High-resolution global grids of revised Priestley–Taylor and Hargreaves–Samani coefficients for assessing ASCE-standardized reference crop evapotranspiration and solar radiation

Abstract. The objective of the study is to provide global grids (0.5°) of revised annual coefficients for the Priestley–Taylor (P-T) and Hargreaves–Samani (H-S) evapotranspiration methods after calibration based on the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers)-standardized Penman–Monteith method (the ASCE method includes two reference crops: short-clipped grass and tall alfalfa). The analysis also includes the development of a global grid of revised annual coefficients for solar radiation (Rs) estimations using the respective Rs formula of H-S. The analysis was based on global gridded climatic data of the period 1950–2000. The method for deriving annual coefficients of the P-T and H-S methods was based on partial weighted averages (PWAs) of their mean monthly values. This method estimates the annual values considering the amplitude of the parameter under investigation (ETo and Rs) giving more weight to the monthly coefficients of the months with higher ETo values (or Rs values for the case of the H-S radiation formula). The method also eliminates the effect of unreasonably high or low monthly coefficients that may occur during periods where ETo and Rs fall below a specific threshold. The new coefficients were validated based on data from 140 stations located in various climatic zones of the USA and Australia with expanded observations up to 2016. The validation procedure for ETo estimations of the short reference crop showed that the P-T and H-S methods with the new revised coefficients outperformed the standard methods reducing the estimated root mean square error (RMSE) in ETo values by 40 and 25 %, respectively. The estimations of Rs using the H-S formula with revised coefficients reduced the RMSE by 28 % in comparison to the standard H-S formula. Finally, a raster database was built consisting of (a) global maps for the mean monthly ETo values estimated by ASCE-standardized method for both reference crops, (b) global maps for the revised annual coefficients of the P-T and H-S evapotranspiration methods for both reference crops and a global map for the revised annual coefficient of the H-S radiation formula and (c) global maps that indicate the optimum locations for using the standard P-T and H-S methods and their possible annual errors based on reference values. The database can support estimations of ETo and solar radiation for locations where climatic data are limited and it can support studies which require such estimations on larger scales (e.g. country, continent, world). The datasets produced in this study are archived in the PANGAEA database (https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.868808) and in the ESRN database (http://www.esrn-database.org or http://esrn-database.weebly.com)

Applied reactive transport modeling

The course is designed to provide an introduction to the model-based quantification of a wide range of water quality problems from various industries and disciplines, including contaminant hydrology, mining and water supply

PHREEQC hydrogeochemical transport modeling course

This 4-day short course introduces participants to the modelling of hydrochemical, isotope geochemical, and microbial processes with the popular PHREEQC-2. Simulation of all major biogeochemical processes will be explained and practiced step-by-step starting from simple systems and going towards more complex integrated case studies in the end. The course is designed for people who want to refresh their knowledge on (isotope) hydrochemistry and learn how to construct (isotope) biogeochemical models for their own studies. The course focuses on applications in environmental chemistry and contaminant hydrogeology in groundwater and soils. Exercises cover both organic and inorganic (metal) biogeochemistry

PHREEQC hydrogeochemical and geochemical modeling course

This three-day course introduces participants to the modeling of hydrochemical and isotope geochemical processes with PHREEQC-2. The basics will be covered in the first two days, while simulation of isotope fractionation in geochemical models is explained at the final day. Simulation of all major hydrochemical processes will be explained and practiced step-by-step starting from simple systems and going towards more complex integrated cases in the end. The course is designed for people who want to refresh their knowledge on (isotope) hydrochemistry and learn how to construct (isotope) biogeochemical models for their own studies. The course focuses on applications in contaminant hydrogeology and environmental chemistry in groundwater and soils

Attenuazione naturale controllata: una tecnica di bonifica innovativa ed economica

none2Il presente lavoro trae spunto da un caso di studio inglese assai ben documentato, studiato da anni dal GPRG (Groundwater Protection and Restoration group, University of Sheffield) presso cui gli autori sono direttamente coinvolti in un progetto comune di ricerca, per dimostrare l'efficacia dell'attenuazione naturale e la sua natura fortemente basata sulla caratterizzazione idrogeologica ed idrogeochimica e sulla modellazione in antitesi alle tecniche di bonifica ingegnerizzate sovente adottatenoneGargini A.; Mastrocicco M.Gargini, A.; Mastrocicco, Mico

Reproducing GCHP investments: a common methodology to evaluate the degree of success

Geothermal energy, that is the energy extracted from heat stored in the earth, is one of the most environmentally-friendly and cost-effective energy sources with potential to help mitigate global warming and replace fossil fuels if widely deployed. The IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation (source, IPCC 2010) compares the lifecycle GHG emissions for broad categories of electricity generation technologies and highlights, among other things, the huge potential of the geothermal energy in reducing the GHG emissions. Recent technological progress, the variability of the cost, the difficulty of oil and gas supply from foreign countries and the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels to cut pollution have made the exploitation of geothermal energy, especially low-enthalpy power generation utilizing GCHP (Ground Coupled Heat Pumps), an attractive and viable energy alternative. Advances in technology have dramatically expanded the range and size of viable resources, especially for applications such as home heating and cooling, opening up the potential for widespread exploitation such as geothermal energy applications to curb energy consumption of industry and small and medium enterprises, that are the most exposed to the energy price fluctuation. Therefore, as stressed by the UE Energy Roadmap to 2050, a broad diffusion of this type of energy source could bring a concrete contribution to decarbonise the European economy and meet the targets of reducing the GHG emissions by 20% by 2020 and by 80-95% by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels). Nevertheless, the European Commission points out that this sector is not doing enough to exploit the potential of renewable energy sources (RES), emphasising that increased electricity and heat generation from geothermal resources will partially avoid the need for new fossil fuel power generation. Geothermal heating and cooling still need research and development over the next few years, notably to improve the efficiency of the systems and to decrease installation and operational costs. However, the main barrier to increased geothermal deployment is a lack of appropriate financial incentives and legislation (particularly relevant to the new build market where house-builders must install a certain number of energy efficiency and RES measures to obtain planning permission) as well as on both EU and local level. Hence, the European Commission, in the Renewable Energy Road Map, encourages member states and their local authorities to apply and implement concrete measures in order to improve energy production and distribution, to facilitate financing and investment in the green sector, and to encourage and consolidate rational energy consumption behaviour, with the final aim of making Europe the world leader in renewable energy and low-carbon technologies. GEO.POWER is set against this background. The partnership, composed of twelve partners from nine EU countries under the coordination of the Province of Ferrara (IT), being aware of the energy challenges mentioned above, has implemented a two-year capitalisation project under the INTERREG IVC programme aiming at evaluating the reproducibility of some of the most outstanding examples of best practice currently existing in Europe for the utilisation of low-enthalpy energy, mainly related to the so called ground-coupled heat pumps (GCHP). The project objectives are (a) to exchange the partners’ own experiences on geothermal energy production through GCHP to support the weakest regions to implement large scale investments; (b) to fill the legislation gaps in the geothermal energy sector to address a favourable (political and normative) context to attract investment; (c) to profile an integrated package of final incentives and technical measures in the frame of the forthcoming Regional Operational Programme in the period post 2013, where large amount of funds (currently under negotiations) will be dedicated to co-finance energy efficiency and carbon-free energy projects. In GEO.POWER the necessary implementation measures are outlined in one action plan per project area, to be later on financed through regional and national mainstream programmes or future regional financial instruments. The action plan consists of a local strategy (covering several aspects such as the technological transfer, the definition of subsidy schemes and the training of personnel) for the large scale introduction of GCHP

Natural attenuation processes in the Corona Protocol: application to the "NIT" field site

The contribution of the CORONA project (Confidence in fORecasting Of Natural Attenuation a research project supported by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Programme) to the theoretical background and application principles of Monitoring Natural Attenuation (MNA) is presented. A detailed knowledge of hydrodynamical, hydrochemical and microbiological processes occurring inside and, particularly, at the interfacial fringe of the plume is put in evidence as the key factor in assessing the natural attenuation potential. The plume zonation (both in horizontal and vertical direction) in areas where different redox processes are acting is possible only with high resolution sampling devices such as Multi Level Samplers (MLSs). As a representative case study the NIT plant is been chosen as test site for the application of the Corona Protocol