HR: 1330h
AN: H42D-1106 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Nonlinearity as a linkage between lateral hydrologic and geomorphic processes and emergent space-time scaling behavior
AU: * Weiler, M
EM: markus.weiler@orst.edu
AF: Dept. of Forest Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 United States
AU: McDonnell, J J
EM: jeff.mcdonnell@orst.edu
AF: Dept. of Forest Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 United States
AU: Tromp van Meerveld, I
AF: Dept. of Forest Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330 United States
AU: Uchida, T
EM: uchida-t92rv@nilim.go.jp
AF: Research Center for Disaster Risk Management, National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, Tsukuba,, 3050804 Japan
AB: The causal relationships between near-surface hydrologic/geomorphic/meteorologic processes operating over a wide range of space and time scales are poorly known. While nonlinear complexities have been explored theoretically in hydrology, concrete examples of process nonlinear complexity has yet to be well defined. In geomprhology, a recent paper by Phillip (2003 Progress in Physical Geography, 27: 1-23) has clearly defined known field observable nonlinearies: storage effects, saturation and depletion, self-reinforcing positive feedbacks, self limitation, competitive relationships, multiple modes of adjustment, self organization and hysteresis. This poster follows from Phillip by presenting an equivalent set of archetypal nonlinearities observed in hillslope hydrology. This synthesis is based on examples from our research sites in New Zealand, Japan, North America and Europe. We argue that this identification of the underlying causes of seemingly "random" behavior (where every hillslope and small catchment appears unique!), may be an important step to predictability, particularly in ungauged settings. A nonlinearity-based approach to hillslope hydrology-geomorphic coupling may be a useful framework to sort through the morass of process complexity revealed in the past decades. The poster makes a case for urging experimentalists in the coming years to return to the myriad of hillslopes and catchments where we have worked and perform intercomparison and classification of these nonlinear first order controls. They may well be a pathway to understanding emergent behavior and space-time scaling behavior.
DE: 1866 Soil moisture
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting