Hydrology and Fluvial Geomorphology Flashcards
open system
allows the movement of energy and matter across its boundaries
precipitation
conversion and transfer of moisture in the atmsophere to the land
snow/hail/rain/frost/dew
stores
vegetation surface soil moisture groundwater water channels
characteristics that affect local hydrology
total amount of precipitation intensity type geographical distribution variability
interception
interception loss
throughfall
stemflow
evaporation
process by whcih a liquid or solid is changed into a gas
factors affecting evaporation
albedo temperature wind speeds humidity vegetation cover
transpiration
evaporation + transpiration
water vapour escapes from a living plant
potential evapotranspiration
potential evapotranspiration is the water loss that would occur if there was an unlimited supply of water in the soil for use by the vegetation
infiltration
water soaks into or is absorbed by soil
infiltration capacity
the maximum rate at which rain can be absorbed by a soil in a given condition
factors affecting infiltration
duration of rainfall antecedent soil moisture soil porosity vegetation cover raindrop size slope angle
percolation
when water moves slowly downwards from the soil into the bedrock
phreatic zone
permanently saturated zone within solid rocks and sediments is known as the phreatic zone
aeration zone
seasonally wetted and dried zone
baseflow
part of a rivers discharge provided by groundwater seeping into the river
aquifers
permeable rocks (ie. sandstone and limestone) that contain significant quantities of water