The global hydrological circle
5 important questions on The global hydrological circle
What are the main components of the global hydrological cycle?
- Atmosphere
- Ocean
- Land
- Vegetation
- Snow/Ice
Components:
- Evapotranspiration
- Precipitation
- Infiltration
- Runoff
- Condensation
- Intrerception
- Storage
Fluxes are balanced
How to determine the residence (or recharge time) of water in the various ''reservoirs'' of the global hydrological cycle, e.g. Atmosphere, rivers, groundwater, or the ocean
→ How long does a given water molecule on average remain in the reservoir
What are the main drivers of the hydrological cycle?
→ responsible for evapotranspiration and transport of water vapor and liquid in the atmosphere
Other main drivers
Gravity → Responsible for precipitation and water flow on earth’s surface
Capillary forces → Responsible for subsurface flows in unsaturated zone in the soil
- Higher grades + faster learning
- Never study anything twice
- 100% sure, 100% understanding
What are the main freshwater reservoirs on Earth?
~ 30% → Groundwater
~ 1% → Surface and other freshwater
(but only 2.5% of global water is freshwater)
How does climate change (global warming) affect the hydrological cycle?
Climate warming has a big impact on hydrological regime in snow-covered regions
▪ winter runoff becomes larger and more random
▪ earlier spring (snowmelt) flood and reduced summer runoff
The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:
- A unique study and practice tool
- Never study anything twice again
- Get the grades you hope for
- 100% sure, 100% understanding