International Research Experiences for Students (IRES): US-Ethiopia Collaboration on Hydrological Studies of Semiarid Regions

拟议的研究旨在在埃塞俄比亚组织和进行实地试验，以研究半干旱区水文的关键基本组成部分。每年有三个夏季，四名美国本科生和研究生以及一名教员将前往埃塞俄比亚，与埃塞俄比亚同行的学生和教员一起进行实地实验。该计划的主要目的是为美国学生提供在国际研究环境中取得成功所需的独特，国际化，实践经验。实地实验包括对许多水文传感器的“动手”培训，实地准备和实验设计（地理空间和点数据分析涉及地理信息系统和遥感），数据收集和分析，团队合作，以及通过演讲和出版物传播知识。由于埃塞俄比亚的半干旱气候、热带位置和生态、地形和土地利用的强烈异质性，研究区域（Arbaminch）为研究不同的水文过程提供了一个令人兴奋的环境，并激发了学生对发现驱动科学的兴趣。拟议的研究活动分为三个主要的重点领域，其结果将对我们对半干旱区水文的关键基本组成部分的理解产生重大影响。具体的科学目标是：1)表征降雨的局地尺度时空变率；2)量化卫星蒸散估算的不确定性；3)评估地形、土壤水分和土地利用在陆地-大气相互作用中的作用。

The proposed research aims to organize and conduct field experiments in Ethiopia to study the key fundamental components of the hydrology of semiarid regions. Each year for three summers four U.S. undergraduates and graduates and one faculty will travel to Ethiopia to conduct field experiments together with Ethiopian counterpart students and faculty. The main purpose of the program is to provide U.S. students with a unique, international, hands-on experience required for succeeding in international research environment. The field experiment involves 'hands-on' training in a number of hydrological sensors, field preparation and design of experiments (geospatial and point data analysis involving GIS and remote sensing), data collection and analysis, teamwork, and dissemination of knowledge through presentations and publications. On account of its semiarid climate, tropical location and strong heterogeneities in ecology, topography and land use, the study region (Arbaminch) in Ethiopia provides an exciting environment to study different hydrological processes and to stimulate an interest in students for discovery-driven science. The proposed research activities are organized into three major thrust areas, the results from which will have a significant influence in our understanding of the key fundamental components of the hydrology of semiarid regions. The specific science objectives are to: 1) Characterize the local-scale space-time variability of rainfall; 2) Quantify the uncertainty in satellite-based evapotranspiration estimates; and 3) Assess the role played by topography, soil moisture and land use in landatmosphere interactions.