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A cellular automata model of surface water flow
Author(s) -
Parsons Jay A.,
Fonstad Mark A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.6587
Subject(s) - flow (mathematics) , hydrograph , watershed , cellular automaton , hydrology (agriculture) , erosion , water flow , environmental science , flood myth , channel (broadcasting) , geology , computer science , mechanics , soil science , geotechnical engineering , geomorphology , algorithm , physics , computer network , philosophy , theology , machine learning
Previous cellular automata models of surface water flow have been constructed to reflect steady, gradually‐varied flow conditions. While these models are extremely important in showing the near‐equilibrium forms that result from the interactions of water and boundary material, highly dynamic forms and processes require models that represent unsteady flow conditions. In order to simulate unsteady flow in a cellular model of surface water flow, the conservation of mass and the Manning's equations are coupled with an algorithm to delay the movement of water from one pixel to the next until the correct timing is reached. This approach yields highly realistic flood wave hydrographs when compared with flood observations in the Walnut Gulch Experiment Watershed. Coupling this unsteady flow model with simple laws of sediment erosion, transport, and deposition should allow event‐based simulations of watershed and river channel geomorphologic change. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.