric-corrected altimetry while the other is deduced from GRACE data corrected for the contamination by continental hydrology. The series show a good agreement in terms of annual and inter-annual signals, which is in line with earlier works, although different model corrections influence the consistency in terms of seasonal signal and trend.In the Mediterranean Sea, we obtain the best agreement using a steric correction from the regional oceanographic model MFSTEP and a continental hydrological leakage correction derived from the global continental hydrological model WaterGAP2. The inter-annual time series show a correlation of 0.85 and a root mean square (RMS) difference of 15 mm. The two estimates have similar accuracy and their annual amplitude and phase agree within 3 mm and 23 days respectively. The GRACE-derived mass-induced sea level variability yields an annual amplitude of 27 ± 5 mm peaking in December and a trend of 5.3 ± 1.9 mm/yr, which deviates within 3 mm/yr from the altimetry-derived estimate.In the Black Sea, the series are less consistent, with lower accuracy of the GRACE-derived estimate, but still show a promising agreement considering the smaller size of the basin. The best agreement is realized choosing the corrections from WaterGAP2 and from the regional oceanographic model NEMO. The inter-annual time series have a correlation and RMS differences of 0.68 and 55 mm, their annual amplitude and phase agree within 4 mm and 6 days respectively. The GRACE-derived seawater mass signal has an annual amplitude of 32 ± 4 mm peaking in April. On inter-annual time scales, the mass-induced sea level variability is stronger than in the Mediterranean Sea, with an increase from 2003 to 2005 followed by a decrease from 2006 to 2008.Based on mass conservation, the mass-induced sea level variations, river runoff and precipitation minus evaporation are combined to derive the strait flows between the basins and with the Atlantic Ocean. At the Gibraltar strait, the net inflow varies annually with an amplitude of 52 ± 10 × 10⁻³ Sv peaking end of September (1 Sv = 10⁶ m³ s⁻¹). The inflow through the Bosphorus strait displays an annual amplitude of 13 ± 3 ×10⁻³ Sv peaking in the middle of March. Additionally, an increase of the Gibraltar net inflow (3.4 ± 0.8 × 10⁻³ Sv/yr) is detected.     

Global surface mass from a new combination of GRACE,modelled OBP and reprocessed GPS data

Weekly surface loading variations are estimated from a joint least squares inversion of load-induced GPS site displacements, GRACE gravimetry and simulated ocean bottom pressure (OBP) from the finite element sea-ice ocean model (FESOM).In this study, we directly use normal equations derived from reprocessed GPS observations, where station and satellite positions are estimated simultaneously. The OBP weight of the model in the inversion is based on a new error model, obtained from 2 FESOM runs forced with different atmospheric data sets.Our findings indicate that the geocenter motion derived from the inversion is smooth, with non-seasonal RMS values of 1.4, 0.9 and 1.9 mm for the X, Y and Z directions, respectively. The absolute magnitude of the seasonal geocenter motion varies annually between 2 and 4.5 mm. Important hydrological regions such as the Amazon, Australia, South-East Asia and Europe are mostly affected by the geocenter motion, with magnitudes of up to 2 cm, when expressed in equivalent water height.The chosen solar radiation pressure model, used in the GPS processing, has only a marginal effect on the joint inversion results. Using the empirical CODE model slightly increases the annual amplitude of the Z component of the geocenter by 0.8 mm. However, in case of a GPS-only inversion, notable larger differences are found for the annual amplitude and phase estimates when applying the older physical ROCK models. Regardless of the used radiation pressure model the GPS network still exhibits maximum radial expansions in the order of 3 mm (0.45 ppb in terms of scale), which are most likely caused by remaining GPS technique errors.In an additional experiment, we have used the joint inversion solution as a background loading model in the GPS normal equations. The reduced time series, compared to those without a priori loading model, show a consistent decrease in RMS. In terms of the annual height component, 151 of the 189 stations show a reduction of at least 10% in seasonal amplitude.On the ocean floor, we find a positive overall correlation (0.51) of the inversion solution with time series from globally distributed independent bottom pressure recorders.Even after removing a seasonal fit we still find a correlation of 0.45. Furthermore, the geocenter motion has a significant effect on ocean bottom pressure as neglecting it causes the correlation to drop to 0.42.     

Effects of drainage of a forested peatland on water quality and quantity

Forest drainage is recognized as a means of improving soil conditions for tree growth, but it may also have environmental impacts. This article presents the 5-y time trend of soil and surface water quality observed in a drainage experiment conducted in a black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) peatland of eastern Québec, Canada, using the paired watershed approach. Nutrient content of peat soil water was enhanced by drainage. The effect was generally proportional to ditch closeness for S and Mg, while increases of N, Na, K and Ca were mainly observed within 5 m of the ditches, even though high levels of K and Ca were occasionally observed at 15-m distance. Drainage increased and sustained summer low flows by 25% through a 80 m³ d⁻¹ increase of base flow on the 8 ha basin. The concentration of suspended sediments significantly increased and exceeded acceptable limits for aquatic organisms only during ditching and during the peak flows of the following weeks. No effect on suspended sediments was detected during the spring following ditching but an increase was observed during a storm 2 y after ditching. Drainage modified the basin outflow temperature fluctuations by lowering the average weekly minimum and increasing the maximum, by 2°C and 7°C, respectively. Water temperature increases to 25°C or more at the outlet of the drained basin were above the preferred range for brook trout. The treatment significantly increased specific conductivity of surface water, which was clearly related to increases in mineral N (NH₄+NO_x), Ca, Mg, Na and S concentrations. However, conductivity and the increased nutrient concentrations remained within the acceptable criteria for aquatic organisms. Drainage also produced a pH increase of one unit, a result attributed to increased runoff from the upland part of the treated watershed. No effect related to drainage was found for Zn, Fe and Al contents.     

Evapotranspiration in the Pampean Region using field measurements and satellite data

Evapotranspiration (LE) is an important factor for monitoring crops, water requirements, and water consumption at local and regional scale. In this paper, we applied the semi-empirical model to estimate the daily latent heat flux (LE_d = Rn_d + A − B(Ts − Ta)). LE_d has been estimated using satellite images (Thematic Mapper sensor) and a local dataset (incoming and outgoing short- and long-wave radiation) measured during three years. We first estimated the daily net Radiation (Rn_d) from a linear equation derived from the instantaneous net Radiation (Rn_d = CRn_i + D). Subsequently, coefficients A and B have been estimated for two different cover vegetations (pasture and soybean). For each vegetation cover, an error analysis combining Rn_d, A, B, and surface and air temperatures has been calculated. Results showed that Rn_d had good performance (nonbias and low RMSE). LE_d errors for pasture and soybean were ±28 W m⁻² and ±40 W m⁻² respectively.     

Spectral attenuation of solar radiation in Patagonian fjord and coastal waters and implications for algal photobiology

The spectral attenuation of solar irradiation was measured during summer in two types of coastal waters in southern Chile, a north Patagonian fjord (Seno Reloncaví) and open coast (Valdivia). In order to relate the light availability with the light requirements of upper subtidal seaweeds, the saturating irradiance for photosynthesis (E_k) from P–I curves was measured. In addition the UV risk was assessed. Based on the z_1% of PAR, the lower limit of the euphotic zone in the studied systems averaged 21 m (K_d 0.24 m^?1) in Seno Reloncaví and 18 m (K_d 0.27 m^?1) in the coast of Valdivia. Photosynthesis of the studied seaweeds was saturated at markedly lower irradiances than found in their natural depths at the time of the study. Solar radiation penetrating into these depths at both locations largely supports the light requirements for the photosynthesis of subtidal species: 50–160 μmol m^?2 s^?1 for seaweeds from Seno Reloncaví (7 m tidal range) and 20–115 μmol m^?2 s^?1 for Valdivia assemblages (2 m tidal range). Optimal light conditions to saturate photosynthesis (E_k) were present at 10–16 m water depth. The attenuation of solar irradiation did not vary significantly between the fjord and coastal sites of this study. However, the underwater light climates to which seaweeds are exposed in these sites vary significantly because of the stronger influence of tidal range affecting the fjord system as compared with the open coastal site. The patterns of UV-B penetration in these water bodies suggest that seaweeds living in upper littoral zones such as the intertidal and shallow subtidal (<3 m) may be at risk.     

Seasonal changes in particulate biogenic and lithogenic silica in the upwelling system off Concepción (∼36°S), Chile,and their relationship to fluctuations in marine productivity and continental input

We analyzed the temporal and vertical distribution of biogenic (BSi) and lithogenic (LSi) silica, and diatom abundance in the upwelling center off Concepción, Chile, from April 2004 to May 2005. Measurements were performed at the FONDAP COPAS Time Series Station 18 (36°30.8′S, 73°07.7′W; 88 m water depth), and were combined with primary production estimates and river runoff data to assess the relationships between water column BSi and primary production, and between LSi and river runoff. Throughout the sampling period, water-column-integrated (0–80 m) BSi averaged 252±287 mmol m⁻², and was about six times higher than average LSi (44±30 mmol m⁻²). The highest water column BSi observed during the upwelling season (786±281 mmol m⁻²) coincided with increments in total diatom abundance, and high integrated chlorophyll a concentration and primary production. In contrast, LSi was nearly two times higher in winter (85±43 mmol m⁻²) than the annual average, in agreement with the period of substantial discharges from the Itata and Bio-Bio rivers. The observed temporal patterns in BSi and LSi are coincident with primary production-related factors and riverine outflow, respectively, suggesting that the BSi and LSi pools are separate. With respect to the vertical distribution in the water column, most of the BSi and diatoms were found in surface waters (0–30 m depth), whereas LSi was most abundant at depth. Our study attempts to make an inventory of both BSi and LSi in the water column off Concepción, and gives the present-day background information necessary to assess potential future changes in the hydrological cycle that, in turn, may induce modifications in the Si path from the watersheds to the ocean.     

Remote sensing based water quality monitoring in Chivero and Manyame lakes of Zimbabwe

Lakes Chivero and Manyame are amongst Zimbabwe’s most polluted inland water bodies. MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometry level 1b full resolution imagery for 2011 and 2012 were used to derive chlorophyll-a (chl_a) and phycocyanin (blue-green algae) concentrations using a semi-empirical band ratio model; total suspended matter (TSM) concentrations were derived from the MERIS processor. In-situ measured chl_a was used to validate the remotely sensed values. Results indicate that remote sensing measurements are comparable with in situ measurements. A strong positive correlation (R² = 0.91; MAE = 2.75 mg/m³ (8.5%)) and p < 0.01 (highly significant)) between measured and modeled chl_a concentrations was obtained. Relationships between optically active water constituents were assessed. Measured chl_a correlated well with MERIS modeled phycocyanin (PC) concentration (R² = 0.9458; p < 0.01 (highly significant)) whilst chl_a and TSM gave (R² = 0.7344; p < 0.05 (significant)). Modeled TSM and PC concentrations manifested a good relationship with each other (R² = 9047; p < 0.001 (very highly significant)). We conclude that remote sensing data allow simultaneous retrieval of different water quality parameters as well as providing near real time and space results that can be used by water managers and policy makers to monitor water bodies.     

Geoelectrical,strain and tilt investigations of hydrological processes at the broadband Geodynamical Observatory Moxa,Germany

The Geodynamic Observatory Moxa, located in Thuringia/Germany, is dedicated to studies of temporal deformations of the earth's crust and of variations of the gravity field. One of the essential issues with respect to these investigations is the reduction of the hydrological impact on the data of the gravimeters, strainmeters and tiltmeters. In order to optimise the reductions, we investigated the changes in the hydrological conditions in the woody mountain slope above the observatory with time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and analysed the strain and tilt measurements for prominent signatures of pore pressure induced subsurface deformations.Here we present the results for two profiles – parallel and perpendicular to the slope – measured with ERT during 33 campaigns between June 2007 and April 2010. Resistivity changes and variations of apparent soil moisture, inferred from ERT sections, were found to primarily occur in the first two metres of the subsurface. These variations can be related to subsurface flow in the upper two metres induced by precipitation events and snowmelts. Trees close to the profiles only show a minimum impact on the resistivity and soil moisture changes.Furthermore, systematic hydrologically induced deformations can be observed in hodographs of strain and tilt measurements for large precipitation events (> 80 mm) and snowmelts. In the strain data a short-term (< 3 days) dilatational signal is found with an amplitude of 20 nstrain to 60 nstrain and a long-term (> 7 days) compressional signal between 40 nstrain and 180 nstrain. The preferential N–S direction of long-term deformational signals (> 1 week) is also observed in the tilt data. The direction of tilt changes (25 nrad–120 nrad) is nearly parallel to the drainage direction of the nearby Silberleite creek indicating variations of pore pressure gradients during hydrological events.The results of these hydrological studies at the Geodynamic Observatory Moxa can be used for removing the time dependent hydrological signal in strain and tilt data and, thus, better correction algorithms for hydrological impacts can be developed to enhance the value of the data for geodynamic studies.     

The unique environment of the most acidified permanently meromictic lake in the Czech Republic

Changes in the water properties and biological characteristics of the highly acidic Hromnice Lake (Western Bohemia) were investigated. This 110-year-old lake, formed as a consequence of the mining of pyritic shales, is permanently meromictic. Two chemoclines separate an extremely acidic (pH ～ 2.6) mixolimnion from a metal-rich anoxic monimolimnion. The absence of spring mixolimnetic turnover due to ice melting and very slow heat propagation through the chemocline with a 6-month delay were observed. Extreme mixolimnetic oxygen maxima (up to 31 mg l^?1) in phosphorus-rich lake (PO₄^3? up to 1.6 mg l^?1) well correlated with outbursts of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton consist of several acido-tolerant species of the genera Coccomyxa, Lepocinclis, Chlamydomonas and Chromulina. Surface phytoplankton biomass expressed as chlorophyll-a varies from 2 to 140 μg l^?1. Multicellular zooplankton are almost absent with the exception of Cephalodella acidophila, a small rotifer occurring in low numbers. Large red larvae of the midge Chironomus gr. plumosus were found at the bottom close to the shore, with larvulae in the open water. Developmental stages (protonemata) of a moss, resembling filamentous algae, dwell in the otherwise plant-free littoral zone.     

Assessment of tributyltin contamination in a shipyard area using a mussel transplantation approach

Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were transplanted to seven stations around a large shipyard for 126 days to evaluate tributyltin (TBT) contamination. Although the application of TBT-based paints to ships is totally banned in Korea, butyltin compounds were found to accumulate in mussels following transplantation. Concentrations of TBT and total butyltins in transplanted mussels near the shipyard were in the range of 40–350 ng Sn/g and 74–530 ng Sn/g on a dry weight basis, respectively. Obviously, low TBT concentrations (6.0–53 ng Sn/g dw) were determined in mussels at four stations outside the shipyard. A negative gradient of TBT concentrations and TBT portion to total butyltin concentrations were found in both the surface water and transplanted mussels according to distance from the shipyard. In addition, TBT concentrations in surface water and transplanted mussels showed significant correlation (r² = 0.71; p < 0.001). These results indicate that the shipyard still releases fresh TBT into surrounding waters even after TBT regulation in Korea, and mussel transplantation is useful in evaluating TBT contamination in shipyard area.     

Importance of reversible attachment in predicting E. coli transport in saturated aquifers from column experiments

Drinking water wells indiscriminatingly placed adjacent to fecal contaminated surface water represents a significant but difficult to quantify health risk. Here we seek to understand mechanisms that limit the contamination extent by scaling up bacterial transport results from the laboratory to the field in a well constrained setting. Three pulses of Escherichia coli originating during the early monsoon from a freshly excavated pond receiving latrine effluent in Bangladesh were monitored in 6 wells and modeled with a two-dimensional (2-D) flow and transport model conditioned with measured hydraulic heads. The modeling was performed assuming three different modes of interaction of E. coli with aquifer sands: (1) irreversible attachment only (best-fit k_i = 7.6 day⁻¹); (2) reversible attachment only (k_a = 10.5 and k_d = 0.2 day⁻¹); and (3) a combination of reversible and irreversible modes of attachment (k_a = 60, k_d = 7.6, k_i = 5.2 day⁻¹). Only the third approach adequately reproduced the observed temporal and spatial distribution of E. coli, including a 4-log₁₀ lateral removal distance of ∼9 m. In saturated column experiments, carried out using aquifer sand from the field site, a combination of reversible and irreversible attachment was also required to reproduce the observed breakthrough curves and E. coli retention profiles within the laboratory columns. Applying the laboratory-measured kinetic parameters to the 2-D calibrated flow model of the field site underestimates the observed 4-log₁₀ lateral removal distance by less than a factor of two. This is promising for predicting field scale transport from laboratory experiments.     

Saturated area dynamics and streamflow generation from coupled surface–subsurface simulations and field observations

A distributed physically-based model describing coupled surface–subsurface flows is applied to an instrumented catchment to investigate the links between runoff generation processes and the dynamics of saturated areas. The spatial characterization of the system is obtained through geophysical measurements and in situ observations. The model is able to reproduce the dynamics of the system through the calibration of only few parameters with a clear physical interpretation, providing a solid basis for our numerical investigations. Such investigations demonstrate the important control exerted by surface topography on the time evolution of saturated area patterns, mainly mediated by topographic curvature, that dictates both the dominant streamflow generation process at the local scale and the connection-disconnection dynamics of saturated areas. The relation between hillslope water storage and streamflow, Q = f(V), is shown to be highly hysteretical and dependent on the mean saturation of the catchment: higher degrees of saturation tend to yield one-to-one relationships between streamflow and water storage. On the contrary, streamflow-water storage relations are importantly affected by the specific configuration of saturated areas connected to the outlet when the system is far from complete saturation. This observation contradicts common assumptions of a one-to-one relationship Q = f(V) often used to justify widely observed power-law Q vs. dQ/dt recession curves. Furthermore, even when Q = f(V) becomes unique at high degrees of saturation, no power-law form emerged in our runs, speculatively because of the small size of the catchment formed by a single incision and the corresponding hillslope.     

Stability of massive ground ice bodies in University Valley,McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica: Using stable O–H isotope as tracers of sublimation in hyper-arid regions

To date, studies of the stability of subsurface ice in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica have been mainly based on climate-based vapor diffusion models. In University Valley (1800 m), a small glacier is found at the base of the head of the valley, and adjacent to the glacier, a buried body of massive ice was uncovered beneath 20–40 cm of loose cryotic sediments and sandstone boulders. This study assesses the origin and stability of the buried body of massive ice by measuring the geochemistry and stable O–H isotope composition of the ice and applies a sublimation and molecular diffusion model that accounts for the observed trends. The results indicate that the buried massive ice body represents an extension of the adjacent glacier that was buried by a rock avalanche during a cold climate period. The contrasting δ¹⁸O profiles and regression slope values between the uppermost 6 cm of the buried massive ice (upward convex δ¹⁸O profile and S_D-18O = 5.1) and that below it (progressive increase in δ¹⁸O and S_D-18O = 6.4) suggest independent post-depositional processes affected the isotope composition of the ice. The upward convex δ¹⁸O profile in the uppermost 6 cm is consistent with the ice undergoing sublimation. Using a sublimation and molecular diffusion model, and assuming that diffusion occurred through solid ice, the sublimation rate needed to fit the measured δ¹⁸O profile is 0.2 ? 10^? 3 mm yr^? 1, a value that is more similar to net ice removal rates derived from ³He data from cobbles in Beacon Valley till (7.0 ? 10^? 3 mm yr^? 1) than sublimation rates computed based on current climate (0.1–0.2 mm yr^?1). We suggest that the climate-based sublimation rates are offset due to potential ice recharge mechanisms or to missing parameters, particularly the nature and thermo-physical properties of the overlying sediments (i.e., temperature, humidity, pore structure and ice content, grain size).     

Evaluation of SMOS soil moisture retrievals over the central United States for hydro-meteorological application

Soil moisture has been widely recognized as a key variable in hydro-meteorological processes and plays an important role in hydrological modelling. Remote sensing techniques have improved the availability of soil moisture data, however, most previous studies have only focused on the evaluation of retrieved data against point-based observations using only one overpass (i.e., the ascending orbit). Recently, the global Level-3 soil moisture dataset generated from Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) observations was released by the Barcelona Expert Center. To address the aforementioned issues, this study is particularly focused on a basin scale evaluation in which the soil moisture deficit is derived from a three-layer Xinanjiang model used as a hydrological benchmark for all comparisons. In addition, both ascending and descending overpasses were analyzed for a more comprehensive comparison. It was interesting to find that the SMOS soil moisture accuracy did not improve with time as we would have expected. Furthermore, none of the overpasses provided reliable soil moisture estimates during the frozen season, especially for the ascending orbit. When frozen periods were removed, both overpasses showed significant improvements (i.e., the correlations increased from r = −0.53 to r = −0.65 and from r = −0.62 to r = −0.70 for the ascending and descending overpasses, respectively). In addition, it was noted that the SMOS retrievals from the descending overpass consistently were approximately 11.7% wetter than the ascending retrievals by volume. The overall assessment demonstrated that the descending orbit outperformed the ascending orbit, which was unexpected and enriched our knowledge in this area. Finally, the potential reasons were discussed.