Abstract
From an outsider's perspective, hydrology combines field work with
modelling, but mostly ignores the potential for gaining understanding
and conceiving new hypotheses from controlled laboratory experiments.
Sivapalan (2009) pleaded for a question- and hypothesis-driven hydrology
where data analysis and top-down modelling approaches lead to general
explanations and understanding of general trends and patterns. We
discuss why and how such understanding is gained very effectively from
controlled experimentation in comparison to field work and modelling. We
argue that many major issues in hydrology are open to experimental
investigations. Though experiments may have scale problems, these are of
similar gravity as the well-known problems of fieldwork and modelling
and have not impeded spectacular progress through experimentation in
other geosciences.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 369-382 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Feb 2010 |