lumpR 2.0.0: an R package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope-based hydrological models

The characteristics of a landscape pose essential factors for hydrological processes. Therefore, an adequate representation of the landscape of a catchment in hydrological models is vital. However, many of such models exist differing, amongst others, in spatial concept and discretisation. The la...

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Main Authors: T. Pilz, T. Francke, A. Bronstert
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2017-08-01
Series:Geoscientific Model Development
Online Access:https://www.geosci-model-dev.net/10/3001/2017/gmd-10-3001-2017.pdf
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author T. Pilz
T. Francke
A. Bronstert
author_facet T. Pilz
T. Francke
A. Bronstert
author_sort T. Pilz
collection DOAJ
description The characteristics of a landscape pose essential factors for hydrological processes. Therefore, an adequate representation of the landscape of a catchment in hydrological models is vital. However, many of such models exist differing, amongst others, in spatial concept and discretisation. The latter constitutes an essential pre-processing step, for which many different algorithms along with numerous software implementations exist. In that context, existing solutions are often model specific, commercial, or depend on commercial back-end software, and allow only a limited or no workflow automation at all. <br><br> Consequently, a new package for the scientific software and scripting environment R, called <i>lumpR</i>, was developed. lumpR employs an algorithm for hillslope-based landscape discretisation directed to large-scale application via a hierarchical multi-scale approach. The package addresses existing limitations as it is free and open source, easily extendible to other hydrological models, and the workflow can be fully automated. Moreover, it is user-friendly as the direct coupling to a GIS allows for immediate visual inspection and manual adjustment. Sufficient control is furthermore retained via parameter specification and the option to include expert knowledge. Conversely, completely automatic operation also allows for extensive analysis of aspects related to landscape discretisation. <br><br> In a case study, the application of the package is presented. A sensitivity analysis of the most important discretisation parameters demonstrates its efficient workflow automation. Considering multiple streamflow metrics, the employed model proved reasonably robust to the discretisation parameters. However, parameters determining the sizes of subbasins and hillslopes proved to be more important than the others, including the number of representative hillslopes, the number of attributes employed for the lumping algorithm, and the number of sub-discretisations of the representative hillslopes.
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spelling doaj.art-e68041d885c4438098c79b312f4ecba32022-12-22T01:45:39ZengCopernicus PublicationsGeoscientific Model Development1991-959X1991-96032017-08-01103001302310.5194/gmd-10-3001-2017lumpR 2.0.0: an R package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope-based hydrological modelsT. Pilz0T. Francke1A. Bronstert2Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, GermanyInstitute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, GermanyInstitute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, GermanyThe characteristics of a landscape pose essential factors for hydrological processes. Therefore, an adequate representation of the landscape of a catchment in hydrological models is vital. However, many of such models exist differing, amongst others, in spatial concept and discretisation. The latter constitutes an essential pre-processing step, for which many different algorithms along with numerous software implementations exist. In that context, existing solutions are often model specific, commercial, or depend on commercial back-end software, and allow only a limited or no workflow automation at all. <br><br> Consequently, a new package for the scientific software and scripting environment R, called <i>lumpR</i>, was developed. lumpR employs an algorithm for hillslope-based landscape discretisation directed to large-scale application via a hierarchical multi-scale approach. The package addresses existing limitations as it is free and open source, easily extendible to other hydrological models, and the workflow can be fully automated. Moreover, it is user-friendly as the direct coupling to a GIS allows for immediate visual inspection and manual adjustment. Sufficient control is furthermore retained via parameter specification and the option to include expert knowledge. Conversely, completely automatic operation also allows for extensive analysis of aspects related to landscape discretisation. <br><br> In a case study, the application of the package is presented. A sensitivity analysis of the most important discretisation parameters demonstrates its efficient workflow automation. Considering multiple streamflow metrics, the employed model proved reasonably robust to the discretisation parameters. However, parameters determining the sizes of subbasins and hillslopes proved to be more important than the others, including the number of representative hillslopes, the number of attributes employed for the lumping algorithm, and the number of sub-discretisations of the representative hillslopes.https://www.geosci-model-dev.net/10/3001/2017/gmd-10-3001-2017.pdf
spellingShingle T. Pilz
T. Francke
A. Bronstert
lumpR 2.0.0: an R package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope-based hydrological models
Geoscientific Model Development
title lumpR 2.0.0: an R package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope-based hydrological models
title_full lumpR 2.0.0: an R package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope-based hydrological models
title_fullStr lumpR 2.0.0: an R package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope-based hydrological models
title_full_unstemmed lumpR 2.0.0: an R package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope-based hydrological models
title_short lumpR 2.0.0: an R package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope-based hydrological models
title_sort lumpr 2 0 0 an r package facilitating landscape discretisation for hillslope based hydrological models
url https://www.geosci-model-dev.net/10/3001/2017/gmd-10-3001-2017.pdf
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