Institute of GeoecologyCalibration of the global hydrological model WGHMwith water mass variations from GRACE gravity dataA dissertation submitted to theFaculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Potsdam, Germanyfor the degree of Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.) in Hydrology bySusanna WerthSubmitted: August 20, 2009Defended: February 17, 2010Published: March, 2010RefereesProf. Bruno Merz, University of Potsdam, Institute for GeoecologyProf. Hubert Savenije TU Delft, Civil Engineering and GeosciencesProf. Reinhardt Dietrich, TU Dresden, Institute of Planetary Geodesy Published online at the Institutional Repository of the University of Potsdam: URL http://opus.kobv.de/ubp/volltexte/2010/4173/ URN urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-41738 http://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-41738 Author’s declarationI prepared this dissertation without illegal assistance. The work is original except whereindicated by special reference in the text and no part of the dissertation has been submittedfor any other degree. This dissertation has not been presented to any other University forexamination, neither in Germany nor in another country.Susanna WerthPotsdam, August 2009iiiContentsAbstract ixGerman Abstract xiList of Publications xiiiList of Figures xvList of Tables xviiAbbreviations xix1 Introduction 11.