Quantifying hillslope flowpaths and residence times of water implied by the transmissivity feedback hypothesis : an application of the MIPS concept

• Main Author: Tschiesche, Ulrich
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: SLU/Dept. of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment 2012
• Subjects: transmissivity feedback; hillslope model; particle tracking; tracer experiment; runoff processes; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/4740/

The Multiple Interacting Pathways (MIPS) model is a physically based approach for simulating groundwater flow within a hillslope. The MIPS model covers the soil heterogeneities and preferential flow pathways by representing water as particles with a specific volume and through application of velocity distributions and transition probability matrices. To test the underlying assumptions, the model was applied to a slope in the Svartberget catchment in northern Sweden. Several model simulations have been conducted assuming different parameter combinations for a one-year and three-year period. The model is able to reproduce runoff with reasonable success according to transmissivity feedback hypothesis. The steady state at initial time and linear decrease of porosity with depth assumption was analyzed and discussed. Evapotranspiration was incorporated into the model using a transition probability matrix which led to a better model performance.