HR: 0830h
AN: GC31B-0169    [PDF]
TI: Precipitation Change in Taiwan: Evidence of Impacts of Sulfur-rich Volcanic Eruption and Anthropogenic Process
AU: * Chang, F
EM: fchang@earth.sinica.edu.tw
AF: Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, 128, Section II, Academia Road, Nankang, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan
AU: Wang, C
EM: chwang@earth.sinica.edu.tw
AF: Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, 128, Section II, Academia Road, Nankang, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan
AU: Yeh, Y
EM: yehyh@earth.sinica.edu.tw
AF: Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, 128, Section II, Academia Road, Nankang, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan
AB: Precipitation change in Taiwan during the twentieth century is investigated. Five year running mean indicate that stronger rainfall intensity and larger rainfall variability ensued from rapid economic development and urbanization in 1960s. Four major drought episodes are identified. They are 1906-1910, 1961-1966 1978-1982 and 1993-1995. Above normal rain day is observed during the period between 1906-1960. The observed increase of rainfall variability and intensity during last four decades is inferred to be a consequence of greenhouse warming and anthropogenic aerosols forcing. The coupled occurrence of the episodic high sulfur rich volcanic eruptions and drought events is intriguing. Sulfur-rich volcanic eruption forcing is evident in the Pinatubo eruption in 1991 on the drought episode of 1993-1995. The Agung, and St. Helen coincide with the center of drought episode of about half decade long duration. The salient features of precipitation change in Taiwan illustrate impacts of sulfur-rich volcanic eruption and anthropogenic process.
DE: 1600 GLOBAL CHANGE (New category)
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects
DE: 1812 Drought
DE: 1854 Precipitation (3354)
DE: 8409 Atmospheric effects (0370)
SC: Global Climate Change [GC]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting