Climatology аnd Hydrology

Course title:

Climatology аnd Hydrology

Course code:

AFCAH

ECTS:

5

In-class hours

Lectures:

30

Laboratory work/Tutorials:

30

Self-preparation hours

Practical training:

15

Other:

50

Total hours:

125

Language:

English

Study cycle:

BSc, MSc, PhD

Semester:

Winter & Summer

Faculty:

Faculty of Agronomy

Name of the lecturer(s):

Assoc. Prof. Kalinka Kouzmova, PhD

Mode of delivery:

Face-to-face, distance learning or a combination of  both

Prerequisites:

Basic knowledge of geography, physics and computer science

Learning outcomes of the course unit:

The curriculum is suitable for BSc, MSc and PhD students on English or the Russian language. The aims of the course Climatology are to familiarize students with the regularities of formation, geographical distribution and chronological changes in climate. Comprehensively addresses all factors that shape change, particular attention is given to geographical factors. It is a scientific system of specific knowledge, united in principles, methods, concepts and practical activities that reveal the relationships between components of the biosphere-atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere.

The course of Climatology is focused on efficient and full utilization of climate resources and use them in any productive activity. It contributes to the formation of an ecologically correct outlook. There are environmental and conservation importance and is the basis for the specialized disciplines of the above courses.

Climate change and its impact on society and human health (direct and indirect) are indicated as an important challenge facing the European Union in terms of citizen’s protection from health threats. Global warming and regional climate changes set not only the Bulgarian economy in a very unfavorable situation.

The curriculum is suitable for Bachelor, Master and Doctor.

Course contents:

I. LECTURES – 30 hours (15 x 2 hours)

1. INTRODUCTION IN CLIMATOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY - 0.5 hour

Definition, concepts, objectives and methods of investigation in climatology. Significance and relationship to other sciences. Elements of weather and climate and climate-forming processes. Introduction to the biosphere. Organization of weather, climate and hydrological observations in the global, regional and local levels.

2. ATMOSPHERE AND AIR - 1 hour

Nature and importance, main atmospheric processes, composition and physical properties of air, meaning the main components of air to the biosphere. Air ionization and radioactivity. Soil aeration. Study and vertical structure of the atmosphere.

Air pollution and protection of the Earth's climate - a global problem of the XXI century.

3. SOLAR RADIATION AS THE CLIMATE-FORMING FACTOR – 2 hours

Nature, types of radiation flow, the spectral composition of the solar radiation, meaning the main parts of the solar spectrum. Attenuation of solar radiation through the atmosphere. Radiation balance of the earth's surface. Biological effects of light. Absorption and distribution of solar radiation on the earth’s surface.

4. HEAT REGIME SYSTEM EARTH - ATMOSPHERE - 1 hour

Warming and cooling of water, soil and air. Soil and air temperature, Change of the soil temperature at depth, Change of the air temperature at altitude. Vertical temperature gradient (VTG) and factors that determine. Day-Night and annual course of soil and air temperature and factors which determine. Effect of temperature regime of the ecosystems and human activities.

Heat balance of the earth's surface and methods for regulating the thermal regime.

5. HYDROSPHERE AND WATER – 0.5 hour

Nature and importance. Key features of the hydrosphere. General characteristics, chemical and physical properties of water. Hydrological factors. Types of water. Classification and distribution of water around the globe. Groundwater and surface water. Water in the atmosphere. Water cycle in nature and water balance. Water pollution is a result of anthropogenic activities.

6. SURFACE WATER – 2 hours

Waters of the World Ocean - a division of the World Ocean, sea level, ocean topography and seabed. Chemical composition and salinity of the sea and ocean water. Dynamics of water in the World Ocean - changes in the seabed and ocean bed, water waves, tides and water currents.

Water in glaciers - nature, matter, the chemical composition of water in glaciers and geographical distribution.

Lake waters - nature, importance, geographic distribution, morphometric characteristics, chemical composition and dynamics of lake water, nutrition and water balance of lakes.

Swamp waters - nature, importance, the chemical composition of marsh waters and geographical distribution

River waters - nature, importance and hydrographic characteristics of river systems. Runoff length, watershed, the chemical composition of river waters. Formation and quantitative characteristics of the water runoff regime. Current status of river waters in Europe and Bulgaria.

7. GROUNDWATER AND SOIL MOISTURE – 1 hour

Groundwater - nature, classification, origin and formation of groundwater. Geographical distribution of groundwater in Bulgaria.

Soil moisture - hydrological parameters, the importance of soil moisture for the biosphere. Soil water balance.. Methods of soil water regime and conservation of soil moisture. Effects of weather and climate on the dynamics of soil moisture.

8. CLIMATE-FORMING ROLE OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE - 1 hour

Nature and importance, Vertical change of atmospheric pressure, Vertical barometric gradient and vertical barometric step, day-night and annual course, the geographical distribution of atmospheric pressure.

9. CLIMATE-FORMING ROLE OF WATER IN THE ATMOSPHERE – 6 hours

Receipt of water vapor in the atmosphere.

Evaporation - nature and importance, factors that determine evaporation under natural conditions. Evaporation from the water surface, soil and plants. Evaporation and evapotranspiration - methods for determination, day-night and annual course, geographical distribution, methods for regulation of the evaporation under natural conditions.

Air humidity - nature and importance, Quantitative characteristics of the air humidity. Changes in the air humidity, day-night and annual course of air humidity and the factors that determine. Geographical distribution and importance of the air humidity on the biosphere.

Condensation and sublimation of water vapor - nature and significance, conditions for occurrence, primary products of condensation and sublimation. Hydrometeors.

Clouds and cloudiness - nature and importance, composition and structure of clouds. International classification of clouds and determination of cloudiness, day-night and annual course and geographical distribution of cloudiness, importance to the biosphere and possibilities for man effects on them.

Fogs - nature, classification regime and geographical distribution of fogs. Influence of topography on cloudiness and fog.

Precipitations - nature and importance, general characteristics and the formation of precipitation, elements, kinds and types of precipitations, day-night and annual course and geographical distribution. Importance of precipitation for the biosphere.

Snow and snow cover - nature, formation, characterization of the snow cover. Climatic importance and geographical distribution of snow. Snow meliorations.

10. AIR MOVEMENT AND WIND - 1 hour

Nature and significance, elements of wind, causes of wind, forces that influence the direction and wind speed. Influence of obstacles on the direction and wind speed. Day-Night and annual course and geographical distribution of wind. Importance of wind on the biosphere and practical use of wind energy and climate information on wind.

11. AIR MASSES, ATMOSPHERIC FRONTS, WEATHER AND THEIR CLIMATE-FORMATING ROLE – 2 hours

Air masses - definition, formation, classification of air masses, characteristics of air masses.

Atmospheric fronts – nature, classification of atmospheric fronts, and characterization of atmospheric fronts.

12. ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION AND THEIR CLIMATE-FORMATING ROLE – 2 hours

Nature and main circles of atmospheric circulation, Trade winds, monsoons, cyclones and anticyclones and weather in them, Small-scale vortex (mini-cyclones) and Local winds.

13. GENESIS OF CLIMATE - 1 hour

Nature and importance, main climate-forming factors forming the global (macro), regional (meso) and local (micro) climate. Zonation of climate. Introduction to urban climate.

14. INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF CLIMATE – 2 hours

Nature and importance, principles and climatic parameters. Classification of climate by Alisov, Berg, Köpen, De Marton. Practical use of climatic data.

15. CLIMATE OF BULGARIA – 1 hour

Factors that determine the climate of Bulgaria and the climatic regionalization of Bulgaria.

16. MICRO-CLIMATE AND URBAN CLIMATE – 2 hours

Nature and importance, methods of microclimatic observations, formation and main types of microclimate. Influence of topography on microclimate. Micro-climate in plants (phyto-climate).

Urban climate - nature, elements and factors formation the urban climate, practical use of the data on the microclimate.

17. CLIMATE FLUCTUATIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGES IN GLOBAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL SCALE - 1 hour

Nature of the modern climate changes, history, large fluctuations and climate changes. Theories for climate changes, natural and anthropogenic factors, climate changes under the influence of human activities. Climatic changes during the 20th and 21st century in global, regional and local aspect.

18. BIOCLIMATOLOGY – 4 hours

Hazards of weather and climate in agriculture, ecosystems and human activities.

Drought and dry wind- nature, weather and climate conditions, kinds and types of droughts, control measures and limiting of drought and dry wind.

Thunderstorms, lightning, hail, flood and water erosion - nature, weather and climate conditions, environmental impact and control measures. Flood prevention and control them.

Dust storms and wind erosion - nature, weather and climate conditions, effects on plants, control measures and limiting of dust storms and wind erosion.

Spring and autumn frosts - nature, tips of frosts, effects on plants and ecosystems and methods of plants protection.

Unfavorable events, causing damage to plants during the winter period, measures to mitigation.

19. ASSESSMENT OF THE CLIMATE AND CLIMATIC RESOURCES - 1 hour

Assessment of climate conditions and bioclimatic resources, economic evaluation, SWOT analysis.

II. LABORATORY PRACTICAL WORK – 30 hours

1. Organization of weather and climate observations – 2 hours

2. Determination of solar radiation, the sunshine duration and illumination – 2 hours

3. Determination of water, soil and air temperature - 2 hours

4. Determination of air and soil humidity. Measurement of evaporation - 2 hours

5. Determination of cloudiness, precipitation and snow cover – 2 hours

6. Measurement of atmospheric pressure and determining the direction and wind speed. Construction of the wind rose and evaluation of the parameters – 2 hours

7. Processing of Hydrological Data – 4 hours

Understanding the basic physical and chemical properties of soil and water. Hydrographic characteristics of the catchment area. Determination of the main hydrographic characteristics of river systems - flow, length, catchment area, water flow rate. Characterization of river runoff. Characterization river regime. Phases of high and low. Monthly and seasonal distribution of runoff. Determination of morphological parameters of the lake and the salinity of seawater.

8. Basic climatic and bioclimatic parameters, handbooks and reference sources. – 2 hours.

9. Preparation of climatic characteristics in a defined geographical area - individual course assignment - 12 hours

It includes a collection of baseline data, processing of climatic data, graphics and assessment of the climate in a defined area and recommendations for improving the microclimate.

Recommended or required reading:

1. Allen Perry, Dr Russell Thompson and Russell Thompson 1997. Applied Climatology: Principles and Practice

2. Climate change Science: An Analysis of some key questions, 2001, ISBN-10: 0-309-07574-2 ISBN-13: 978-0-309 07571-9

3. Dennis L. Hartmann, 1994. Global Physical Climatology, Volume 56 (International Geophysics).

4. Gordon B. Bonan, 2008. Ecological Climatology: Concepts and Applications.

5. John J. Hidore, John E. Oliver, Mary Snow and Richard Snow, 2009. Climatology: An Atmospheric Science (3rd Edition).

6. Richard Snow, Mary Snow and John E. Oliver, 2002. Exercises in Climatology

7. Robert V. Rohli, Anthony J. Vega 2007 Climatology. Publisher: Sudbury, Mass. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2007, 1st ed.

8. Robert H. Webb; Michael Collier, 2002. Floods, Droughts, and Climate Change, 160 pp

9. W. F. Ruddiman, 2007. Earth's Climate: Past and Future.

10. David R. Maidment. Handbook on Hydrology.

11. R.C. Ward and M.Robinson, Principles of Hydrology Fourt Edition, ISBN: 0  07  709502  2, http//www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk   

12. Andy D.Ward, Stanley W. Trimplle, 2003. Environmental Hydrology, Second Edition, ISBN-10: 1566706165, ISBN-13: 978-1566706162.

13. Tim Davie, 2008. Fundamentals of Hydrology, ISBN: 0415399874; ISBN: 0415399866.

14. Philip B. Bedient, Wayne C. Huber, Baxter E. Vieux, 2012. Hydrology and floodplain analysis, ISBN-10: 0132567962; ISBN-13: 978-0132567961

15. Robert V. Rohli, Anthony J. Vega 2007 Climatology. Publisher: Sudbury, Mass. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2007, 1st ed.

16. Robert H. Webb; Michael Collier, 2002. Floods, Droughts, and Climate Change, 160 pp

17. Manual of applied field Hydrogeology, 2008, www.ebook3000.com

Planned learning activities and teaching methods:

Teaching methods will be presented by:

- Lectures with presentations;

- Dialogue methods (conversations and discussions)

The course includes the following mandatory components: lectures, laboratory and practical work, as well as student self-preparation.

The lectures and laboratory practical works are supported by extensive literature and material basis. The lectures are delivered by means of PowerPoint presentations. They take the form of a discussion between the students and the lecturer, with reference to pre-selected topics.

Practical work includes the individual work of students. For maximum utilization of the material provided by practical exercises, students work independently under the guidance of the leading systematic teacher.

Assessment methods and criteria:

The course ends with a written examination. The latter includes a pre-defined set of questions, which is drawn from the course material. The final evaluation will take into account the systematic presence and work throughout the semester. When it is necessary for finalizing oral examination is conducted on all lectures.