The proposed research aims to organize and conduct field experiments in Ethiopia to study the key fundamental components of the hydrology of semiarid regions. Each year for three summers four U.S. undergraduates and graduates and one faculty will travel to Ethiopia to conduct field experiments together with Ethiopian counterpart students and faculty. The main purpose of the program is to provide U.S. students with a unique, international, hands-on experience required for succeeding in international research environment. The field experiment involves 'hands-on' training in a number of hydrological sensors, field preparation and design of experiments (geospatial and point data analysis involving GIS and remote sensing), data collection and analysis, teamwork, and dissemination of knowledge through presentations and publications. On account of its semiarid climate, tropical location and strong heterogeneities in ecology, topography and land use, the study region (Arbaminch) in Ethiopia provides an exciting environment to study different hydrological processes and to stimulate an interest in students for discovery-driven science. The proposed research activities are organized into three major thrust areas, the results from which will have a significant influence in our understanding of the key fundamental components of the hydrology of semiarid regions. The specific science objectives are to: 1) Characterize the local-scale space-time variability of rainfall; 2) Quantify the uncertainty in satellite-based evapotranspiration estimates; and 3) Assess the role played by topography, soil moisture and land use in landatmosphere interactions.
