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SUMMARY:ENAC Seminar Series by Dr S. Bonetti
DTSTART:20210526T140000
DTEND:20210526T144500
DTSTAMP:20260928T223458Z
UID:1ba048ec36fa5b5693b8a99e7fa4e05640f26f119b41e2da835ecf6e
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Dr Sara Bonetti\n14:00 – 14:45 – Dr S. Bonetti\nResearch f
 ellow at University College London\, UK\n\nOn the form and function of dra
 inage basins under natural and disturbed conditions\n\nThe morphology and 
 space-time evolution of drainage basins are key features of the Earth's su
 rface\, regulating ecosystem functions and services and creating visually 
 striking patterns across various scales. However\, a comprehensive underst
 anding of the physical processes leading to the formation of such ridge an
 d valley patterns\, their role in regulating water\, carbon\, and energy b
 udgets\, and a rigorous theoretical examination of the underlying governin
 g equations are still elusive\, especially when anthropogenic disturbances
  affect the natural dynamics. Here\, we start from the derivation of a dif
 ferential equation for the definition of the specific drainage area\, a ke
 y non-local property of catchments\, controlling surface and subsurface hy
 drological fluxes. Such a drainage area equation\, when coupled to landsca
 pe evolution dynamics\, is shown to produce a branching cascade which exhi
 bits remarkable similarities with other complex systems found in Nature an
 d is indicative of a system’s tendency to evolve toward optimal configur
 ations. The impact of anthropogenic disturbances and surface heterogeneiti
 es on hydrological\, geomorphological\, and biogeochemical dynamics are th
 en briefly introduced to highlight the need for holistic descriptions of c
 atchment scale processes that integrate the complex biotic and abiotic int
 eractions acting over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. Progres
 s on this front is key not only to define the main factors and feedbacks s
 haping the Earth’s surface\, but also to foresee the consequences of cli
 mate and land use change\, implement optimal strategies of land management
  and recovery\, and avoid critical transitions to unsustainable conditions
 .\n\nShort bio:\nSara Bonetti received a BSc degree in 2009 and a MSc degr
 ee in 2011 in Civil Engineering\, both from the University of Padova (Ital
 y). From 2012 to 2014 she was a research assistant\, first at Duke Univers
 ity (USA) and then at the University of Padova (Italy). In 2017\, Sara spe
 nt one year at Princeton University (USA) as a visiting graduate student a
 nd in 2018 she obtained her PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering fro
 m Duke University. The focus of her doctoral dissertation was the analysis
  and modelling of landscape evolution and soil erosion. From August 2018 t
 o July 2020\, she was a postdoctoral associate at the Soil and Terrestrial
  Environmental Physics group at ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and\, from March 
 2020\, she has worked as a research fellow at the Institute for Sustainabl
 e Resources at University College London (UK). In March 2021 Sara was appo
 inted Assistant Professor at the Soil Physics and Land Management Group at
  Wageningen University (the Netherlands).\n 
LOCATION:https://epfl.zoom.us/j/83398379314
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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