We study diverse scaling and information theory characteristics of Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) as seen by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) over continental and oceanic regions of tropical South America, and 2-D radar rainfall fields from Amazonia. The bi-dimensional Fourier spectra of MCSs exhibit inverse power laws with respect to the spatial scale, whose scaling exponents, β, capture the type of spatial correlation of rainfall among the study regions, including those over the Andes of Colombia as well as over oceanic and Amazonian regions. The moment-scaling analysis evidences that the structure function deviates from simple scaling at order q > 1.0, thus signaling the multi-scaling nature of rainfall fields within MCSs in tropical South America, with departures from simple scaling associated with the physical characteristics of MCSs over the different study regions. Entropy is estimated for a large set of radar rainfall fields during the distinctive atmospheric regimes (Easterly and Westerly events) in this part of Amazonia. Results evidence that there are significant differences in the dynamics of rainfall among regimes. No clear-cut relationship is found between entropy and the first two statistical moments, but power fits in space and time, S(γ) ∼ γ(-η) for skewness and, S(κ) ∼ κ(-ϵ) for kurtosis. The exponents η and ϵ are statistically different between Easterly and Westerly events, although the significance of fits is less when L-moments are used to estimate skewness and kurtosis. Interesting differences are identified between the time and space generalized q-entropy functions of Amazonian rainfall fields. In both cases, the functions are a continuous set of power laws (analogous to the structure function in turbulence), S(T, q) ∼ T(β), and, S(λ, q) ∼ λ(β), covering a broad range of temporal and spatial scales. Both time and space generalized q-entropy functions exhibit linear growth in the range -1.0 < q < -0.5, and saturation of the exponent β for q ≥ 1.0. In the case of the spatial analysis, the exponent saturates at 〈β〉∼1.0, whereas at 〈β〉=0.5 for the temporal case. Results are similar for time series extracted from the S-POL radar and time series of rainfall in tropical Andes. Additionally, differences in values of 〈β〉 for q ≥ 1.0 between Easterly and Westerly events are not statistically significant.
We investigated the relationship between the frequency of occurrence of the Orinoco Low-Level Jet (OLLJ) and hydroclimatic variables over northern South America. We use data from the ERA5 atmospheric reanalysis to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of the OLLJ in light of the LLJ-classification criteria available in the literature. An index for the frequency of occurrence of an LLJ was used, based on the hourly maxima of wind speed. The linkages among the OLLJ, water vapor flux, and precipitation were analyzed using a composite analysis. Our results show that during December–January–February (DJF), the OLLJ exhibits its maximum wind speed, with values around 8–10 m/s. During DJF, the analysis shows how the OLLJ transports atmospheric moisture from the Tropical North Atlantic Ocean. During this season, the predominant pathway of the OLLJ is associated with an area of moisture flux divergence located over northeastern South America. During JJA, an area of moisture flux convergence associated with the northernmost location of the ITCZ inhibits the entrance of moisture from northerlies. We also show that the occurrence of the OLLJ is associated with the so-called cross-equatorial flow. During DJF, the period of strongest activity of the OLLJ is associated with the northerly cross-equatorial flow and dry season, whereas during JJA the southerly cross-equatorial flow from the Amazon river basin predominates and contributes to the rainy season over the Orinoco region.
This study shows the influence of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) over the seasonal and diurnal variability of the Orinoco low-level jet (OLLJ) during the December-January-February (DJF) season. Results show changes in the occurrence and intensity of the OLLJ winds during the phases of ENSO (El Niño and La Niña) in relation to Neutral conditions. During El Niño (La Niña), the OLLJ days decrease (increase) over the mid and exit of the OLLJ corridor. Furthermore, the mean wind vertical profiles (and the intensity of the diurnal cycle) decrease (increase) with values ranging from 5 to 9 mÁs −1 . We highlight that the OLLJ days decrease (increase) in January (February) during El Niño (La Niña) up to 24% (15%). These changes are modulated by the pressure gradient between the Atlantic subtropical high and the nearequatorial trough regions that decreases (increases) during El Niño (La Niña) and thus induces a decrease (increase) of the OLLJ winds. Moreover, the water vapour flux and precipitation reduce during both phases of ENSO along the OLLJ corridor. This work shows new insights on the OLLJ features during ENSO, which contributes to improving our understanding of the processes that influence the hydro-climatology of northern South America.
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