Clues to the existence of deterministic chaos in river flow

The present work investigates the existence of a component of deterministic chaos in the discharge time series of a river. The first part of the work is concerned with the reconstruction of the attractor and the calculation of the correlation integral; in the second part the analysis is conducted with the aid of nonlinear prediction. Some clues emerge as to the possible presence of chaos, probably immersed in a phenomenon altogether more extensive and manifold. If confirmed, this presence could provide interesting openings for a better comprehension of the formation mechanism of river flow, and a more precise forecasting of floods.

Duke Scholars

Author Amilcare Porporato Civil and Environmental Engineering