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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Dalton Medal Lecture: How far can we go in distributed hydrological modelling?
AU - Beven, K. J.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - This paper considers distributed hydrological models in hydrology as an expression of a pragmatic realism. Some of the problems of distributed modelling are discussed including the problem of nonlinearity, the problem of scale, the problem of equifinality, the problem of uniqueness and the problem of uncertainty. A structure for the application of distributed modelling is suggested based on an uncertain or fuzzy landscape space to model space mapping. This is suggested as the basis for an Alternative Blueprint for distributed modelling in the form of an application methodology. This Alternative Blueprint is scientific in that it allows for the formulation of testable hypotheses. It focusses attention on the prior evaluation of models in terms of physical realism and on the value of data in model rejection. Finally, some unresolved questions are outlined that distributed modelling must address in the future together with a vision for distributed modelling as a means of learning about places.
AB - This paper considers distributed hydrological models in hydrology as an expression of a pragmatic realism. Some of the problems of distributed modelling are discussed including the problem of nonlinearity, the problem of scale, the problem of equifinality, the problem of uniqueness and the problem of uncertainty. A structure for the application of distributed modelling is suggested based on an uncertain or fuzzy landscape space to model space mapping. This is suggested as the basis for an Alternative Blueprint for distributed modelling in the form of an application methodology. This Alternative Blueprint is scientific in that it allows for the formulation of testable hypotheses. It focusses attention on the prior evaluation of models in terms of physical realism and on the value of data in model rejection. Finally, some unresolved questions are outlined that distributed modelling must address in the future together with a vision for distributed modelling as a means of learning about places.
KW - distributed hydrological modelling
KW - uncertainty
KW - model calibration
KW - parameters
M3 - Journal article
VL - 5
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
JF - Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
SN - 1027-5606
IS - 1
ER -