Calculating actual crop evapotranspiration under soil water stress conditions with appropriate numerical methods and time step

Calculation of actual crop evapotranspiration under soil water stress conditions is crucial for hydrological modeling and irrigation water management. Results of actual evapotranspiration depend on the estimation of water stress coefficient from soil water storage in the root zone, which varies with numerical methods and time step used. During soil water depletion periods without irrigation or precipitation, the actual crop evapotranspiration can be calculated by an analytical method and various numerical methods. We compared the results from several commonly used numerical methods, including the explicit, implicit and modified Euler methods, the midpoint method, and the Heun's third‐order method, with results of the analytical method as the bench mark. Results indicate that relative errors of actual crop evapotranspiration calculated with numerical methods in one time step are independent of the initial soil water storage in the range of soil water stress. Absolute values of relative error decrease with the order of numerical methods. They also decrease with the number of time step, which can ensure the numerical stability of successive simulation of soil water balance. Considering the calculation complexity and calculation errors caused by numerical approximation for different time step and maximum crop evapotranspiration, the explicit Euler method is recommended for the time step of 1 day (d) or 2 d for maximum crop evapotranspiration less than 5 mm/d, the midpoint method or the modified Euler method for the time step of up to one week or 10 d for maximum crop evapotranspiration less than 5 mm/d, and the Heun's third‐order method for the time step of up to 15 d. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Screening the current soil drainage class map of Flanders (Belgium) for its predictive quality

The predictive quality of the current drainage class map of Flanders was evaluated using data from two monitoring networks: one with good spatial coverage but poor temporal coverage and another with better temporal but poor spatial coverage. We combine both networks to obtain 1678 point predictions for mean highest water (MHW) and mean lowest water (MLW) tables by applying time series modelling and total least squares regression. The resulting MHW and MLW point data set was used to evaluate the currency of the existing map and to identify regional differences. The quality of the current map is moderate, and large differences occur between regions. Especially the Campine region shows large and systematic differences, whereas the southeastern hills and chalk–loam region is relatively accurate. If more weight is given to errors in the wetter drainage classes, about 50% of the area of Flanders would benefit from remapping. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multifractal behaviour of long‐term karstic discharge fluctuations

Karstic watersheds are highly complex hydrogeological systems that are characterized by a multiscale behaviour corresponding to the different pathways of water in these systems. The main issue of karstic spring discharge fluctuations consists in the presence and the identification of characteristic time scales in the discharge time series. To identify and characterize these dynamics, we acquired, for many years at the outlet of two karstic watersheds in South of France, discharge data at 3‐mn, 30‐mn and daily sampling rate. These hydrological records constitute to our knowledge the longest uninterrupted discharge time series available at these sampling rates. The analysis of the hydrological records at different levels of detail leads to a natural scale analysis of these time series in a multifractal framework. From a universal class of multifractal models based on cascade multiplicative processes, the time series first highlights two cut‐off scales around 1 and 16 h that correspond to distinct responses of the aquifer drainage system. Then we provide estimates of the multifractal parameters α and C₁ and the moment of divergence q_D corresponding to the behaviour of karstic systems. These results constitute the first estimates of the multifractal characteristics of karstic spingflows based on 10 years of high‐resolution discharge time series and should lead to several improvements in rainfall‐karstic springflow simulation models. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Accounting for sparsely observed rainfall space—time variability in a rainfall—runoff model of a semiarid Tunisian basin/Prise en compte d'observations peu denses de la variabilité spatiotemporelle de la pluie dans une modélisation pluie—débit d'un bassin semi-aride Tunisien

Abstract

The management of water excesses and deficits is a major task in semiarid Mediterranean regions, where the variability of rainfall inputs is high at different time and space scales. Thus intense hydrometeorological events, which generate both potential resource and hazards, are of major interest. A simple method is proposed, with the example of the Skhira basin (192 km²) in central Tunisia, to account for the event space–time variability of rainfall in a rainfall–runoff model, in order to check its influence on the shape, magnitude and timing of resulting hydrographs. The transfer function used is a geomorphology-based unit hydrograph with an explicit territorial significance. Simulations made for highly variable events show the relevance of this method, seen as the first step of a downward approach, and its robustness with respect to the quality and the density of rainfall data.     

Discrete wavelet‐based trend identification in hydrologic time series

Trend identification is a substantial issue in hydrologic series analysis, but it is also a difficult task in practice due to the confusing concept of trend and disadvantages of methods. In this article, an improved definition of trend was given as follows: ‘a trend is the deterministic component in the analysed data and corresponds to the biggest temporal scale on the condition of giving the concerned temporal scale’. It emphasizes the intrinsic and deterministic properties of trend, can clearly distinguish trend from periodicities and points out the prerequisite of the concerned temporal scale only by giving which the trend has its specific meaning. Correspondingly, the discrete wavelet‐based method for trend identification was improved. Differing from those methods used presently, the improved method is to identify trend by comparing the energy difference between hydrologic data and noise, and it can simultaneously separate periodicities and noise. Furthermore, the improved method can quantitatively estimate the statistical significance of the identified trend by using proper confidence interval. Analyses of both synthetic and observed series indicated the identical power of the improved method as the Mann–Kendall test in assessing the statistical significance of the trend in hydrologic data, and by using the former, the identified trend can adaptively reflect the nonlinear and nonstationary variability of hydrologic data. Besides, the results also showed the influences of three key factors (wavelet choice, decomposition level choice and noise content) on discrete wavelet‐based trend identification; hence, they should be carefully considered in practice. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theoretical analyses of acidization dissolution front instability in fluid‐saturated carbonate rocks

This paper presents an instability theory that can be used to understand the fundamental behavior of an acidization dissolution front when it propagates in fluid‐saturated carbonate rocks. The proposed theory includes two fundamental concepts, namely the intrinsic time and length of an acidization dissolution system, and a theoretical criterion that involves the comparison of the Zhao number and its critical value of the acidization dissolution system. The intrinsic time is used to determine the time scale at which the acidization dissolution front is formed, while the intrinsic length is used to determine the length scale at which the instability of the acidization dissolution front can be initiated. Under the assumption that the acidization dissolution reaction is a fast process, the critical Zhao number, which is used to assess the instability likelihood of an acidization dissolution front propagating in fluid‐saturated carbonate rocks, has been derived in a strictly mathematical manner. Based on the proposed instability theory of a propagating acidization dissolution front, it has been theoretically recognized that: (i) the increase of the mineral dissolution ratio can stabilize the acidization dissolution front in fluid‐saturated carbonate rocks; (ii) the increase of the final porosity of the carbonate rock can destabilize the acidization dissolution front, while the increase of the initial porosity can stabilize the acidization dissolution front in fluid‐saturated carbonate rocks; (iii) the increase of the mineral dissolution ratio can cause an increase in the dimensionless propagation speed of the acidization dissolution front; (iv) the increase of the initial porosity can enable the acidization dissolution front to propagate faster, while the increase of the final porosity can enable the acidization dissolution front to propagate slower in the acidization dissolution system. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Travel time controls the magnitude of nitrate discharge in groundwater bypassing the riparian zone to a stream on Virginia's coastal plain

Groundwater that bypasses the riparian zone by travelling along deep flow paths may deliver high concentrations of fertilizer‐derived NO₃^? to streams, or it may be impacted by the NO₃^? removal process of denitrification in streambed sediments. In a study of a small agricultural catchment on the Atlantic coastal plain of Virginia's eastern shore, we used seepage meters deployed in the streambed to measure specific discharge of groundwater and its solute concentrations for various locations and dates. We used values of Cl^? concentration to discriminate between bypass water recharged distal to the stream and that contained high NO₃^? but low Cl^? concentrations and riparian‐influenced water recharged proximal to the stream that contained low NO₃^? and high Cl^? concentrations. The travel time required for bypass water to transit the 30‐cm‐thick, microbially active denitrifying zone in the streambed determined the extent of NO₃^? removal, and hydraulic conductivity determined travel time through the streambed sediments. At all travel times greater than 2 days, NO₃^? removal was virtually complete. Comparison of the timescales for reaction and transport through the streambed sediments in this system confirmed that the predominant control on nitrate flux was travel time rather than denitrification rate coefficients. We conclude that extensive denitrification can occur in groundwater that bypasses the riparian zone, but a residence time in biologically active streambed sediments sufficient to remove a large fraction of the NO₃^? is only achieved in relatively low‐conductivity porous media. Instead of viewing them as separate, the streambed and riparian zone should be considered an integrated NO₃^? removal unit. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

河岸带蜿蜒性与植被密度对潜流驻留时间的复合效应

潜流驻留时间是反映潜流交换、溶质迁移转化、生物组成、生态过程的重要特征变量。应用双循环可控式河岸带模型，以NaCl为示踪剂，深入研究了河岸带蜿蜒性与植被密度对潜流驻留时间的复合效应；应用量纲分析和主成分分析法，探析了潜流驻留时间的关键影响因子及其作用程度和敏感性。结果表明：①河岸带植被密度对潜流驻留时间具有促进作用，但存在一定的阈值。②潜流驻留时间分布与河岸蜿蜒形态呈类镜像效应；潜流驻留时间在河岸带蜿蜒波不同位置差异明显，迎水面平均驻留时间约为背水面的1/2。③河岸带蜿蜒性与植被密度是影响潜流驻留时间的关键因子，总作用程度达91.07%。潜流驻留时间对蜿蜒性最敏感，对植被密度敏感性较弱，对复合因子的敏感性介于两者之间；迎水面内组合因子对潜流驻留时间具有共同促进效应，背水面内组合因子对潜流驻留时间具有抑制和促进双重效应。     

Induced gravity anomalies and seismic energy as a basis for prediction of mining tremors

The results of prediction of occurrence of mining tremors and bursts in the course of the exploitation of the remaining part of the hard coal in seam 510 of the mine Pstrowski, Upper Silesia, have been presented in the paper. The exploitation has taken place under extremely difficult conditions hazardous for the mining crew.To predict the occurrence of mining tremors, bursts and direction of migration of increased elastic strain in the rock mass, the microgravity method has been applied.The microgravity observations were carried out in the measurement points located at mutual distances equal 20 m in three profiles of the lengths 700 m, 760 m and 260 m respectively. The profiles were located in mining workings in the vicinity of the exploited part of the bed. In the course of exploitation, lasting 25 months, 29 series of measurements including 3600 individual microgravity observations were carried out. Microgravity observations were made with a Worden-Master gravimeter.The observed time changes of gravity microanomalies were essential for prediction. Local negative changes of gravity microanomalies signalled the approaching mining tremor. The tremor would cover an area of the radius 60 m to 100 m. The regional time changes of the gravity microanomalies appearing as linear trends of these anomalies signalled the development of the fields of elastic strain in the whole investigated area and the approaching violent release of elastic strain energy from the rock mass.The values of the amplitudes AMP of the above-mentioned trend were the measure of this hazard. In the course of the investigations each shock was preceded by considerably increased values of AMP.     

Microseismicity in a flooded potash mine,the Hope mine,Federal Republic of Germany

Measuring of microseismic events has been carried out at the former potash mine of Hope since early 1984.Analysis of the data demonstrates an immediate temporal relationship between brine introduction and onset of microseismic activity. The spatial distribution of the sources indicates a dependence on brine level height. Sources are found preferentially immediately next to roads and workings. Source radii, estimated from the frequency ranges in the seismograms, varied with the cross-section of neighbouring cavities and had a similar, order of size.Events occurred rarely in the previously flooded mine sections Similarly, the zone below a depth of approx. 600 m below sea level was virtually inactive.