Hydrology and Climatology

Code:

GEOL1010

Acronym:

GEOL1010

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Geology

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Agricultural Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:EA	22	The study plan from 2019	1	-	3	24	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The main objectives of this course are:

a) To know the functioning of underground and surface hydrological systems, with emphasis on hydropedological systems.

b) Recognize the environmental and socioeconomic importance of hydrological systems.

c) To know methods and techniques commonly used in scientific and technological activities related to Hydrology and Hydropedology.

d) Describe the climatic system by analysing the interactions between its constituent parts and the resulting meteorological and climatic phenomena with environmental relevance.

Learning outcomes and competences

After approval in this course, the student should be able to:

- successfully carry out scientific and technological tasks in the fields of Hydrology and Hydropedology;

 - understand the constitution and internal interactions of the Earth climate system;

- understand the basic physical principles of the most common meteorological phenomena;

- understand the dynamics of the climate system;

- analyse the consequences of global warming and describe the necessary prevention and mitigation measures;

- understand the importance of surface-atmosphere interaction in the energy balance of terrestrial ecosystems;

- understand the intimate relationship between climate and biomass production;

- understand the most common methods and technologies for the measurement of agrometeorological variables.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Mathematics: basic notions on algebra, trigonometry, differential and integral calculus.

Physics: basic notions on vector calculus, kinematics, dynamics, hydrostatics and thermodynamics.

Program

Hydrology theoretical classes

1. Basic concepts
2. Hydrochemistry
3. The underground phase of the water cycle
4. Underground water movement
5. Hydropedology

Hydrology practical classes

1. Water sampling
2. Measurement of water pH, electric conductivity, temperature and TDS
3. Hydrogeologic profiles
4. Graphic treatment and interpretation of hydrochemical data
5. Study of a hydrological system

Climatology

1. Introduction
1.1. Meteorology and climatology
1.2. Climate system
1.3. Agrometeorology

2. Notions of meteorology
2.1. Structure and composition of the atmosphere
2.2. Description of the atmosphere with the perfect gas law
2.3. Temperature, pressure, density
2.4. Hydrostatic equilibrium and mass stratification in the atmosphere
2.5. Hypsometric equation
2.6. Dry air and moist air
2.7. Saturation vapor pressure
2.8. Dew point
2.9. Terminology of processes
2.10. Clouds
2.11. Precipitation and evaporation
2.12. Convection and advection
2.13. Winds and associated forces
2.14. The planetary boundary layer
2.15. Air masses and fronts
2.16. High and low-pressure centres

3. Dynamics of the climate system
3.1. Solar radiation
3.2. Thermal radiation
3.3. Seasons
3.4. Earth Global radiative balance and greenhouse effect
3.5. Energy transport in the climate system
3.6. Global atmospheric circulation
3.7. Global Ocean Circulation
3.8. Hydrological cycle
3.9. Climate types and climate classifications.
3.10. Climate variability
3.11. Climate change

4. Surface-Atmosphere Interaction
4.1. Transport of momentum, enthalpy and mass (gases and particles) between the atmosphere and the surface
4.2. Aerodynamics of surfaces and boundary layers. Molecular and turbulent diffusion.
4.3. Flows and resistances. Applications.
4.4. Energy balance in several ecosystems.
4.5. Partitioning of energy for heating and evaporation. Evapotranspiration.
4.6. Soil energy flux and soil temperature
4.7. Cooling: dew and frost.

5. Climate and vegetation
5.1. Phenology, temperature and photoperiod.
5.2. Solar radiation and potential biomass production (wet ecosystems).
5.3. Production of biomass limited by water (arid ecosystems).
5.4. Modifications of the agroclimate. Change in radiative, aerodynamic and water regimes.
5.5. Implications for energy balance. Study cases.

6. Measurement of agrometeorological elements

7. Examples of agroclimatic studies

Mandatory literature

Brassington, R. ; Field hydrogeology, John Wiley, 2007
C. W. Fetter; Applied hydrogeology. ISBN: 0-02-336490-4
Hipólito, J. R. e Vaz, A. C.; Hidrologia e Recursos Hídricos, IST Press, 2011
Lencastre, A. & Franco, F. M. ; Lições de Hidrologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1992
Henry Lin; Hydropedology. ISBN: 978-0-12-386941-8
Mendes, B. & Santos Oliveira, J. F. ; Qualidade da água para consumo humano, LIDEL, 2004
Gordon B. Bonan; Ecological climatology: concepts and applications, Cambridge University Press, 2016. ISBN: ISBN-10: 110761905X

Complementary Bibliography

Pedro M. A. Miranda; Meteorologia e Ambiente, Fundamentos de meteorologia, clima e ambiente atmosférico, Universidade Aberta, 2001. ISBN: ISBN: 9789726746553
Roland Stull; Practical Meteorology, An Algebra-based Survey of Atmospheric Science, Roland Stull, 2017. ISBN: ISBN: 13: 978-0-88865-176-1
Dennis L. Hartmann; Global Physical Climatology , Academic Press, 1994. ISBN: ISBN: 0-88318-712-4

Teaching methods and learning activities

[Hydrology]

The presentation of theoretical classes will be carried out using Microsotf Office Powerpoint.

The presentations will be sent to the students as PDF files.

Classes presented at FCUP will include practical exercises

In the field trips, students will be in direct contact with natural processes related to hydrological and hydropedological systems and will apply suitable techniques for their study.

[Climatology]

Lectures for lecturing syllabus contents and practical classes for solving exercises. The lectures will be taught according to the methodology of cooperative learning using whiteboards.

Didactic contents, including solutions of proposed problems, are available in Moodle e-learning platform.

A discussion forum in Moodle e-learning platform is open to resolve doubts.

Evaluation type: final exam

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	50,00
Trabalho escrito	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	53,00
Frequência das aulas	28,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

The rules established by FCUP’s Pedagogical Council apply to attending practical classes of Hydrology and Climatology. The attendance to lecture classes is optional.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade = 0.5×[Hydrology mark] + 0.5×[Climatology mark]

Observations

Jury members:

António Guerner Dias
Joaquim Carlos Gomes Esteves da Silva