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Catchment residence and travel time distributions: The master equation
Author(s) -
Botter Gianluca,
Bertuzzo Enrico,
Rinaldo Andrea
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2011gl047666
Subject(s) - residence time (fluid dynamics) , residence , drainage basin , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , travel time , catchment area , geology , geography , demography , sociology , geotechnical engineering , cartography , transport engineering , engineering
The probability density functions (pdf's) of travel and residence times are key descriptors of the mechanisms through which catchments retain and release old and event water, transporting solutes to receiving water bodies. In this paper we analyze theoretically such pdf's, whose proper characterization reveals important conceptual and practical differences. A general stochastic framework applicable to arbitrary catchment control volumes is adopted, where time–variable precipitation, evapotranspiration and discharge are assumed to be the major hydrological drivers. The master equation for the residence time pdf is derived and solved analytically, providing expressions for travel and residence time pdf's as a function of input/output fluxes and of the relevant mixing. Our solutions suggest intrinsically time‐variant travel and residence time pdf's through a direct dependence on hydrological forcings and soil‐vegetation dynamics. The proposed framework integrates age‐dating and tracer hydrology techniques, and provides a coherent framework for catchment transport models based on travel times.