Search results for "Science and Technology"
showing 10 items of 1592 documents
Using scintillometry to assess reference evapotranspiration methods and their impact on the water balance of olive groves
2016
Abstract Reference evapotranspiration (ET 0 ) is widely used for irrigation scheduling, to promote an efficient use of water resources for a sustainable agro-ecosystem productivity, as well as to manage water quality and to face other environmental concerns. As suggested by ASCE-EWRI and FAO, standard Penman–Monteith methods are generally applied for an accurate estimation of ET 0 from hourly to daily scale. In absence of detailed meteorological information several simplified equations, using a limited number of variables, have been proposed as alternative. In this paper, the performance of different reference evapotranspiration methods, at hourly (Penman–Monteith, Pristley–Taylor, Makkink …
Estimating the macroscopic capillary length from Beerkan infiltration experiments and its impact on saturated soil hydraulic conductivity predictions
2020
International audience; The macroscopic capillary length, λc, is a fundamental soil parameter expressing the relative importance of the capillary over gravity forces during water movement in unsaturated soil. In this investigation, we propose a simple field method for estimating λc using only a single-ring infiltration experiment of the Beerkan type and measurements of initial and saturated soil water contents. We assumed that the intercept of the linear regression fitted to the steady-state portion of the experimental infiltration curve could be used as a reliable predictor of λc. This hypothesis was validated by assessing the proposed calculation approach using both analytical and field d…
Application of entropic approach to estimate the mean flow velocity and Manning roughness coefficient in a high-curvature flume
2016
The entropy-based approach allows the estimation of the mean flow velocity in open channel flow by using the maximum flow velocity. The linear relationship between the mean velocity, umax, and the mean flow velocity, um, through the dimensionless parameter Φ(M), has been verified both in natural rivers and in laboratory channels. Recently, the authors of this study investigated the reliability of the entropy-based formula in a straight channel and under different bed and side-walls' roughness conditions. The present study aims to further validate the entropy-based approach and to explore the effectiveness of entropy-based formula in high curvature channels. Results show that as the effect o…
Downscaling of American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) daily air temperature in Sicily, Italy, and effects on crop reference ev…
2018
Abstract Air temperature (Ta) is one of the key factors in agro-hydrological studies including estimation of crop reference evapotranspiration (ET0), which is crucial for irrigation water management and sustainability of agro-ecosystem productivity. Because direct measurements of ET0 are difficult, expensive and time consuming, the use of physically based or empirical approaches linked to meteorological information is often preferred. The Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resource project developed by the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (POWER-NASA) provides daily meteorological information on a 1° latitude by 1° longitude grid. Despite the poor spatial resolution charac…
Testing a theoretical resistance law for overland flow on a stony hillslope
2020
Overland flow, sediments, and nutrients transported in runoff are important processes involved in soil erosion and water pollution. Modelling transport of sediments and chemicals requires accurate estimates of hydraulic resistance, which is one of the key variables characterizing runoff water depth and velocity. In this paper, a new theoretical power–velocity profile, originally deduced neglecting the impact effect of rainfall, was initially modified for taking into account the effect of rainfall intensity. Then a theoretical flow resistance law was obtained by integration of the new flow velocity distribution. This flow resistance law was tested using field measurements by Nearing for the …
Comparing flow resistance law for fixed and mobile bed rills
2019
Rills caused by run-off concentration on erodible hillslopes have very irregular profiles and cross-section shapes. Rill erosion directly depends on the hydraulics of flow in the rills, which may differ greatly from hydraulics of flow in larger and regular channels. In this paper, a recently theoretically deduced rill flow resistance equation, based on a power–velocity profile, was tested experimentally on plots of varying slopes (ranging from 9% to 26%) in which mobile and fixed bed rills were incised. Initially, measurements of flow velocity, water depth, cross-section area, wetted perimeter, and bed slope, carried out in 320 reaches of mobile bed rills and in 165 reaches of fixed rills, …
The effect of microscale pore structure on matrix diffusion—a site-specific study on tonalite
1997
Abstract The matrix diffusion of non-sorbing tracers was studied in rocks from the Syyry area, Central Finland (SY1). The effect of alteration and weathering on rock matrix porosity and on the available pore space, which affects diffusivity, are discussed. The main rock type in the crystalline bedrock of Syyry is a slightly foliated, gray tonalite with mica gneiss inclusions as well as minor, more mafic inclusions. The total porosity and the spatial porosity distribution and microstructure of the rocks were investigated using infiltration of carbon- 14-methylmethacrylate, electron microscopy and Hg-porosimetry. The laboratory-scale diffusion experiments were performed using (1) the out-leac…
Metamorphic Geology: Progress and Perspectives
2019
International audience
Hydrochemical mercury distribution and air-sea exchange over the submarine hydrothermal vents off-shore Panarea Island (Aeolian arc, Tyrrhenian Sea)
2017
Abstract There is a growing concern about the mercury (Hg) vented from submarine hydrothermal fluids to the marine surrounding and exchange of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) between the sea surface and the atmosphere. A geochemical survey of thermal waters collected from submarine vents at Panarea Island (Aeolian Islands, southern Italy) was carried out in 2015 (15–17th June and 17–18th November), in order to investigate the concentration of Hg species in hydrothermal fluids and the vertical distribution in the overlying water column close to the submarine exhalative area. Specific sampling methods were employed by Scuba divers at five submarine vents located along the main regional tecton…
Soil evaporation monitoring : a possible synergism of microwave and infrared remote sensing
1995
Abstract Microwave remote sensing allows the measurement of the water content (θs) at the soil surface within a layer of a few centimetres. When combined with climatic data, θs is a relevant quantity to estimate the evaporation of bare soils. The implementation of a simple daily evaporation (Ed) model on bare soils based on a knowledge of θs is analysed. In order to cover a wide range of soil, soil moisture and climatic conditions, the analysis was carried out on a set of data simulated by a mechanistic model of heat and water flows in the soil. Propagation error analysis on the inputs (θs, daily potential evaporation and wind velocity) of the simple model shows that an accuracy of ± 1.5 mm…