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Module Title
LI Hydroclimatology: Climate and Water
School
School of Geog Earth & Env Sci
Department
Geography
Module Code
03 18180
Module Lead
Martin Widmann
Level
Intermediate Level
Credits
20
Semester
Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions
Optional for: BA Geography, BSc Geography, BSc Environmental Science, BSc Environmental Management, BSc Environmental Science with a Professional Placement Abroad, BSc Environmental Geosciences, BA/BSc Joint and Combined Honours with Geography
The module introduces the Earth’s climate, weather and water system, represented by hydroclimatological variables such as precipitation, wind, atmospheric pressure, temperature, evaporation, snow and ice, (sub)surface water, and rivers. We will discuss how to measure these variables with in-situ and remote sensing methods. We will study the spatial and temporal variability of these variables, covering local (for example Birmingham), regional (for example UK) and global scales and timescales from hours to centuries. We will investigate the meteorological and hydrological processes affecting these variables and the way they are linked through the water balance. This will include discussing the impact of human-induced climate change on hydroclimatic variables.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Understand fundamental concepts and methods in both the atmospheric and hydrological sciences on different scales (e.g. point scale, catchment scale, global scale);
Describe the water balance, represented by interactions between: precipitation, evaporation, soil moisture, groundwater, snow and ice, lakes and wetlands, and stream flow;
Explain the spatial and temporal variation in hydroclimatological variables for the globe and the UK;
Discuss the challenges in hydroclimatology resulting from increasing human impact upon natural processes, including anthropogenic climate change.