Autonomous aerial transportation has multiple potential applications including emergency cases and rescue missions where ground intervention may be difficult. In this context, the following work will address the control of multi-agent Vertical Take-off and Landing aircraft (VTOL) transportation system. We develop a decentralized method. The advantage of such a solution is that it can provide better maneuverability and lifting capabilities compared to existing systems. First, we consider a cooperative group of VTOLs transporting one payload. The main idea is that each agent perceive the interaction with other agents as a disturbance while assuming a negotiated motion model and imposing certain magnitude bounds on each agent. The theoretical model will be then validated using a numerical simulation illustrating the interesting features of the presented control method. Results show that under specified disturbances, the algorithm is able to guarantee the tracking with a minimal error. We describe a toolbox that has been developed for this purpose. Then, a system of multiple VTOLs lifting payloads will be studied. The algorithm assures that the VTOLs are coordinated with minimal communication. Additionally, a novel gripper design for ferrous objects is presented that enables the transportation of ferrous objects without a cable. Finally, we discuss potential connections to human in the loop transportation systems.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-02-23T14:12:41Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Wanderlubio Barbosa Gentil - 2015.pdf: 4515031 bytes, checksum: 78402e1eba98343039253c31f031e84e (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-02-23T14:14:09Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Wanderlubio Barbosa Gentil - 2015.pdf: 4515031 bytes, checksum: 78402e1eba98343039253c31f031e84e (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-23T14:14:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Wanderlubio Barbosa Gentil - 2015.pdf: 4515031 bytes, checksum: 78402e1eba98343039253c31f031e84e (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-14 / The sedimentation in reservoir occurs due to the deposition of particles which are named sediments and are carried through the flow. It’s a process that will occur anyway, however it’s likely to be controlled. Whatever the purpose of the reservoir is, we can verify that the characteristics of the operation can be compromised over time, with its capacity of storage being partial or totally taken by sediments due to a series of variables. Due to these processes, the sedimentation in reservoirs is a very relevant subject given that Brazil is a country which has a strong dependency on the energy generated through hydropower and, therefore, has built several reservoirs. The construction of a dam can bring several socioeconomic and environmental impacts, among them the sedimentation, which appears as a problem that affects the volume and capacity of generating energy in reservoirs. The present research has as main objective the evaluation of some steps of the sedimentation process of Caçu’s Hydroelectric Power plant reservoir (Usina Hidrelétrica Caçu), where a study of silting behavior was developed relating the water speed to the suspended sediments and the bathymetry of the bottom. We were able to find that the places where there was the greatest sediments accumulation was in the section between the end of the zone classified as river and the beginning of the transition zone and that this accumulation occurred according to the speed alterations, when the water flux loses its strength and the sediments are deposited on the river bed. This study allowed us to verify, with the bathymetry, the changes in the silting and, with the mapping of the speed, the reservoir’s longitudinal compartmentalization as well as the most likely places of accumulation. / A sedimentação em reservatório acontece em função da deposição de partículas que são chamadas de sedimentos e que são carreadas por meio do escoamento. É um processo que vai ocorrer de qualquer forma; entretanto, é passível de ser controlado. Qualquer que seja a finalidade do reservatório verifica-se que as características de operação podem ser comprometidas ao longo do tempo, sendo sua capacidade de armazenamento parcial ou totalmente tomada por sedimentos em virtude de uma série de variáveis. Em função disso, a sedimentação em reservatórios é um assunto muito relevante, tendo em vista que o Brasil é um País que tem forte dependência na energia gerada por meio de hidroeletricidade e, portanto, com vários reservatórios construídos. A construção de uma barragem pode trazer vários impactos socioeconômicos e ambientais, dentre eles, a sedimentação, que aparece como um problema que afeta o volume e capacidade de geração de energia em reservatórios. A presente pesquisa tem como principal enfoque a avaliação de algumas etapas do processo de sedimentação do reservatório da Usina Hidrelétrica de Caçu, onde se desenvolveu um estudo do comportamento do assoreamento relacionando a velocidade da água aos sedimentos em suspensão e à batimetria do fundo. Constatou-se que os locais onde houve o maior acúmulo de sedimentos foi no trecho compreendido entre o final da zona classificada como rio e o início da zona de transição e que esse acúmulo ocorreu conforme as alterações de velocidade, quando o fluxo de água perde a força e os sedimentos são depositados no leito. O estudo permitiu constatar, com a batimetria, as alterações no assoreamento e, com o mapeamento da velocidade, a compartimentação longitudinal do reservatório, bem como os locais mais propensos ao acúmulo.

Vários métodos de amostragem e análise de partículas em suspensão na atmosfera foram discutidos. Os métodos mais utilizados, gravimétrico e refletância foram testados comparativamente e quanto à correlação entre seus resultados em dois locais distintos. Os fatores intervenientes nos resultados obtidos foram estudados quanto à sua influência. Os métodos gravimétrico e reflectância foram analisados quanto a exatidão dos resultados fornecidos e quanto ao seu significado higiênico em função da correlação existente entre concentração de partículas na atmosfera e danos à saúde. A presente investigação levou o autor a concluir por uma significante diferença entre os resultados fornecidos pelos métodos em estudo, por uma correlação estratificada e variável de local para local entre eles, e por inadequacidade dos valores fornecidos por cada um dos métodos em estudo quanto ao fato de não fornecerem os valores de concentração de partículas na atmosfera mais correlacionados com danos à saúde. O autor sugere o uso ou o desenvolvimento de um método que pelo menos separe as partículas nas frações respirável e não respirável e que permita uma análise posterior de cada uma das frações. Sugere ainda que concomitantemente sejam efetuados estudos epidemiológicos de correlação entre os valores obtidos e danos à saúde para determinação de novos padrões de qualidade do ar para partículas em suspensão na atmosfera. / Various methods to evaluate concentrations of suspended particulate matter were discussed. The two most commonly ueed methods, gravimetric high volume sampler and DECD reflectance method were tested to compare and correlate their results in two different places. The interfering factors were studied to deter mine their influence on the results. The hivol and reflectance methods were analysed according to the accuracy of the results and according to the hygienic significance as they correlate with health effects. This investigation brought the author to the conclusion that there is a significant statistical difference between the results of the two methods. There are correlations between the methods, which are stratified and vary from one place to the other. Finally, however the results are not the best estimate of the concentratios of suspended particulate matter that correlates with health effects. The author suggests the use or the development of a new method that at least can separate the particles sampled into two fractions, one respirable and another non-respirable. Both fractions must be collected in such a way and in such quantities that allow for adequate analysis afterwards. It is suggested also, that epidemiological studies to correlate the results with health effects must be carried on et the same time in arder to set new air quality standards for suspended particute matter.

Neste trabalho apresenta-se um estudo do comportamento estrutural de cestas protendidas, tendo em vista a sua utilização em coberturas pênseis de grandes áreas livres. A partir da Técnica do Meio Contínuo obtêm-se as equações que permitem analisar as cestas protendidas quanto a esforços e deslocamentos. Fazem-se considerações sobre o sistema de equações encontrado visando a sua resolução mediante o emprego de programa computacional como instrumento de cálculo. Apresentam-se exemplos numéricos e os resultados são comparados com os obtidos em outros trabalhos. Fazem-se algumas considerações a respeito do projeto e do cálculo de cestas protendidas, além de algumas indicações sobre a continuidade da pesquisa. / This work presents a continuous medium method analysis of cable nets and their applications as suspended roofs for large free spans. lnitially the theory of the method is presented and later applied to get the system of differential equation that represents the problem. Finally this system is numerically solved with computational procedures. Some examples are presented and the results compared with those obtained with others methods and numerical procedures. Some analysis and design considerations and further developments in this subject are also included.

Neste trabalho apresenta-se um estudo do comportamento estrutural de cestas protendidas, tendo em vista a sua utilização em coberturas pênseis de grandes áreas livres. A partir da Técnica do Meio Contínuo obtêm-se as equações que permitem analisar as cestas protendidas quanto a esforços e deslocamentos. Fazem-se considerações sobre o sistema de equações encontrado visando a sua resolução mediante o emprego de programa computacional como instrumento de cálculo. Apresentam-se exemplos numéricos e os resultados são comparados com os obtidos em outros trabalhos. Fazem-se algumas considerações a respeito do projeto e do cálculo de cestas protendidas, além de algumas indicações sobre a continuidade da pesquisa. / This work presents a continuous medium method analysis of cable nets and their applications as suspended roofs for large free spans. lnitially the theory of the method is presented and later applied to get the system of differential equation that represents the problem. Finally this system is numerically solved with computational procedures. Some examples are presented and the results compared with those obtained with others methods and numerical procedures. Some analysis and design considerations and further developments in this subject are also included.

Medidas complementares ao monitoramento in situ da qualidade da água podem ser obtidas por meio de sensoriamento remoto, sendo clorofila-a e sólidos suspensos alguns dos parâmetros que podem ser estimados. Este trabalho teve como objetivo explorar técnicas de processamento de imagens, análises estatísticas e de inteligência artificial com o objetivo de predizer e modelar as concentrações de clorofila-a e sólidos suspensos totais na Represa do Lobo/SP. Metodologicamente, foram realizadas coletas em campo, em três diferentes datas, para amostragem de água e posterior análise laboratorial. Os resultados limnológicos foram analisados, modelados e comparados com imagens processadas do satélite Sentinel-2. Análises de regressão e redes neurais artificiais (RNA) foram exploradas para gerar modelos de predição para a área de estudo. Os resultados indicam que métodos de regressão podem não ser adequados para capturar as relações lineares e/ou não-lineares entre os compostos de interesse e as respostas espectrais da água recebidas pelo satélite, indicando a capacidade das redes neurais em modelar relações mais complexas. Através da integração da resposta que o sensor MSI do satélite Sentinel-2 coletou nas regiões do visível ao infravermelho médio e de RNAs foi possível modelar a concentração de clorofila-a, com valores de R² superiores a 0,65 e de RMSE inferiores a 2,5 μg/L, e gerar mapas que permitam seu monitoramento temporal e análise espacial na área de estudo. Os resultados para SST não foram satisfatórios devido à complexidade óptica do ambiente analisado, bem como as baixas concentrações de SST na represa. Portanto, a integração de dados de sensoriamento remoto no mapeamento de corpos d\'água com a aplicação de redes neurais na análise de dados é uma abordagem promissora para prever clorofila-a e sólidos suspensos, bem como suas variações temporais e espaciais. / Complementary measures to in situ monitoring of water quality can be obtained through remote sensing, with chlorophyll-a and suspended solids being some of the parameters that can be estimated. The objective of this work was to explore techniques for image processing, statistical analysis and artificial intelligence with the objective of predicting and modeling the concentrations of chlorophyll-a and total suspended solids in the Lobo Reservoir/SP. Methodologically, field samples were collected in three different dates for water sampling and laboratory analysis. The limnological results were analyzed, modeled and compared with processed images of the Sentinel-2 satellite. Regression analysis and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were explored to generate prediction models for the study area. The results indicate that regression methods may not be adequate to capture linear and/or nonlinear relationships between the compounds of interest and the spectral responses of water received by the satellite, indicating the ability of neural networks to model more complex relationships. Through of the integration of response wich the MSI sensor of Sentinel satellite collected in the visible and near-infrared regions and of the ANN analysis was possible modeling the chlorophyll-a concentration, wich R² values highers of 0.65 and RMSE less 2.5, and create predict maps wich allow your temporal monitoring and spatial analysis in the study area. The TSS results were unsatisfactory because of the optic complexity of analysed ambient, as well as your small TSS concentrations in the Lobo Reservoir. Therefore, the integration of remote sensing data in the mapping of water bodies with the application of neural networks in the data analysis is a promising approach to predict chlorophyll-a and suspended solids as well as their temporal and spatial variations.

Nous vous proposons un procédé de fabrication pour obtenir des dispositifs de graphène suspendu avec rendement élevé (~ 90%). Surtout, nous nous concentrons sur l'intégrabilité de procédé ainsi que sa compatibilité avec les technologies existantes de silicium. Pour répondre à ces questions, nous avons développé un système de fabrication à base de graphène qui était synthétisé par dépôt chimique en phase vapeur (CVD).L'étape la plus importante dans le processus de fabrication est liée à la gravure du substrat de SiO2 sous-jacente à suspendre les rubans de graphène. Il est souvent rapporté dans la littérature que, à ce stade, les forces capillaires peuvent provoquer l'effondrement des rubans de graphène. En dehors de cet effet, nous avons trouvé que la qualité de l'interface entre le masque de gravure et le substrat est essentielle pour suspendre les dispositifs de graphène avec succès. Ce n'est que lorsque la qualité de cette interface a été amélioré, nous avons atteint des rendements remarquablement élevés d'environ 90%. Caractérisation par spectroscopie Raman, la microscopie électronique à balayage (MEB) et microscopie à force atomique (AFM), qui était effectuée après chaque étape de fabrication, ont attesté que notre méthodologie n'a aucune dommage sur la qualité du graphène.Par la suite, nous avons utilisé la spectroscopie Raman pour étudier le dopage et la contrainte dans nos dispositifs de graphène CVD. Alors que nous avons observé une forte dopage de type p sur graphène supporté sur SiO2 dans l'air, le dopage seul ne peut pas tenir compte des spectres observés. Au lieu de cela, nous concluons que les échantillons de graphène mesurées présentent une contrainte interne de compression, qui ne se relâche pas complètement pendant la fabrication. Nous attribuons cette contrainte au budget de la température de CVD et au polymère rigide de transfert.Enfin, nous avons étudié les caractéristiques électriques de nos dispositifs à température ambiante ainsi qu'à basse température. Les mesures ont confirmé la forte dopage de type p de graphène, et en suite, ‘back-gating' ont donné une modulation faible de courant. Mesures magnéto-transport, qui sont effectuées à 20 K et 4, ont été utilisés pour extraire la densité de porteurs et la mobilité des dispositifs supportés sur SiO2. Faibles valeurs de mobilité sont attribuées à la diffusion par les joints de grains. À des champs magnétiques faibles, nous avons observé des signatures de localisation faible, ce qui implique que ‘intervalley scattering' est le mécanisme dominant dans nos échantillons. À des champs magnétiques élevés, la résistivité longitudinale a montré oscillations robuste à température qui pourraient être identifiés comme niveaux de Landau. / We propose a high-yield (~ 90%) fabrication route to obtain suspended graphene devices. Importantly, we focus on the scalability of the process as well as its compatibility with existing Si technologies. To address these issues, we developed a fabrication scheme based on graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).The most crucial step in the fabrication process relates to the etching of the underlying SiO2 substrate to suspend the graphene ribbons. It is often reported in the literature that at this stage, capillary forces can lead to the collapse of the graphene beams. We have found that apart from this effect, the quality of the interface between the etch mask and the substrate is key to successfully suspend graphene devices. Only when the quality of this interface was improved, were we able to achieve remarkably high yields of approximately 90%. Characterization by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), performed after each step of fabrication, attested that our methodology does not impact the quality of the graphene.We have subsequently employed Raman spectroscopy to investigate doping and strain in our CVD graphene devices. While we did observe a strong p-type doping of graphene supported on SiO2 in air, doping alone cannot account for the observed spectra. Instead, we conclude that the measured graphene samples display a compressive internal strain, which does not fully relax during fabrication. We attribute this strain to the large temperature budget of the CVD process and to the rigid transfer polymer.

<p>The Earth’s surface contains of 71% oceans and a large part of the global carbon cycle takes place in the oceans. In the aquatic environment, the sediment-water interface plays an important role for the mineralisation of organic material. One factor that can affect the mineralisation is resuspension. Resuspension cause mixing of surface sediments and bottom water and result in a redistribution of the sediment when it settles again. Resuspension also increases the transport of oxygen into the sediment, reduces the diffusive boundary layer surrounding particles, and enhance the nutrient uptake. Resuspension can be induced by both wave action and bottom currents and is a common physical process in both shallow coastal areas and in the deep ocean. Human impacts, such as dredging and trawling, can also cause resuspension.</p><p>The effect of resuspension on mineralisation of organic material was studied in two experiments ex situ during December to April 2004/2005. The aim for Experiment 1 was to investigate how the intensity of the resuspension event affects the degradation rate. The aim for Experiment 2 was to investigate how different concentrations of resuspended sediment affect the degradation rate of organic matter. Sediment samples were collected in December and late March at a marine field station, Askö, Sweden. Sediment and bottom water were transferred to and incubated in sealed bottles. For Experiment 1, resuspension was created in bottles with a specially designed rotary table, creating different intensity of water movements. In Experiment 2, bottles with different concentrations of sediment were put on an ordinary rotary table. The mineralisation rates were in both experiments monitored by daily sampling of sediment-water slurry, and analysed for total inorganic carbon by a gas chromatography with a thermal detector, GC-TCD.</p><p>Results from Experiment 1 did not show any clear patterns regarding inorganic carbon formation. Experiment 2 did show clear patterns for two of six replicates of mineralisation of organic material. For these replicates the mineralisation rate were low according to previous studies. However, the sediment concentration seems to not affect the mineralisation rate. For both experiments, valuable information on how to better design experiments to investigate the importance of resuspension and the effect of mineralisation of organic material was yielded. Hence, further studies are needed to continue the investigation of the importance of resuspension for the mineralisation rate of organic material, and its impacts on the nutrient fluxes in the oceans.</p>

Urban development will continue to increase in Texas because of population growth and urban sprawl. Despite the desire for urbanization and expansion of the economy, this growth increases the amount of construction, which, if not properly managed, can increase non-point source pollution and threaten surface water quality. Therefore, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has approved and promoted the use of compost as a stormwater best management practice (BMP) during highway construction. The objectives of this study were to construct and calibrate an indoor rainfall simulator and to determine the effectiveness of using compost rather than conventional hydroseeding or topsoil to reduce erosion from disturbed soils. Runoff rates, interrill erosion, and interrill erodibility were determined and compared across five compost treatments following TxDOT specifications for compost applied as an erosion control and two control treatments of topsoil (TS) and hydroseeding (HS) applied at 5 cm depth. The simulator produced 89% uniformity using ten Veejet 80100 nozzles at a target rate of 100 mm h-1. The surface runoff was collected after 5 minutes of rainfall (first flush) and during the last 30 minutes of rainfall (steady-state). The first flush mean runoff for GUC-5 treatment was significantly higher than all other treatments. All other treatments; 50% woodchips and 50% compost blend (ECC-1.3, ECC-5), and hydroseeding (HS) had significantly lower runoff and erosion rates compared to topsoil (TS) and compost manufactured topsoil (CMT) at first flush and steady-state. Furthermore, there were no performance differences between 1.3 cm and 5 cm compost applications at first flush or steady-state. The results of this project indicate that particle size, soil moisture capabilities, and time at which rainfall is applied affect surface runoff. TxDOT specification of using ECC at 5 cm depth on a max of 3:1 slope should be reconsidered. An ECC application depth of 1.3 cm was effective in reducing first flush runoff and interrill erosion rates.

Rainfall, snow-, and glacial melt throughout the Himalaya control river discharge, which is vital for maintaining agriculture, drinking water and hydropower generation. However, the spatiotemporal contribution of these discharge components to Himalayan rivers is not well understood, mainly because of the scarcity of ground-based observations. Consequently, there is also little known about the triggers and sources of peak sediment flux events, which account for extensive hydropower reservoir filling and turbine abrasion. We therefore lack basic information on the distribution of water resources and controls of erosion processes. In this thesis, I employ various methods to assess and quantify general characteristics of and links between precipitation, river discharge, and sediment flux in the Sutlej Valley. First, I analyze daily precipitation data (1998-2007) from 80 weather stations in the western Himalaya, to decipher the distribution of rain- and snowfall. Rainfall magnitude frequency analyses indicate that 40% of the summer rainfall budget is attributed to monsoonal rainstorms, which show higher variability in the orogenic interior than in frontal regions. Combined analysis of rainstorms and sediment flux data of a major Sutlej River tributary indicate that monsoonal rainfall has a first order control on erosion processes in the orogenic interior, despite the dominance of snowfall in this region. Second, I examine the contribution of rainfall, snow and glacial melt to river discharge in the Sutlej Valley (s55,000 km2), based on a distributed hydrological model, which covers the period 2000-2008. To achieve high spatial and daily resolution despite limited ground-based observations the hydrological model is forced by daily remote sensing data, which I adjusted and calibrated with ground station data. The calibration shows that the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 rainfall product systematically overestimates rainfall in semi-arid and arid regions, increasing with aridity. The model results indicate that snowmelt-derived discharge (74%) is most important during the pre-monsoon season (April to June) whereas rainfall (56%) and glacial melt (17%) dominate the monsoon season (July-September). Therefore, climate change most likely causes a reduction in river discharge during the pre-monsoon season, which especially affects the orogenic interior. Third, I investigate the controls on suspended sediment flux in different parts of the Sutlej catchments, based on daily gauging data from the past decade. In conjunction with meteorological data, earthquake records, and rock strength measurements I find that rainstorms are the most frequent trigger of high-discharge events with peaks in suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) that account for the bulk of the suspended sediment flux. The suspended sediment flux increases downstream, mainly due to increases in runoff. Pronounced erosion along the Himalayan Front occurs throughout the monsoon season, whereas efficient erosion of the orogenic interior is confined to single extreme events. The results of this thesis highlight the importance of snow and glacially derived melt waters in the western Himalaya, where extensive regions receive only limited amounts of monsoonal rainfall. These regions are therefore particularly susceptible to global warming with major implications on the hydrological cycle. However, the sediment discharge data show that infrequent monsoonal rainstorms that pass the orographic barrier of the Higher Himalaya are still the primary trigger of the highest-impact erosion events, despite being subordinate to snow and glacially–derived discharge. These findings may help to predict peak sediment flux events and could underpin the strategic development of preventative measures for hydropower infrastructures. / Regen, Schnee- und Gletscherschmelze speisen die Flüsse des Himalajas, die eine große Bedeutung für die Landwirtschaft, Trinkwasserversorgung und Wasserkraftnutzung in Südasien aufweisen. Welchen Anteil die einzelnen Abflusskomponenten am Gesamtabfluss in Raum und Zeit besitzen, ist jedoch kaum quantifiziert, da es in der entlegenen Region an Bodenmessstationen mangelt. Aus diesem Grund ist auch wenig über die Auslöser und Herkunftsgebiete von hohen Sedimentaustragsereignissen bekannt, die im erheblichen Maße dazu beitragen, dass die Kapazität vonWasserkraftreservoiren abnimmt undWasserkraftturbinen abradieren. Daher fehlen bisher grundlegende Informationen zur räumlichen Verteilung von Wasserressourcen und zu den Ursachen von Erosionsprozessen. In dieser Arbeit benutze ich verschiedene Methoden um die Eigenschaften von und die Beziehungen zwischen Niederschlag, Abflussmenge und Sedimentaustrag im Sutlej-Tal zu untersuchen. In einer ersten Studie analysiere ich Tagesniederschläge (1998-2007) von 80 Wetterstationen aus dem westlichen Himalaja, um die räumliche Verteilung von Regen- und Schneeniederschlägen zu charakterisieren. Die weitere Analyse der Magnituden-Häufigkeitsverteilung von Regenfällen zeigt, dass 40% der sommerlichen Niederschläge auf monsunale Starkregenereignisse zurückgehen, die eine höhere Variabilität im Gebirgsinneren aufweisen als an der Gebirgsfront. Die Kombination von Niederschlagsdaten mit Sedimentaustragsdaten für einen der größten Zuflüsse des Sutlejs zeigt, dass monsunaler Niederschlag der primäre Auslöser von Erosionsprozessen im Gebirgsinneren ist, ungeachtet größerer Abflussmengen durch Schnee- und Gletscherschmelze. In einer zweiten Studie untersuche ich den Beitrag von Regen, Schnee- und Gletscherschmelze zur Abflussmenge im Sutlej-Tal (s55.000 km2) mit Hilfe eines hydrologischen Modells für den Jahreszeitraum 2000-2008. Um trotz der begrenzten Bodenmessungen eine hohe räumliche und zeitliche Auflösung zu erzielen, basiert das Modell auf täglichen Fernerkundungsdaten, die ich mit allen verfügbaren Bodenstationsdaten kalibriert und an diese angepasst habe. Die Kalibrierung zeigt, dass das Regenniederschlagsprodukt 3B42 der „Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission“ (TRMM) den Bodenniederschlag in den semi-ariden bis ariden Gebirgsregionen mit zunehmender Trockenheit systematisch überschätzt. Die Modellierungsergebnisse verdeutlichen, dass die Schneeschmelze den bedeutendsten Beitrag zur Abflussmenge (74 %) zwischen April und Juni aufbringt, während Regen (56%) und Gletscherschmelze (17%) die Monsunsaison (Juli-September) prägen. Daher ist anzunehmen, dass der Klimawandel zu einer Verringerung der Abflussmenge zwischen April und Juni führen wird, was sich besonders auf das Gebirgsinnere auswirkt. In einer dritten Studie untersuche ich mit Hilfe von täglichen Messdaten der letzten Dekade die Ursachen und Eigenschaften des Sedimentaustrags in verschiedenen Bereichen des Sutlej-Einzugsgebietes. Auf der Grundlage von meteorologischen Daten, Erdbebenaufzeichnungen und Gesteinsfestigkeitsmessungen identifiziere ich Starkregenereignisse als häufigste Ursache für extreme Erosionsereignisse, die einen Großteil des gesamten Sedimentaustrags ausmachen. Großräumig betrachtet nimmt der Sedimentaustrag flussabwärts zu, was hauptsächlich auf den Anstieg der Abflussmenge zurückzuführen ist. Zur Monsunzeit treten Erosionsprozesse entlang der Himalajafront besonders häufig auf, während im Gebirgsinneren die Erosion auf einzelne Extremereignisse beschränkt ist. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit untersteichen die Bedeutung von Schnee- und Gletscherschmelze im westlichen Himalaja, in dem große Gebiete nur vereinzelt von monsunalen Niederschlägen erreicht werden. Diese Gebiete sind daher besonders anfällig für den Klimawandel mit weitreichenden Konsequenzen für den Wasserhaushalt in der Region. Die Analyse von Sedimentaustragsdaten zeigt jedoch, dass vereinzelte monsunale Regenstürme, welche die topographische Barriere des Himalaja überqueren, die primäre Ursache von extremen Erosionsereignissen sind, trotz der größeren Abflussmengen von Schnee- und Gletscherschmelze im Gebirgsinneren. Diese Ergebnisse können dazu beitragen, große Erosionsereignisse vorherzusagen und vorbeugende Maßnahmen zum Schutz von Wasserkraftanlagen zu entwickeln.