HR: 1340h
AN: A13E-1604    [Abstracts]
TI: Recent Intensification of Northern High Latitude Hydrological Cycle: Perspective from synoptic-scale storm activity
AU: * He, J
EM: jhe@iarc.uaf.edu
AF: International Arctic Research Center, 930 koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7340, United States
AU: Zhang, X
EM: xdz@iarc.uaf.edu
AF: International Arctic Research Center, 930 koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7340, United States
AB: It has been documented that hydrological cycle has been intensified in the northern high latitude in recent decades, which is strikingly evidenced by an increase of the Eurasian river discharges. The enhanced river freshwater inflow into the Arctic Ocean has an important implication for global climate variability and change, through impacting strength of the North Atlantic deep convection and meridional ocean circulation. Predominately, the Eurasian river water originates from precipitation less evapotranspiration, which is an integral representation of atmospheric meridional moisture transport. Synoptic-scale storms, as fundamental weather elements, are major contributors to this moisture transport. In this study, we first analyzed variability and long- term linear trends of atmospheric moisture transport at a high temporal resolution. We then examined the associations of variability and long-term changes between moisture transport and storm activity over the Eurasian and American continents. The results reveal how shift of storm track and changes in storm activity, which is measured by storm intensity, trajectory count and position, and duration, modulate and contribute to the recently observed changes in the Eurasian and American river discharge.
DE: 3300 ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES
DE: 3309 Climatology (1616, 1620, 3305, 4215, 8408)
DE: 3349 Polar meteorology
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting