Representing, Modeling and Visualizing the Natural Environment

 

Introduction to Representing, Modeling, and Visualizing the Natural Environment

Geographic information systems (GIS) provide a range of opportunities for exploring the complexity of the natural environment, offering tools and software packages that undergo continual innovation and development in response to new analytical demands for solutions to spatial problems. Geographic information science (GIScience) provides the academic framework for these technologies, addressing the theoretical and scientific issues associated with the use of GIS . 

Hydrological Cycle

  Hydrological cycle is also known as the “water cycle”; it is the normal water recycling system on Earth . Due to solar radiation, water evaporates, generally from the sea, lakes, etc. Water also evaporates from plant leaves through the mechanism of transpiration. As the steam rises in the atmosphere, it is being cooled, condensed, and returned to the land and the sea as precipitation. Precipitation falls on the earth as surface water and shapes the surface, creating thus streams of water that result in lakes and rivers.

Fig-1 Hydrological Cycle

A part of the water precipitating penetrates the ground and moves downward through the incisions, forming aquifers. Finally, a part of the surface and underground water leads to sea. During this trip, water is converted in all phases: gas, liquid, and solid. As mentioned above, water always changes states between liquid, vapor, and ice, with these processes happening in the blink of an eye and over millions of years. #geology #geologystudent #geologist #hydrology #hydrogeo #hydrogeology

Fig-2 Hydrological Cycle

#watercycle #hydrologicalcycle