The Hydrosphere

The hydrologic cycle.

The hydrologic cycle in terms of precipitation, interception, infiltration, ground water, run-off and evaporation, together with the energy components of the cycle - solar radiation and gravitational force.

The oceans - their composition and stratification.

Relation of ocean stratification to temperature variation with depth and the presence of a thermocline. The variation of light intensity with depth and the importance of the photic zone.

Tides

Simple understanding of tides in terms of the moon’s gravitational pull.

Freshwater resources.

Strategies for providing adequate freshwater supplies including surface and aquifer storage, and desalination plants. An elementary treatment of reverse osmosis is expected. The effects of overuse and contamination of surface and groundwater.

Groundwater use in Malta.

The use of groundwater in Malta in terms of a simple model of the Maltese groundwater dynamics, to include the upper (perched) and lower (mean sea level) aquifers.