Integrated physically-based modeling of hydrological processes at hillslope and catchment scales

基于过程的模拟模型是水资源管理中必不可少的支持工具，使我们能够探索和预测状态变量的动态和子系统之间的相互作用在广泛的空间和时间尺度。拟议的研究将解决与水文过程建模有关的众多挑战，特别关注以山坡和小集水区或含水层盆地为代表的中间尺度。主要的主题和目标围绕着以下研究问题：如何匹配模型的复杂性，数据的可用性，计算资源和分析目标;如何评估潜在的假设和新的假设在不断发展的模型的有效性;如何最好地结合联合收割机信息从测量和模拟，以减少不确定性和改善预测;如何将水文模型与多学科应用中的其他模拟器和工具相结合;以及如何解决大气/陆地-地表/土壤/含水层/河流连续体中各种界面过程之间的交换或耦合。拟用于拟议的研究，多年来开发的申请人和同事在其他三所大学的模拟模型，包括一个三维理查兹方程地下求解器耦合到一个基于路径的表面路由模块，一个三维变密度流和运输代码，和Boussinesq方程模型的地下水流在倾斜含水层的任意几何形状。这些研究模型引起了人们的极大兴趣，并导致了一个国际性的、不断扩大的合作者网络（包括许多学生和年轻研究人员），他们在各种各样的应用中使用这些工具。本提案中要求的资金将支持由1名博士生，1名博士后研究员（半薪）和1名实习生/暑期学生组成的研究团队。除了允许继续基础研究和开发沿着所描述的主题，这被认为是维持和管理合作，培训机会和申请人的研究计划和活动所产生的应用程序所需的最低配置。

Process-based simulation models are essential support tools in water resources management, allowing us to explore and predict the dynamics of state variables and the interactions between subsystems over a wide range of space and time scales. The proposed research will address numerous challenges connected with the modeling of hydrological processes, with a particular focus on the intermediate scale represented by hillslopes and small catchment or aquifer basins. The main themes and objectives revolve around the following research questions: how to match model complexity to data availability, computational resources, and analysis goals; how to assess the validity of underlying assumptions and new hypotheses in evolving models; how to best combine information from measurements and simulations to reduce uncertainty and improve predictions; how to integrate hydrological models to other simulators and tools in multidisciplinary applications; and how to resolve the exchange, or coupling, between processes across the various interfaces in the atmosphere/land- surface/soil/aquifer/stream continuum. The simulation models to be used in the proposed research, developed over the years by the applicant and colleagues at three other universities, include a 3D Richards equation subsurface solver coupled to a path-based surface routing module, a 3D variable density flow and transport code, and a Boussinesq equation model for groundwater flow in sloping aquifers of arbitrary geometry. These are research models that have attracted much interest and have led to an international and expanding network of collaborators (including many students and young researchers) who are using these tools in a wide variety of applications. The funding being requested in this proposal will support a research team consisting of 1 PhD student, 1 postdoctoral researcher (half salary), and 1 intern/summer student. In addition to allowing continued basic research and development along the themes described, this is considered a minimal configuration needed to sustain and manage the collaborations, training opportunities, and applications arising from the applicant's research program and activities.