Snowmelt water distribution in the critical zone under climate variability: modelling approach using a large-sample of catchments
| Thesis title in Czech: | Distribuce vody ze sněhu v kritické zóně ve variabilním klimatu: využití modelování na velkém vzorku povodí |
|---|---|
| Thesis title in English: | Snowmelt water distribution in the critical zone under climate variability: modelling approach using a large-sample of catchments |
| Key words: | tání sněhu, odtok, variabilita klimatu, modelování, komparativní hydrologie |
| English key words: | snowmelt, runoff, climate variability, modelling, large-sample hydrology |
| Academic year of topic announcement: | 2024/2025 |
| Thesis type: | dissertation |
| Thesis language: | angličtina |
| Department: | Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology (31-330) |
| Supervisor: | doc. RNDr. Michal Jeníček, Ph.D. |
| Author: | hidden - assigned and confirmed by the Study Dept. |
| Date of registration: | 04.10.2024 |
| Date of assignment: | 04.10.2024 |
| Confirmed by Study dept. on: | 11.10.2024 |
| Preliminary scope of work |
| General background and motivation Mountains are often referred to as water towers because they store a lot of water due to typically high precipitation and low evapotranspiration. A significant proportion of mountain water is stored in the form of perennial or seasonal snowpack or glaciers, substantially affecting both seasonal and extreme catchment runoff. Hydrological methods based on the analysis of data from a large sample of catchments with different characteristics (large-sample hydrology; comparative hydrology) allow a comprehensive analysis of the hydrological regime and thus a description of hydrological variability and change in the components of the water balance. These methods provide insight into hydrological processes that are shaped by environmental and climatic factors and allow more general conclusions to be drawn. Such comparative hydrology can better explore differences and similarities between catchments, allowing them to be further classified and regionalized. Objectives of the PhD project 1) to investigate how the water from mountain catchments is partitioned between individual water balance components in the critical zone 2) to relate the investigated interactions to climate variability and catchment attributes 3) to simulate how projected climate changes will affect both the temporal and spatial distribution of water sources and runoff. Main methodology approaches The analyses will be based on modelling approaches applied to a large set of mountainous catchments in different regions. A large databases containing information about catchment attributes will be used (e.g. those included in the CAMELS initiative). Based on water balance simulations using a conceptual runoff model, the assessment of the role of catchment attributes and climate variability on runoff components will be caried out both for current climate and assuming future changes in air temperature and precipitation. |
| Preliminary scope of work in English |
| General background and motivation Mountains are often referred to as water towers because they store a lot of water due to typically high precipitation and low evapotranspiration. A significant proportion of mountain water is stored in the form of perennial or seasonal snowpack or glaciers, substantially affecting both seasonal and extreme catchment runoff. Hydrological methods based on the analysis of data from a large sample of catchments with different characteristics (large-sample hydrology; comparative hydrology) allow a comprehensive analysis of the hydrological regime and thus a description of hydrological variability and change in the components of the water balance. These methods provide insight into hydrological processes that are shaped by environmental and climatic factors and allow more general conclusions to be drawn. Such comparative hydrology can better explore differences and similarities between catchments, allowing them to be further classified and regionalized. Objectives of the PhD project 1) to investigate how the water from mountain catchments is partitioned between individual water balance components in the critical zone 2) to relate the investigated interactions to climate variability and catchment attributes 3) to simulate how projected climate changes will affect both the temporal and spatial distribution of water sources and runoff. Main methodology approaches The analyses will be based on modelling approaches applied to a large set of mountainous catchments in different regions. A large databases containing information about catchment attributes will be used (e.g. those included in the CAMELS initiative). Based on water balance simulations using a conceptual runoff model, the assessment of the role of catchment attributes and climate variability on runoff components will be caried out both for current climate and assuming future changes in air temperature and precipitation. |