| KEYWORD |
Area Engineering
Impact of climate change on the melting dynamics of mountain snow cover
keywords MEASUREMENTS IN THE MOUNTAINS, SNOW, WATER RESOURCE
Reference persons DAVIDE POGGI
Description Snowpack can be called natural “water reservoir” because it’s a vital headwaters to many rivers and other freshwater sources. This freshwater arrives from melting snow that produces streamflow that winds up in streams, rivers, lakes and eventually oceans. In total, mountain meltwater and runoff account for more than 50 percent of the world’s freshwater. From the Himalayas in Asia to the Alps in Europe to the Rockies in North America, high-elevation-mountains are all important sources of water to the billions of people in the lowlands.
Climate change will strongly impact both the quantity of snow deposited in the mountains in winter and the melting dynamics in spring. This effect can have devastating impacts on agricultural, drinking and hydroelectric uses in the coming years.
The proposed thesis has various aspects that can be explored and is part of a multi-year study already underway and which will be conducted for several years. The study is based on experimental approaches to measuring the Snow Water Equivalent in mountain areas and modeling to estimate the runoff due to melting snow.
Deadline 21/03/2025
PROPONI LA TUA CANDIDATURA