Definition of catchment area in karst: case of the rivers Krčić and Krka,Croatia

Abstract

The study area consists of the spring zones of the Kr?i?, Krka and Cetina river catchments located in the Dinaric karst, Croatia. Classical hydrological approaches and some newer time and frequency domain methods are used in order to validate the existing hypotheses both qualitatively and quantitatively, and these contribute to factual information about the hydrological behaviour of the catchments. The groundwater recharge rates are calculated by a mathematical model based on Palmer's soil-moisture balance method. The values of parameters of the groundwater recharge model are estimated by the spectral method. The calculated monthly and annual groundwater recharge rates form the basis for estimating the hydrological catchment areas of the spring zones and also for the determina-tion of quantitative relationships between the catchments.     

On the quest for chaotic attractors in hydrological processes

Abstract

In the last two decades, several researchers have claimed to have discovered low-dimensional determinism in hydrological processes, such as rainfall and runoff, using methods of chaotic analysis. However, such results have been criticized by others. In an attempt to offer additional insights into this discussion, it is shown here that, in some cases, merely the careful application of concepts of dynamical systems, without doing any calculation, provides strong indications that hydrological processes cannot be (low-dimensional) deterministic chaoti. Furthermore, it is shown that specific peculiarities of hydrological processes on fine time scales, such as asymmetric, J-shaped distribution functions, intermittency, and high autocorrelations, are synergistic factors that can lead to misleading conclusions regarding the presence of (low-dimensional) deterministic chaos. In addition, the recovery of a hypothetical attractor from a time series is put as a statistical estimation problem whose study allows, among others, quantification of the required sample size; this appears to be so huge that it prohibits any accurate estimation, even with the largest available hydrological records. All these arguments are demonstrated using appropriately synthesized theoretical examples. Finally, in light of the theoretical analyses and arguments, typical real-world hydrometeorological time series, such as relative humidity, rainfall, and runoff, are explored and none of them is found to indicate the presence of chaos.     

Statistics of extremes and estimation of extreme rainfall: II. Empirical investigation of long rainfall records / Statistiques de valeurs extrêmes et estimation de précipitations extrêmes: II. Recherche empirique sur de longues séries de précipitations

Abstract

Abstract In the first part of this study, theoretical analyses showed that the Gumbel distribution is quite unlikely to apply to hydrological extremes and that the extreme value distribution of type II (EV2) is a more consistent choice. Based on these theoretical analyses, an extensive empirical investigation is performed using a collection of 169 of the longest available rainfall records worldwide, each having 100–154 years of data. This verifies the theoretical results. In addition, it shows that the shape parameter of the EV2 distribution is constant for all examined geographical zones (Europe and North America), with value κ = 0.15. This simplifies the fitting and the general mathematical handling of the distribution, which become as simple as those of the Gumbel distribution.     

Estimation of rainfall elasticity of streamflow in Australia

Abstract

Estimates of rainfall elasticity of streamflow in 219 catchments across Australia are presented. The rainfall elasticity of streamflow is defined here as the proportional change in mean annual streamflow divided by the proportional change in mean annual rainfall. The elasticity is therefore a simple estimate of the sensitivity of long-term streamflow to changes in long-term rainfall, and is particularly useful as an initial estimate of climate change impact in land and water resources projects. The rainfall elasticity of streamflow is estimated here using a hydrological modelling approach and a nonparametric estimator. The results indicate that the rainfall elasticity of streamflow (? _P ) in Australia is about 2.0–3.5 (observed in about 70% of the catchments), that is, a 1% change in mean annual rainfall results in a 2.0–3.5% change in mean annual streamflow. The rainfall elasticity of streamflow is strongly correlated to runoff coefficient and mean annual rainfall and streamflow, where streamflow is more sensitive to rainfall in drier catchments, and those with low runoff coefficients. There is a clear relation-ship between the ? _P values estimated using the hydrological modelling approach and those estimated using the nonparametric estimator for the 219 catchments, although the values estimated by the hydrological modelling approach are, on average, slightly higher. The modelling approach is useful where a detailed study is required and where there are sufficient data to reliably develop and calibrate a hydrological model. The nonparametric estimator is useful where consistent estimates of the sensitivity of long-term streamflow to climate are required, because it is simple to use and estimates the elasticity directly from the historical data. The nonparametric method, being model independent, can also be easily applied in comparative studies to data sets from many catchments across large regions.     

DISCHARGE AND SEDIMENT-LOAD CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HILDA ROCK-GLACIER STREAM,CANADIAN ROCKY MOUNTAINS,ALBERTA

Water discharge and sediment load characteristics of the Hilda rock-glacier stream are described for portions of the 1985 and 1986 ablation seasons. Covering an area of 1.5 km², the Hilda rock glacier yields a relatively consistent flow, generally low in suspended sediments and relatively high in total dissolved solids during the ablation season. The seasonal hydrograph shows decreasing discharge and suspended sediment load and increasing dissolved loads through the ablation season as snowmelt water sources are depleted. Superimposed on this is a diurnal hydrograph showing that daily peaks in discharge lag several hours behind daily temperature maxima. Rain events produce hydrograph anomalies and act to flush sediment, elevating suspended loads, while diluting dissolved loads. These data suggest that rock-glacier hydrological systems are more responsive to short-term and transient meteorological conditions than previously suggested in the literature. Nonetheless, the data indicate that the Hilda rock glacier is more conservative in both water and sediment yield than glacier systems of comparable size and in the same environment.     

TEMPORAL SENSITIVITY OF REGIONAL CLIMATE TO LAND-SURFACE HETEROGENEITY

Increased interest in climate change at local and regional scales has prompted climate simulations for regional areas, but tests of climate models have not specifically examined the impacts of regional heterogeneity, and they have largely overlooked possible temporal sensitivity. In this study I used a coupled surface-atmosphere mesoscale model to evaluate the effects of regional heterogeneity in five land-surface parameters that have the strongest impacts on the surface energy balance: albedo, roughness, canopy resistance, rooting profile, and soil water content. I included temporal variability in climate sensitivity by completing a series of mid-month simulations representative of the June-September growing season. I modeled land surfaces of maize contrasted with bare soil, grass, or coniferous trees. Roughness discontinuities were important factors in determining regional energy balance and surface temperature for all three surface contrasts. The effects varied over the growing season as a function of maize height. Canopy resistance was equally important, especially during the middle of the season when the maize canopy was at its fullest extent. Albedo effects appeared to be secondary, but often were more important in September. Changes in soil water content had little impact because vegetation in these simulations was not stressed by low soil moisture. The importance of roots in these simulations was primarily a function of their presence or absence, rather than of the specific profile assigned to each vegetation type. Roughness and canopy resistance discontinuities appeared to play the largest role in determining the regional average energy balance and surface temperature for growing season dates. [Key words: land-surface heterogeneity, energy balance, climatology.]     

Locating Convection in Landfalling Tropical Cyclones: A Gis-Based Analysis of Radar Reflectivities and Comparison to Lightning-Based Observations

Researchers have utilized radar reflectivity returns and lightning flashes separately and together to locate convection with tropical cyclones (TCs). Most studies utilizing both datasets have examined TCs over the ocean, while landfall observations have been limited to a few TCs. This study employs a GIS to delineate regions of high radar reflectivity values within 45 landfalling TCs. The percentage of convective regions contained within each quadrant placed relative to storm motion and deep-layer vertical wind shear is calculated. These percentages are then compared to those from previous studies of quadrant-based lightning flash locations. Results indicate that the GIS-based radar analysis may be identifying TC regions that are electrically active. Both the radar- and lightning-based analyses show that convection shifts from the right to the front of the storm as forward velocity increases. Convection is located left of the shear vector when storm motion is 45-135° counterclockwise from the shear vector, and downshear when shear-minus-motion angles are 315-45°. Additionally, storms that became extratropical within 72 hours of landfall had more convection forward of the circulation center and left of the shear vector, and may produce less lightning than the remaining TCs.     

Feasibility of estimating heavy metal contaminations in floodplain soils using laboratory-based hyperspectral data—A case study along Le’an River,China

It is necessary to estimate heavy metal concentrations within soils for understanding heavy metal contaminations and for keeping the sustainable developments of ecosystems. This study, with the floodplain along Le’an River and its two branches in Jiangxi Province of China as a case study, aimed to explore the feasibility of estimating concentrations of heavy metal lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) within soils using laboratory-based hyperspectral data. Thirty soil samples were collected, and their hyperspectral data, soil organic matters and Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations were measured in the laboratory. The potential relations among hyperspectral data, soil organic matter and Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations were explored and further used to estimate Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations from hyperspectral data with soil organic matter as a bridge. The results showed that the ratio of the first-order derivatives of spectral absorbance at wavelengths 624 and 564 nm could explain 52% of the variation of soil organic matter; the soil organic matter could explain 59%, 51% and 50% of the variation of Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations with estimated standard errors of 1.41, 48.27 and 45.15 mg·kg?; and the absolute estimation errors were 8%–56%, 12%–118% and 2%–22%, and 50%, 67% and 100% of them were less than 25% for Pb, Cu and Zn concentration estimations. We concluded that the laboratory-based hyperspectral data hold potentials in estimating concentrations of heavy metal Pb, Cu and Zn in soils. More sampling points or other potential linear and non-linear regression methods should be used for improving the stabilities and accuracies of the estimation models.     

Box-Cox正态转换在长江子流域极端降水气候事件判定中的应用

利用1961-2017年长江流域700个气象站点逐月降水资料计算长江流域9个子流域面雨量,采用基于Box-Cox正态分布转换后的百分位法对长江流域不同时间长度的极端降水气候事件阈值进行界定。结果表明,在数据序列长度发生变化的情况下,面雨量序列经Box-Cox正态转换后,计算得到的极端降水气候事件阈值的变化相较于常规百分位法明显减小,具有更为稳健的特性,从而使得相应极端降水气候事件个例的挑选更为稳定。根据该方法得到的阈值,对2018年汛期(6-8月)长江各子流域极端降水气候事件进行判定,岷沱江流域发生了极端多雨气候事件,而长江干流重庆-宜昌段、汉江及中游干流区间发生了极端少雨气候事件。     

基于区域自动站数据的兰州地区降水精细化特征

基于2012—2019年兰州地区146个区域自动气象站小时降水数据,从不同时间尺度分析兰州地区近8 a降水精细化特征。结论如下:(1)2012—2019年,兰州地区年均降水量总体呈"北少南多、外多内少"的空间分布特征;年降水量具有明显的年际变化,2018年降水异常偏多46%,而2015、2017年降水异常偏少,尤其2015年偏少30%。(2)兰州地区降水主要集中在7—8月,受环流形势影响,7—8月南部降水明显多于北部,其余月份南北降水差异不明显。(3)兰州地区降水量和降水范围分别表现为"朝少夕多"、"夜大日小"的日变化特征;受海拔高度影响,城区降水量总体比山区小,且因热岛效应,城区降水主要集中在午后至傍晚前后,多为对流性降水,而山区降水日分布较为均匀,整体日波动较小。(4)安宁区短时强降水发生频次最高,但短时强降水频发的站点出现在皋兰县六合站和永登县徐家磨村站,永登县是兰州地区短时强降水预报需重点关注的地区。