Advanced methods to investigate hydro‐morphological processes in open‐water environments

Abstract

Hydro‐morphology describes the interactions between water and sediments in fluvial systems and the corresponding processes across all spatial and temporal scales. The results are natural and anthropogenically influenced bed structures and fluvial landforms. However, many of these hydro‐morphological processes cannot be described analytically yet, as a result of their stochastic behaviour and the multitude of processes involved across spatial and temporal scales. Deeper knowledge of these processes is essential, not only for understanding the system itself, but also for practical applications, which rely on correct and reliable investigations of these processes. During the European Geoscience Union (EGU) General Assembly (GA) 2018 in Vienna, Austria, the conveners of the session on “Measurements, monitoring and numerical modelling of sedimentary and hydro‐morphological processes in open‐water environments” had the idea of initiating a special issue, containing a collection of recent achievements in this research field. The aim of this extended introduction is twofold. First, an overview on research needs in investigating hydro‐morphological processes in open‐water environments is given in this article. Second, recently published studies that aim to improve the understanding of hydro‐morphological processes in rivers, lakes and reservoirs by innovative measurement approaches are discussed. In addition to submitted papers collected from the EGU GA in 2017, 2018 and 2019, related studies published in Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (ESPL) over the last two years are also incorporated into this special issue. The papers selected cover a wide range of studies with differing spatial and temporal resolutions. This broad spectrum of different scales clearly indicates the challenges associated with the development and use of advanced methods for investigating hydro‐morphological processes in open‐water environments.