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| Titel |
On the importance of cascading moisture recycling in South America |
| VerfasserIn |
D. C. Zemp, C.-F. Schleussner, H. M. J. Barbosa, R. J. van der Ent, J. F. Donges, J. Heinke, G. Sampaio, A. Rammig |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1680-7316
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ; 14, no. 23 ; Nr. 14, no. 23 (2014-12-15), S.13337-13359 |
| Datensatznummer |
250119241
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/acp-14-13337-2014.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Continental moisture recycling is a crucial process of the South American
climate system. In particular, evapotranspiration from the Amazon basin
contributes substantially to precipitation regionally as well as over other remote
regions such as the La Plata basin. Here we present an in-depth analysis of
South American moisture recycling mechanisms. In particular, we quantify the
importance of cascading moisture recycling (CMR), which describes
moisture transport between two locations on the continent that involves
re-evaporation cycles along the way. Using an Eulerian atmospheric moisture
tracking model forced by a combination of several historical climate
data sets, we were able to construct a complex network of moisture recycling
for South America. Our results show that CMR contributes about 9–10% to
the total precipitation over South America and 17–18% over the La Plata
basin. CMR increases the fraction of total precipitation over the La Plata
basin that originates from the Amazon basin from 18–23 to 24–29% during
the wet season. We also show that the south-western part of the Amazon basin
is not only a direct source of rainfall over the La Plata basin, but also a
key intermediary region that distributes moisture originating from the entire
Amazon basin towards the La Plata basin during the wet season. Our results
suggest that land use change in this region might have a stronger impact on
downwind rainfall than previously thought. Using complex network analysis
techniques, we find the eastern side of the sub-tropical Andes to be a key
region where CMR pathways are channeled. This study offers a better
understanding of the interactions between the vegetation and the atmosphere
on the water cycle, which is needed in a context of land use and climate
change in South America. |
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