TY  - JOUR
AU  - Kollet, Stefan
TI  - Optimality and inference in hydrology from entropy production considerations: synthetic hillslope numerical experiments
JO  - Hydrology and earth system sciences discussions
VL  - 12
IS  - 5
SN  - 1812-2116
CY  - Katlenburg-Lindau
PB  - Soc.
M1  - FZJ-2015-07657
SP  - 5123 - 5149
PY  - 2015
AB  - In this study, entropy production optimization and inference principles are applied to a synthetic semi-arid hillslope in high-resolution, physics-based simulations. The results suggest that entropy or power is indeed maximized, because of the strong nonlinearity of variably saturated flow and competing processes related to soil moisture fluxes, the depletion of gradients, and the movement of a free water table. Thus, it appears that the maximum entropy production (MEP) principle may indeed be applicable to hydrologic systems. In the application to hydrologic system, the free water table constitutes an important degree of freedom in the optimization of entropy production and may also relate the theory to actual observations. In an ensuing analysis, an attempt is made to transfer the complex, "microscopic" hillslope model into a macroscopic model of reduced complexity using the MEP principle as an interference tool to obtain effective conductance coefficients and forces/gradients. The results demonstrate a new approach for the application of MEP to hydrologic systems and may form the basis for fruitful discussions and research in future.
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
DO  - DOI:10.5194/hessd-12-5123-2015
UR  - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/279775
ER  -