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Distributed Snowmelt Simulations in an Alpine Catchment: 1. Model Evaluation on the Basis of Snow Cover Patterns
Author(s) -
Blöschl G.,
Kirnbauer R.,
Gutknecht D.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/91wr02250
Subject(s) - snowmelt , terrain , snow , distributed element model , digital elevation model , albedo (alchemy) , environmental science , drainage basin , grid , meteorology , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , remote sensing , geomorphology , geography , cartography , geodesy , art , physics , quantum mechanics , performance art , art history , geotechnical engineering
This paper presents an attempt at deterministically modeling spatially distributed snowmelt in an alpine catchment. The basin is 9.4 km 2 in area and elevations range from 1900 to 3050 m above sea level. The model makes use of digital terrain data with 25 m grid spacing. Energy balance components are calculated for each grid element taking topographic variations of solar radiation into account. For each grid element albedo and snow surface temperatures are simulated. Model performance is evaluated on the basis of snow cover depletion patterns as derived from weekly air photographs. The use of spatially distributed data allows for addressing individual model components. Results indicate that the basic model assumptions are realistic. Model inadequacies are shown to arise from processes not included in the model such as avalanching and long wave emission from surrounding terrain as well as inaccurate model parameters.