HR: 1340h
AN: GC23A-1291    [Abstracts]
TI: Analysis of atmospheric and climatic factors affecting the abnormal high precipitation in Mumbai, India 2005 using remote sensing
AU: * Roy, P
EM: proy1@gmu.edu
AF: IIT Kanpur, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, U.P 208016 India
AU: * Roy, P
EM: proy1@gmu.edu
AF: George Mason University, Department of Computational Sciences, MS 5C3, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 United States
AU: Bhattacharjee, P S
EM: pbhattac@gmu.edu
AF: IIT Kanpur, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, U.P 208016 India
AU: Bhattacharjee, P S
EM: pbhattac@gmu.edu
AF: George Mason University, Department of Computational Sciences, MS 5C3, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 United States
AU: Cervone, G
EM: gcervone@gmu.edu
AF: George Mason University, Department of Computational Sciences, MS 5C3, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 United States
AU: Kafatos, M
EM: mkafatos@gmu.edu
AF: George Mason University, Department of Computational Sciences, MS 5C3, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 United States
AB: Mumbai, located on the western coast of India along the Arabian Sea, recorded the highest 24 hour rainfall figure of 944mm (37.2 inches) on the 26 July 2005, the highest ever in India. In the 12 hour period from 8am-8pm the rainfall recorded was 644mm (25.4). Previously the highest recorded 24 hour rainfall in Mumbai was 575 mm (22.6 inches) in 1974. This paper presents the analysis of various atmospheric, climatic and geographic parameters which might have played a role in this natural calamity claiming over 1000 lives and affecting many more. An effort has been made to study the variation and probable effects of different geophysical mechanisms as evidenced in the the wind speed, atmospheric pressure, water vapor, sea surface temperature (SST), surface latent heat flux (SLHF) and normalized vegetation index (NDVI) data on the localized high precipitation over the island city. The wind speed data from QuikSCAT, precipitation data from NOAA-CPC, SLHF and pressure data from NOAA-NCEP, water vapor data from SSMI and the SST from TMI, have been used. Of the above parameters it was observed that the atmospheric pressure was abnormally low (< æ+2¢) during this time period resulting in localized high wind speeds. The vegetation of the nearby area shows significant reduction with respect to past vegetation, which can be attributed to anthropogenic activities. The analysis of remote sensing and model data might help us in understanding the causes of such anomalous rainfall, and prevent the loss of life and property.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
DE: 0345 Pollution: urban and regional (0305, 0478, 4251)
DE: 0365 Troposphere: composition and chemistry
DE: 1630 Impacts of global change (1225)
DE: 1640 Remote sensing (1855)
SC: Global Climate Change [GC]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005