Towards a methodology for testing models as hypotheses in the inexact sciences. (24th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Beven, Keith
• Is Part Of: Proceedings. Volume 475:Number 2224(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-04-24
• Subjects: epistemic uncertainty -- runoff coefficients -- hydrological models; Physical sciences -- Periodicals; Engineering -- Periodicals; Mathematics -- Periodicals; 500
• DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2018.0862
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1364-5021

Abstract

Abstract : This paper reviews the issues involved in treating hydrology as an example of an inexact science faced with significant epistemic uncertainties. It proposes a novel method for developing limits of acceptability for testing hydrological models as hypotheses about how a catchment hydrological system might function. The approach is based only on an analysis of the available observations and the consideration of event mass balance for successive rainfall-runoff events. It is shown that there are many events that are subject to epistemic uncertainties in the input data so that mass balance is not satisfied. The proposed approach allows taking these epistemic uncertainties into account in a pragmatic way before any model runs are made. It is an approach that might be applicable in other areas of environmental science where similar basic principles are fundamental to models, but which might not be satisfied by the observations that are used for model evaluation.