HR: 14:30h
AN: A33A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Vegetation-Atmosphere Interactions in Southern Sonora Associated with the North American Monsoon
AU: * Watts, C J
EM: watts@fisica.uson.mx
AF: University of Sonora, Blvd. Encinas y Rosales, Hermosillo, Son 83000 Mexico
AU: Douglas, M D
EM: Michael.Douglas@noaa.gov
AF: NOAA-NSSL, 1313 Halley Circle, Norman, OK 73069 United States
AU: Garatuza-Payan, J
EM: garatuza@itson.mx
AF: ITSON, 5 de Febrero 818 Sur, Ciudad Obregon, Son 85000 Mexico
AU: Rodriguez, J C
EM: jcrod2001@yahoo.mx
AF: IMADES, Reyes y Aguascalientes, Hermosillo, Son 83190 Mexico
AU: Scott, R
EM: rscott@tucson.ars.ag.gov
AF: USDA-ARS-SWRC, 2000 E Allen Road, Tucson, AZ 85719 United States
AB: The North American Monsoon (NAM) provides most of the annual rainfall in the arid conditions of northwestern Mexico and southwestern US. The onset of the rains produces a very rapid increase in the foliage of many biomes in the region. Perhaps the most spectacular example is the tropical deciduous forest (TDF) which is found on the western slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental, south of latitude 29§N. At the beginning of July 2004 a 15m tower was installed in the TDF near Tesopaco, Sonora in order to record the changes in the components of the surface energy balance as the monsoon develops and decays. Data has been collected continuously since Temperature and humidity profiles for the atmospheric boundary layer were obtained from radiosondes which were released regularly near the site and vegetation changes in the region were monitored using SPOT-VEGETATION imagery. A network of pilot balloon stations on both sides of the Gulf of California provided information about the diurnal and spatial distribution of the wind field in the region. TheThe North American Monsoon (NAM) provides most of the annual rainfall in the arid conditions of northwestern Mexico and southwestern US. The onset of the rains produces a very rapid increase in the foliage of many biomes in the region. Perhaps the most spectacular example is the tropical deciduous forest (TDF) which is found on the western slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental, south of latitude 29§N. At the beginning of July 2004 a 15m tower was installed in the TDF near Tesopaco, Sonora in order to record the changes in the components of the surface energy balance as the monsoon develops and decays. Data has been collected continuously since Temperature and humidity profiles for the atmospheric boundary layer were obtained from radiosondes which were released regularly near the site and vegetation changes in the region were monitored using SPOT-VEGETATION imagery. A network of pilot balloon stations on both sides of the Gulf of California provided information about the diurnal and spatial distribution of the wind field in the region. These data have been used to investigate the importance of feedback mechanisms between changing land surface conditions and the atmosphere. This work was carried out during the Enhanced Observation Period of the North American Monsoon Experiment (NAME) in the summer of 2004.
DE: 0315 Biosphere/atmosphere interactions
DE: 1818 Evapotranspiration
DE: 1851 Plant ecology
DE: 1878 Water/energy interactions
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly