Spatial processes and variability

11 important questions on Spatial processes and variability

What are +/- of these storage measurement techniques?

  • Gravimetry (oven drying)
    • +: accurate, cheap
    • - : labour intensive, destructive
  • Time or frequency domain reflectometry (TDR, thetaprobe)
    • + : accurate, continuous
    • - : expensive, need for calibration
  • Neutron probe
    • + : accurate, sampling volume
    • - : radioactivity, changing sampling volume, labour intensive
  • Cosmic ray
    • + : large footprint
    • - : interpretation, footprint definition
  • GW wells
    • + : accurate, cheap
    • - : CHECK OUT

How can storage be observed from space? Name 3 techniques.

Gravity field anomalies (GRACE)
Passive microwave ... (AMSR-E, SMOS)

What do these space observation measures have in common? What elements are meant with scaling 'triplet'?

Scaling 'triplet'"
  • Spacing: how far apart are measureemnts located
  • Extent: size of study area
  • Support: what is support/value/weight of individual observation?  Has to do with spatial variability
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What are main differences between wet and dry state?

Wet: more spatial organisation: reflects rain and topography. Domination of lateral fluxes (like runoff processes since there's organisation along the drainage...). Min 12/13

Dry:

Why is there a transition from organized to random in soil moisture patterns in Tarrawarra, Australia?

Drainage lines clearly visbile (wet state) based on topography.


Two preferred states: state reflects topography (wet) or is very random (dry)

How does the transition between two preferred SM states influence runoff processes?

Relation mean SM and runoff: threshold value that determines when runoff occurs, related to spatial pattern.

What are main conclusions from Biosphere II and how does this relate to the term 'convergence'?

See slide 11/12 (min 19)

What can be learned from Hupsel distribution of individual point observations

Wide distributions even in relatively same environment. YET the spatial variability increases even further in a wet situation compared to a dry one.
A LOT of ind point measurements should be taken.

Dry is narrower dist reflecting smaller std dist(?).

CHECK min 20 ish.

What is the temporal stability concept?

Some sites are more representative of spatial mean: difference in SM and spatial mean remeans relatively constant.

Once you have a spatial pattern, small deviations do not really change the underlying patterns (min 23).

Temporal stability (min 23): Any point represents the ... Of the spatial mean.

Q Ryan lecture min 25: what is more realistic?

Every point has to stick to water balance. If you'd have crossing lines... (min 26).
All points dry out at similar rate.

Truth is somewhere in between, but first situation is more realistic.

Name several # of simplifying assumptions in TOPMODEL?

  • Slope of watertable/GW is equal to slope of land surface/topography (are 1:1 and can thus be derived from DEM)
  • Only limited amounts of runoff/overland flow4
  • Darcy's law

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