Review of Hydrologic Analyses Using Atmospheric Water Vapor Transport Data by Ashok N. Shahane

This book is a result of the author’s research work from 1971 to 1973 conducted under the guidance of Dr. Paul Brock at the University of Connecticut. In the preface the author states: “This book is intended to serve as one of many connecting rods between what has been done during the last seven decades (1950–2012) in developing hydrometeorological approach and its applicability in what is coming in the future in terms of satellite technology and its various modern facets (such as electromagnetic imagery, ultraviolet mapping and others) to raise the useful bar of the hydrometeorological approach to one notch higher.” As the author clearly states, this is not a textbook, for its scope is limited, but it can serve as a good reference for the topics covered.

The subject matter of the book is organized in seven chapters. The first chapter is introductory, discussing the development of the concept of hydrologic cycle, the present understanding of the cycle, and available approaches. Quoting Chow (1964) on the scientific development of the hydrologic cycle, the historical period is classified into eight periods from the ancient to the present. The present understanding is divided into the synthesis of existing data, accumulation of new data, and development of new approaches. The available scientific approaches are classified into four types, including water-balance approach, hydrodynamic formulation, statistical methodology, and empirical relationships. This is a short chapter and provides only a cursory look at the hydrologic cycle and scientific hydrology.

Chapter 2 discusses the scope of the book. Beginning with fundamentals of the hydrologic cycle, it discusses both the atmospheric branch and the terrestrial branch of the hydrologic cycle. It then goes onto discussing the development of the hydrometeorological approach and its importance and need. The chapter concludes with a statement of objectives of the book and the assumptions employed in the approach. The chapter is rather brief but well written.

Development of a scheme for data assembly constitutes the subject matter of chapter 3. Starting with a discussion of data compilation schemes, it describes water balance computations for smaller subregions, computations for large drainage areas and hydrologic assumptions, and concludes with noting the differences between what is presented in the book and Malhotra’s investigations. The chapter is short but clearly reflects on where the book is going.

Chapter 4 deals with data analysis. It first describes analysis of hydrologic records, and then discusses statistical methods including time series analysis, correlation analysis, analysis of variance, and central tendencies and hypothesis testing. The chapter provides a listing of computer programs used in the author’s investigations, and discusses the contrast between statistical methodology and previous methodologies. The chapter is well written for what the scope of the chapter is.

Analysis of data is presented in chapter 5 and it comprises three sections, including hydrologic comparisons, statistical information, and mathematical representation. Hydrologic comparisons include comparative evaluation of evapotranspiration and storage values with corresponding Thornthwaite’s values, comparison of evapotranspiration and storage values of ten large regions with Malhotra’s and Thornthwaite’s corresponding values, and comparison of input and output estimates of large combined eastern drainage basin with corresponding available values of Malhotra’s investigations. Statistical information includes objective analysis of statistical results, autocorrelation analysis, and spectral analysis. Mathematical representation comprises methodology, formulation of deterministic part, analysis of residual series, and probability distribution of random part, and is concluded with an illustrative example. It is a good chapter.

Chapter 6 is on conclusions that are divided into general conclusions, statistical conclusions, hydrologic conclusions, and hydrologic-statistical conclusions. The chapter concludes with suggestions for further research. The last chapter 7, is abibliography containing 155 references, most of which are old.

Although not explicitly stated, the book looks like the author’s doctoral dissertation. It is nicely written, and the text is clear and easy-to-understand. The scope of book is limited to its objective, covering 125 letter-size pages. The book will be of value to graduate students and faculty.