Master Lecture "Physics of Aquatic Systems"

Summer Term 2011

Lecture: Fri, 11:15-13:00, INF 227, SR 3.401
excpet Wed, 1.6 and 22.6., 11:30-13:00, INF 227, SR 1.403
Start: 13.4.11, 9:15

Lecturer: Prof. Werner Aeschbach-Hertig

Exercises: Wed, 13:15-14:00, INF 229, R120 (1st floor)
Start: 4.5.2011

Tutor: Dr. Martin Wieser

Content: Fundamentals of aquatic physics (physical limnology and oceanography, hydro(geo)logy) and isotope hydrology

Literature: Lecture notes
For the part on isotope hydrology: UNESCO/IAEA Series on Environmental Isotopes in the Hydrological Cycle, Principles and Applications (Ed. W.G. Mook).
Available from the website of the IAEA Water Resources Programme (in chapters).
Also available as whole volumes via the UNESCO Publication Server (search for "Mook").

Remarks:

This specialised master course builds on some fundamental contents of the general master course MKEP4 "Environmental Physics", which therefore is a prerequisite. It is also possible to hear the two courses in parallel.

Lecture Notes:

Contents and literature
Part I, chapter 1 (Introduction)
Part I, chapter 2 (Density)
Part I, chapter 3 (Flow) (corrected version, 10.5.11)
Part I, chapter 4 (Transport)
Part I, chapter 5 (Energy)
Part I, chapter 6 (Gas)
Part I, chapter 7 (Groundwater)

Part II, chapter 1 (Isotope hydrology) (preliminary version)
Part II, chapter 2 (Stable isotopes)
Part II, chapter 3 (Tritium)
Part II, chapter 4 (Young waters I)
Part II, chapter 5 (Young waters II)
Part II, chapter 6 (Old waters)
Part II, chapter 7 (Noble gases)

 

Program, Slides, Exercises, Links:

PART I: Aquatic Physics

Useful literature on part I:
Imboden, D.M., and A. Wüest, Mixing mechanisms in lakes, in Physics and chemistry of lakes, edited by A. Lerman, D.M. Imboden, and J.R. Gat, pp. 83-138, Springer, Berlin, 1995.

13.4.11:
1. Introduction (role and physical properties of water)

Exercise sheet 1

29.4.11:
2. Density stratification and flow in lakes and oceans

Exercise sheet 2
Paper: Wueest et al., 1996, Calculation of density from T and S in a lake
Paper: Holzner et al., 2009, Mixing in Lake Lugano, Schmidt-Stability

6.5.11:
3. Turbulent flow in surface waters

Exercise sheet 3

Link to online book on oceanography (e.g., chapter 10 on geostrophic currents):
Stewart: Introduction to Physical Oceanography

13.5.11:
4. Turbulent transport in surface waters

Exercise sheet 4
Data table for exercise 4 (Excel sheet)

20.5.11:
5. Energy flow in surface waters

Exercise sheet 5

27.5.11:
6. Gas exchange

Exercise sheet 6

Wed, 1.6.11, 11:30 - 13:00 in INF227, SR 1.403 :
7. Flow and transport in groundwater

Paper: Alley et al., 2002. Flow and Storage in Groundwater Systems, Science, 296: 1985-1990.

PART II: Isotope Hydrology

Useful literature on part II:
Mook, W.G. (ed.), 2000. UNESCO/IAEA Series on Environmental Isotopes in the Hydrological Cycle, Principles and Applications.
(Particularly important parts: Most of Vol. 1 and 2, and Vol. 6, chapter 2).
Kinzelbach, W., et al. (2002). UNEP-report "A Survey of Methods for Groundwater Recharge in Arid and Semi-arid regions"

10.6.11:
8. Introduction to isotope hydrology

Exercise sheet 7
Data table for exercise 7 (Excel sheet)

17.6.11:
9. Stable isotopes of water

Wed, 22.6.11, 11:30 - 13:00 in INF227, SR 1.403 :
10. Tritium and helium

Exercise sheet 8

1.7.11:
11. Dating young waters: Methods and models

Exercise sheet 9

Lumped-Parameter Software MTFT

Wed, 6.7.11, 11:30 - 13:00 in INF227, SR 1.403 :
12. Dating old waters

Written Exam: Friday, 8.7. 2011, 11:15, INF227, SR 3.401

15.7.11:
13. Noble gases and paleoclimatic applications

22.7.11:
Study Week
(no lecture)