This is a past event
Please join us on Thursday, 16th of February for a research seminar presented by Dr Rafael Rosolem of the University of Bristol on “Combining field experiments and modelling to improve representation of hydrometeorological processes across scales”. All are welcome to attend.
Abstract
In last few years, the scientific community has observed signficant changes to the way we observed and model hydrometeorological processes. With increased computer power, hydrometeorological models are now capable of resolving physical processes at much finer spatial scales (e.g., kilometer or even sub-kilometer scales). In particular, Land Surface Models (LSM) focus on representing the surface energy exchange (e.g., sensible and latent heat fluxes) between land and atmosphere, providing the lower boundary conditions to weather and climate models. However, LSM representation of key hydrological processes is still crudely parameterized. As a result, this can introduce errors in the representation of the water transport in LSM, and ultimately affect the surface energy component (e.g., soil moisture - evapotranspiration). New data products from satellite remote sensing and novel ground-based technologies can help constraining/reducing some of these limitations. In particular, ground-based Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensors (CRNS) have been used in the last few years in hydrometeorological applications. The CRNS estimates integrated soil moisture at unprecedented spatial scale (~ 400-600 m diameter), similar to other established hydrometeorological measurements such as eddy covariance. Such combination can provide useful insights to future LSM applications at kilometer-scale. This talk will summarize current research efforts from our Bristol group to tackle some of these issues, as part of the NERC A MUlti-scale Soil moisture Evapotranspiration Dynamics (AMUSED) project. The presentation will focus on the following specific points: (1) the recent development and application of CRNS to LSMs, (2) preliminary results from CRNS monitoring stations and mobile capabilities in Southern UK; and (3) the importance of representing preferential (macropore) flow in UK Chalk regions into LSMs.
- Speaker
- Dr Rafael Rosolem
- Venue
- Fraser Noble FN2