Chapter
May 14, 2019
Chapter 11

Multivariate Frequency Distributions in Hydrology

Publication: Statistical Analysis of Hydrologic Variables: Methods and Applications

Abstract

Copula-based multivariate frequency analysis is a fairly new approach and its applicability and usefulness in the field of hydrology are being actively researched. This chapter presents multivariate hydrological frequency analysis, elaborating the copula approach, as employed for rainfall, flood, and drought processes. It presents the conventional distribution functions traditionally used for these purposes. This chapter examines the copula concept and the various types of copula models that are in use in hydrology. Since there are a variety of copulas capable of characterizing a broad range of dependence, the selection of appropriate copulas for different hydrological applications becomes a non-trivial task. The bivariate copula fitting gives details of the procedures for selection and estimation of copula parameters. This chapter illustrates the use of the copula method by presenting a few examples. Potential copulas for multivariate extreme rainfall, flood, and drought processes also are identified.

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Statistical Analysis of Hydrologic Variables: Methods and Applications
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Published online: May 14, 2019

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Hemant Chowdhary, M.ASCE
Vijay P. Singh, Dist. M.ASCE

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