On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica
In this study, we examine the importance of the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation (H-1(P) and H-2(P), respectively) across Antarctica utilizing the ERA-40 re-analysis from 1980 to 2001. A qualitative comparison between monthly precipitation from ERA-40 and precipitation reports from Ant...
Published in: | International Journal of Climatology |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
Wiley
2009
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/11148/ https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810 |
id |
ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:11148 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:11148 2023-05-15T13:24:18+02:00 On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica Marshall, Gareth J. 2009 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/11148/ https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810 unknown Wiley Marshall, Gareth J. orcid:0000-0001-8887-7314 . 2009 On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica. International Journal of Climatology, 29 (15). 2298-2308. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810 <https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810> Meteorology and Climatology Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2009 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810 2023-02-04T19:27:08Z In this study, we examine the importance of the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation (H-1(P) and H-2(P), respectively) across Antarctica utilizing the ERA-40 re-analysis from 1980 to 2001. A qualitative comparison between monthly precipitation from ERA-40 and precipitation reports from Antarctic bases reveals that the re-analysis successfully captures the seasonal cycle of precipitation at coastal sites. However, likely excessive summer precipitation on the high Antarctic Plateau in ERA-40 means the re-analysis is uncertain in the continental interior. The spatial variability in the amplitude of both H-1(P) and H-2(P) reveals coastal maxima with a clear wavenumber 3 pattern: unsurprisingly, maximum values are located east of climatological low-pressure centres, where moisture advection into the continent is greatest. This pattern is particularly pronounced for H-1(P), for which the amplitude exceeds 25 mm water equivalent (WE) in coastal west Antarctica. In the Antarctic coastal region H-1(P) often explains greater than 50% - and sometimes more than 80% - of the total variance of the seasonal precipitation cycle. In contrast, the northwest Antarctic Peninsula has a higher amplitude in H-1(P) that is linked to its location within the circumpolar trough (CPT). A marked change in the magnitude of H-1(P) between the 1980s and 1990s in parts of coastal west Antarctica and the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula was observed in the ERA-40 data and confirmed by similar changes in the seasonal cycle of precipitation reports. The principal modification to H-1(P) results from a decrease in winter precipitation that can be linked to a weaker and smaller winter Amundsen Sea Low, which in turn is known to be influenced by El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A simple estimate indicates that the observed change in the seasonal cycle of precipitation Would lead to an apparent warming of similar to 0.6 degrees C in a proxy of mean annual temperature derived from oxygen isotope measurements. Copyright (C) 2009 Royal ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica West Antarctica Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Amundsen Sea Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula The Antarctic West Antarctica International Journal of Climatology 29 15 2298 2308 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftnerc |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Meteorology and Climatology Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Meteorology and Climatology Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences Marshall, Gareth J. On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica |
topic_facet |
Meteorology and Climatology Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences |
description |
In this study, we examine the importance of the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation (H-1(P) and H-2(P), respectively) across Antarctica utilizing the ERA-40 re-analysis from 1980 to 2001. A qualitative comparison between monthly precipitation from ERA-40 and precipitation reports from Antarctic bases reveals that the re-analysis successfully captures the seasonal cycle of precipitation at coastal sites. However, likely excessive summer precipitation on the high Antarctic Plateau in ERA-40 means the re-analysis is uncertain in the continental interior. The spatial variability in the amplitude of both H-1(P) and H-2(P) reveals coastal maxima with a clear wavenumber 3 pattern: unsurprisingly, maximum values are located east of climatological low-pressure centres, where moisture advection into the continent is greatest. This pattern is particularly pronounced for H-1(P), for which the amplitude exceeds 25 mm water equivalent (WE) in coastal west Antarctica. In the Antarctic coastal region H-1(P) often explains greater than 50% - and sometimes more than 80% - of the total variance of the seasonal precipitation cycle. In contrast, the northwest Antarctic Peninsula has a higher amplitude in H-1(P) that is linked to its location within the circumpolar trough (CPT). A marked change in the magnitude of H-1(P) between the 1980s and 1990s in parts of coastal west Antarctica and the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula was observed in the ERA-40 data and confirmed by similar changes in the seasonal cycle of precipitation reports. The principal modification to H-1(P) results from a decrease in winter precipitation that can be linked to a weaker and smaller winter Amundsen Sea Low, which in turn is known to be influenced by El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A simple estimate indicates that the observed change in the seasonal cycle of precipitation Would lead to an apparent warming of similar to 0.6 degrees C in a proxy of mean annual temperature derived from oxygen isotope measurements. Copyright (C) 2009 Royal ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Marshall, Gareth J. |
author_facet |
Marshall, Gareth J. |
author_sort |
Marshall, Gareth J. |
title |
On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica |
title_short |
On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica |
title_full |
On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica |
title_sort |
on the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across antarctica |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/11148/ https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810 |
geographic |
Amundsen Sea Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula The Antarctic West Antarctica |
geographic_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula The Antarctic West Antarctica |
genre |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica West Antarctica |
op_relation |
Marshall, Gareth J. orcid:0000-0001-8887-7314 . 2009 On the annual and semi-annual cycles of precipitation across Antarctica. International Journal of Climatology, 29 (15). 2298-2308. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810 <https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1810 |
container_title |
International Journal of Climatology |
container_volume |
29 |
container_issue |
15 |
container_start_page |
2298 |
op_container_end_page |
2308 |
_version_ |
1766378586725416960 |