1. |
- Arndt, DS, et al.
(author)
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INTRODUCTION
- 2019
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In: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. - 0003-0007. ; 100:9
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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2. |
- Azorin-Molina, Cesar, et al.
(author)
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An approach to homogenize daily peak wind gusts: An application to the Australian series
- 2019
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In: International Journal of Climatology. - : Wiley. - 0899-8418 .- 1097-0088. ; 39:4, s. 2260-2277
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2018 The Authors. International Journal of Climatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the Royal Meteorological Society. Daily Peak Wind Gust (DPWG) time series are important for the evaluation of wind-related hazard risks to different socioeconomic and environmental sectors. Yet, wind time series analyses can be impacted by several artefacts, both temporally and spatially, which may introduce inhomogeneities that mislead the study of their decadal variability and trends. The aim of this study is to present a strategy in the homogenization of a challenging climate extreme such as the DPWG using 548 time series across Australia for 1941–2016. This automatic homogenization of DPWG is implemented in the recently developed Version 3.1 of the R package Climatol. This approach is an advance in homogenization of climate records as it identifies 353 break points based on monthly data, splits the daily series into homogeneous subperiods, and homogenizes them without needing the monthly corrections. The major advantages of this homogenization strategy are its ability to: (a) automatically homogenize a large number of DPWG series, including short-term ones and without needing site metadata (e.g., the change in observational equipment in 2010/2011 was correctly identified); (b) use the closest reference series even not sharing a common period with candidate series or presenting missing data; and (c) supply homogenized series, correcting anomalous data (quality control by spatial coherence), and filling in all the missing data. The NCEP/NCAR reanalysis wind speed data were also trialled in aiding homogenization given the station density was very low during the early decades of the record; however, reanalysis data did not improve the homogenization. Application of this approach found a reduced range of DPWG trends based on site data, and an increased negative regional trend of this climate extreme, compared to raw data and homogenized data using NCEP/NCAR. The analysis produced the first homogenized DPWG dataset to assess and attribute long-term variability of extreme winds across Australia.
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3. |
- Chen, Aifang, 1990, et al.
(author)
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Tropical cyclone rainfall in the Mekong River Basin for 1983–2016
- 2019
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In: Atmospheric Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-8095. ; 226, s. 66-75
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As home to about 70 million people, the Mekong River Basin (MRB), located in Mainland Southeast Asia, is often influenced by tropical cyclones (TCs) landfalling. The TCs not only cause flood and storm hazards, but also play important roles in providing freshwater resource and welcomed sediment transports. Our study focuses on the climatology of TCs and associated rainfall (TCR) in the MRB for 1983–2016. Results show that: (i) the mean landfall occurrence of TCs is 6.2 yr −1 , leading to 36.7 mm yr −1 of annual mean TCR (2.5% of the annual total precipitation), which mainly occur in monsoon-TC season (i.e., June–November); (ii) TCs highly concentrate on the lower eastern MRB, generating the largest TCR contribution of 12.4% to the annual total precipitation; (iii) the annual mean contribution of TCs induced extreme precipitation - R20mm and R50mm (days of heavy precipitation rate ≥20 mm day −1 and ≥50 mm day −1 , respectively) - to that from annual total precipitation is large in the lower eastern MRB; (iv) over 60% of the basin area is influenced by TCR on average; and (v) a significant weakening trend of the TC frequency has been observed. The present findings lay a foundation for further in-depth research of the potential influence of the dynamic TCs and the associated rainfall in the MRB. © 2019
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4. |
- Estrela, M. J., et al.
(author)
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Spatio-temporal variability of fog-water collection in the eastern Iberian Peninsula: 2003–2012
- 2019
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In: Atmospheric Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-8095. ; 226, s. 87-101
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Among the different inputs involved in the hydrological system, fog water measured by man-made passive devices is one of the most unknown components, although it could be an additional water resource for specific environmental applications (forest restoration, forest firefighting, etc.). Focusing on the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula, the aim of this work is to quantify fog-water collected by a 24-fog-stations network spread across three latitudinal sectors with different locations (coastal, pre-littoral and inland), and to determine the most productive sites. Measurements from the network show that distance-to-sea, latitude or elevation differences between stations are factors affecting fog-water collection potential. The network, based on passive cylindrical omnidirectional fog-water collectors, was active during the period 2003–2012. In addition to fog collection, other environmental variables such as rainfall, wind speed and wind direction, air temperature and relative humidity were measured. These ancillary data were used in a specific data reduction technique to eliminate the simultaneous rainwater component from the fog water measurements, and in the retrieval of the optimum mean wind directions to harvest fog-water efficiently. It was concluded that (i) positive differences in elevation allow greater collection rates, even under 100 m differences; (ii) optimum harvesting wind directions for inland locations are in line with the orientation of the existent valley coupled with the shortest path to the coastline, their collected fog-water volumes being generally smaller than those near the coast; (iii) fog-water collection at coastal locations present more dispersed optimal wind directions, ranging from north to the direction of the most immediate coastline; and (iv) there is a practically null dependence of the optimum mean wind direction on seasonality, but a strong dependence of fog-water captured volumes, however. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
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5. |
- Lopez-Moreno, J. I., et al.
(author)
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Air and wet bulb temperature lapse rates and their impact on snowmaking in a Pyrenean ski resort
- 2019
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In: Theoretical and Applied Climatology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0177-798X .- 1434-4483. ; 135:3-4, s. 1361-1373
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A set of 17 air temperature and relative humidity sensors were used to analyze the temporal variability of surface air temperature (Tair), wet bulb temperature (Twb), and daily snowmaking hours (SM, number of hours per day with Twb<-2 degrees C), lapse rates, and the occurrence of thermal inversions at the Formigal ski resort (Spanish Pyrenees) from December to March during three consecutive ski seasons (2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015). The Tair and Twb lapse rates showed strong hourly and daily variability, with both exhibiting almost identical temporal fluctuations.The Twb exhibited average lapse rates that were slightly steeper (-5.2 degrees C/km) than those observed for Tair (-4.9 degrees C/km). The less steep lapse rates and most thermal inversions were observed in December. Days having less (more) steep Tair and Twb lapse rates were observed under low (high) wind speeds and high (low) relative humidity and air pressure. The temporal dynamics of the SM lapse rates was more complex, as this involved consideration of the average Tair in the ski resort, in addition to the driving factors of the spatio-temporal variability of Twb. Thus, on a number of cold (warm) days, snowmaking was feasible at all elevations at the ski resort, independently of the slopes of the lapse rates. The SM exhibited an average daily lapse rate of 8.2h/km, with a progressive trend of increase from December to March.Weather types over the Iberian Peninsula tightly control the driving factors of the Tair, Twb, and SM lapse rates (wind speed, relative humidity, and Tair), so the slopes of the lapse rates and the frequency of inversions in relation to elevation for the three variables are very dependent on the occurrence of specific weather types. The less steep lapse rates occurred associated with advections from the southeast, although low lapse rates also occurred during advections from the east and south, and under anticyclonic conditions. The steepest Tair and Twb lapse rates were observed during north and northwest advections, while the steepest rates for SM were observed during days of cyclonic circulation and advections from the northeast.
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6. |
- Navarro-Serrano, F., et al.
(author)
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Air temperature measurements using autonomous self-recording dataloggers in mountainous and snow covered areas
- 2019
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In: Atmospheric Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-8095. ; 224, s. 168-179
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High mountain areas are poorly represented by official weather observatories. It implies that new instruments must be evaluated over snow-covered and strongly insolated environments (i.e. mid-latitude mountain areas). We analyzed uncertainty sources over snow covered areas including: 1) temperature logger accuracy and bias of two widely used temperature sensors (Tinytag and iButton); 2) radiation shield performance under various radiation, snow, and wind conditions; 3) appropriate measurement height over snow covered ground; and 4) differences in air temperature measured among nearby devices over a horizontal band. The major results showed the following. 1) Tinytag performance device (mean absolute error: MAE approximate to 0.1-0.2 degrees C in relation to the reference thermistor) was superior to the iButton (MAE approximate to 0.7 degrees C), which was subject to operating errors. 2) Multi-plate radiation shield showed the best performance under all conditions ( > 90% samples has bias between +/- 0.5 degrees C). The tube shield required wind ( > 2.5 m s(-1)) for adequate performance, while the funnel shield required limited radiation ( < 400 W m(-2)). Snow cover causes certain overheating. 3) Air temperatures were found to stabilize at 75-100 cm above the snow surface. Air temperature profile was more constant at night, showing a considerable cooling on near surface at midday. 4) Horizontal air temperature differences were larger at midday (0.5 degrees C). These findings indicate that to minimize errors air temperature measurements over snow surfaces should be carried out using multi-plate radiation shields with high-end thermistors such as Tinytags, and be made at a minimum height above the snow covered ground.
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7. |
- Vicente-Serrano, S. M., et al.
(author)
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A high-resolution spatial assessment of the impacts of drought variability on vegetation activity in Spain from 1981 to 2015
- 2019
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In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1561-8633 .- 1684-9981. ; 19:6, s. 1189-1213
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Drought is a major driver of vegetation activity in Spain, with significant impacts on crop yield, forest growth, and the occurrence of forest fires. Nonetheless, the sensitivity of vegetation to drought conditions differs largely amongst vegetation types and climates. We used a high-resolution (1.1 km) spatial dataset of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for the whole of Spain spanning the period from 1981 to 2015, combined with a dataset of the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) to assess the sensitivity of vegetation types to drought across Spain. Specifically, this study explores the drought timescales at which vegetation activity shows its highest response to drought severity at different moments of the year. Results demonstrate that - over large areas of Spain - vegetation activity is controlled largely by the interannual variability of drought. More than 90% of the land areas exhibited statistically significant positive correlations between the NDVI and the SPEI during dry summers (JJA). Nevertheless, there are some considerable spatio-temporal variations, which can be linked to differences in land cover and aridity conditions. In comparison to other climatic regions across Spain, results indicate that vegetation types located in arid-regions showed the strongest response to drought. Importantly, this study stresses that the timescale at which drought is assessed is a dominant factor in understanding the different responses of vegetation activity to drought. RAMS MD, 1990, FOREST SCIENCE, V36, P970
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8. |
- Woolway, R. I., et al.
(author)
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Northern Hemisphere Atmospheric Stilling Accelerates Lake Thermal Responses to a Warming World
- 2019
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In: Geophysical Research Letters. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 46:21, s. 11983-11992
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Climate change, in particular the increase in air temperature, has been shown to influence lake thermal dynamics, with climatic warming resulting in higher surface temperatures, stronger stratification, and altered mixing regimes. Less studied is the influence on lake thermal dynamics of atmospheric stilling, the decrease in near-surface wind speed observed in recent decades. Here we use a lake model to assess the influence of atmospheric stilling, on lake thermal dynamics across the Northern Hemisphere. From 1980 to 2016, lake thermal responses to warming have accelerated as a result of atmospheric stilling. Lake surface temperatures and thermal stability have changed at respective rates of 0.33 and 0.38 degrees C/decade, with atmospheric stilling contributing 15% and 27% of the calculated changes, respectively. Atmospheric stilling also resulted in a lengthening of stratification, contributing 23% of the calculated changes. Our results demonstrate that atmospheric stilling has influenced lake thermal responses to warming.
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9. |
- Zeng, Z. Z., et al.
(author)
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A reversal in global terrestrial stilling and its implications for wind energy production
- 2019
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In: Nature Climate Change. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1758-678X .- 1758-6798. ; 9:12, s. 979-985
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Wind power, a rapidly growing alternative energy source, has been threatened by reductions in global average surface wind speed, which have been occurring over land since the 1980s, a phenomenon known as global terrestrial stilling. Here, we use wind data from in situ stations worldwide to show that the stilling reversed around 2010 and that global wind speeds over land have recovered. We illustrate that decadal-scale variations of near-surface wind are probably determined by internal decadal ocean-atmosphere oscillations, rather than by vegetation growth and/or urbanization as hypothesized previously. The strengthening has increased potential wind energy by 17 +/- 2% for 2010 to 2017, boosting the US wind power capacity factor by similar to 2.5% and explains half the increase in the US wind capacity factor since 2010. In the longer term, the use of ocean-atmosphere oscillations to anticipate future wind speeds could allow optimization of turbines for expected speeds during their productive life spans.
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10. |
- Zhang, Gangfeng, et al.
(author)
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Impact of near-surface wind speed variability on wind erosion in the eastern agro-pastoral transitional zone of Northern China, 1982–2016
- 2019
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In: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1923. ; 271, s. 102-115
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2019 Elsevier B.V. Wind erosion in arid and semi-arid areas is an important global environmental issue, and changes in wind speed trends over time play a key role in wind erosion dynamics. In a warming climate, scientists have recently observed a widespread decline in wind speed, termed “stilling”. Here, we apply the Revised Wind Erosion Equation Model (RWEQ) to simulate the variability of wind erosion and quantify the impact of wind speed changes on soil degradation dynamics over the eastern agro-pastoral transitional zone of Northern China from 1982 to 2016. Our results show that a significant (i.e., p < 0.05) decrease (-0.007 m s −1 year −1 ) of near-surface wind speed was observed annually, with significant declining trends in spring (-0.010 m s −1 year −1 )and autumn (-0.009 m s −1 year −1 ). At the same time, wind erosion simulations reveal a negative trend for the annual soil loss from wind erosion (-6.20 t hectare -2 year -1 , p < 0.05; affecting 99.8% of the study region), with significant declining trends in all seasons, particularly in spring (-3.49 t hectare -2 year −1 ) and autumn (-1.26 ha -2 year −1 ). Further, we isolate the effects of wind variability on wind erosion from 1982 to 2016 by the model variable control method. This shows that wind speed variability strongly weakens wind erosion at -8.14 t hectare -2 year -1 (p < 0.05) annually, with the strongest stilling recorded in spring leading to major decreases of wind erosion in spring (-4.77 t hectare -2 year −1 , p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the weakest stilling in summer had the opposite influence on wind erosion (+0.40 t hectare -2 year -1 , p < 0.10). To summarize, our findings have shown a significant impact of wind stilling on the decline of soil erosion rates in Northern China.
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