Climate and Water: The physical science basis and key processes

This course will brief the key processes of hydrology and meteorology, two intertwined Earth-science disciplines that focus on the terrestrial water cycle. The students will first be introduced to the fundamental sciences governing the climate and hydrological systems, represented by a wide range of variables such as precipitation, wind, air pressure, evaporation, (sub)surface water, and rivers. The course will discuss the meteorological and hydrological processes underlying these variables and the way they are linked through the water balance. The course will also explain the approaches, techniques and models that are used to measure or estimate these variables for the past, present and future. The final part will cover recent advances in understanding changes in the water cycle in a changing world and insights into how climate models are used to support impactful research at the global, regional and national scale to inform decisions.