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| Titel |
A critical humidity threshold for monsoon transitions |
| VerfasserIn |
J. Schewe, A. Levermann, H. Cheng |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2012
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 14 (2012) |
| Datensatznummer |
250060482
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Monsoon systems around the world are governed by the so–called moisture–advection
feedback. Here we show that, in a minimal conceptual model, this feedback implies a
critical threshold with respect to the atmospheric specific humidity qo over the
ocean adjacent to the monsoon region. If qo falls short of this critical value qoc,
monsoon rainfall over land cannot be sustained. Such a case could occur if evaporation
from the ocean was reduced, e. g. due to low sea surface temperatures. Within the
restrictions of the conceptual model, we estimate qoc from present–day reanalysis
data for four major monsoon systems, and demonstrate how this concept can help
understand abrupt variations in monsoon strength on orbital timescales as found in proxy
records. |
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