Advective, orographic and radiation fog in the Tarapacá region, Chile

Cereceda, Pilar; Osses, Pablo; Larraín, Horacio; Farías, Martín; Lagos, Marcelo; Pinto, Raquel; Schemenauer, Robert S.

doi:10.1016/s0169-8095(02)00097-2

Cited by 135 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The daily cycle is strongly influenced by local onshore -offshore air exchanges; cloudiness peaks during the night, sunset and early morning due to low atmospheric temperatures, whereas mid-day solar radiation dissipates the fog bank (Garreaud and Muñoz, 2004;Cereceda et al, 2008a;Muñoz et al, 2011). At the local scale, topographic features such as hillslope, aspect, altitude, and ground morphology control fog presence, distribution, and liquid water content within the Coastal Cordillera (Osses et al, 1998;Cereceda et al, 2002;Osses et al, 2007). For example, ongoing research reveals differences of 70% in fog water yields in less than a 150 meters vertical profile (Osses, P. Personal communication).…”

Section: The Fog Bank In the Coastal Atacama Desertmentioning

confidence: 99%

ENSO Influence on Coastal Fog-Water Yield in the Atacama Desert, Chile

Río

García

Osses

et al. 2018

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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Fog water represents an alternative, abundant and currently unexploited fresh water resource in the coastal Atacama Desert (~20°S). Here, the stratocumulus clouds meet the Coastal Cordillera, producing highly dynamic advective marine fog, a major feature of the local climate that provides water to a hyper-arid environment. One of the main issues that arises in harvesting fog water is our limited understanding of the spatial and inter-annual variability of fog clouds and their associated water content. Here we assess the role of regional-wide El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forcing on local inter-annual fog-water yields along the coast of Atacama. We contrast 17 years of continuous fog-water data, with local and regional atmospheric and oceanographic variables to determine the link between them and the inter-annual dynamics of fog in northern Chile. Sea surface temperature (SST) in ENSO zone 1 + 2 shows significant correlations with offshore and coastal Atacama SST, as well as with local low cloud cover and fog water yields, which go beyond the annual cycle beat, exposing a potential causal link and influence of ENSO on fog along the Atacama. On the inter-annual time scale, we found that when ENSO 3 + 4 zone SST, specifically during summer, overcome a > 1°C temperature threshold, they incite significantly higher summer fog water yields and explain 79% of the fog variability. Furthermore, satellite images displaying regional extent Sc cloud and fog presence during ENSO extremes reveal higher cloud abundance during El Niño at this latitude. However, 75% of the yearly fog water is collected during winter, and does not appear to be affected in a significant manner by Pacific oscillations. Thus, our results suggest that the utilization of fog as a fresh water resource may be sustainable in the future, regardless of ENSO-induced variability in the region.

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Section: The Fog Bank In the Coastal Atacama Desertmentioning

confidence: 99%

ENSO Influence on Coastal Fog-Water Yield in the Atacama Desert, Chile

Río

García

Osses

et al. 2018

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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“…Cereceda et al (2002) suggests advective fog in the Atacama Desert dissipates and persists as an area of high humidity, which can be transported further inland. If the high humidity is radiatively cooled, it can result in localized condensation and forms radiation fog (some would call it advection-radiation fog (George, 1951;Ryznar, 1977)).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If the high humidity is radiatively cooled, it can result in localized condensation and forms radiation fog (some would call it advection-radiation fog (George, 1951;Ryznar, 1977)). Alternatively, inland fog could be generated from condensation of localized evaporation from the salt flats of the Atacama Desert and classified as radiation fog (Cereceda et al, 2002). The inland fog could also be generated from possible mixing of different air masses to form mixed fog (Degefie et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fog Spatial Distributions over the Central Namib Desert - An Isotope Approach

Kaseke

Tian

Wang

et al. 2018

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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Fog is a characteristic feature of the Namib Desert and is essential to life in this fog dependent system. It is often acknowledged that advective fog from the ocean is the dominant fog type over the Namib Desert fog-zone but recent evidence suggests that other fog types occur in this area. Knowledge of the existence and spatial distribution of different fog types will enhance the mechanistic understanding of fog formation and potential changes in this region, but such knowledge is limited in literature. In this study, we investigated fog spatial variations within the Namib Desert fog-zone by applying stable isotope (δ 18 O and δ 2 H) techniques to differentiate various fog types and identify their source waters. Isotope based results showed that at least three types of fog (advective, radiation and mixed) occurred in this region and what appears as a single fog event may include all three types. Results suggest that radiation fog was the dominant fog type during our study period. The results also suggest that advective fog (with Atlantic Ocean origins) either dissipated 30-50 km inland and the residual humidity combined with locally derived moisture to form mixed fog or advective fog incorporated local moisture along its trajectory inland resulting in mixed fog. Fog in the Namib Desert was consistently depleted in 18 O and 2 H compared to rainfall and this was attributed to sub-cloud evaporation of the rainfall as well as different sources of fog and rainfall. Sub-cloud evaporation led to enrichment of 18 O and 2 H in rainfall beyond that of the first stage condensate, fog. Advective fog is often considered the architect of the fog-zone in the Namib Desert, but our results demonstrated multiple dominant fog types during the study period, suggesting knowledge of both fog frequency and fog type is needed to better predict climate change impacts on the fog-zone.

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“…The situation changes in summer (January) when there is less fog and orographic events are more frequent than advective events (Farías et al, 2005). Generally, orographic fog develops at the coastal cliff and radiation fog occurs further inland (Cereceda et al, 2002).…”

Section: Site and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fog deposition to a <I>Tillandsia</I> carpet in the Atacama Desert

Westbeld¹,

Klemm²,

Grießbaum³

et al. 2009

Ann. Geophys.

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Abstract. In the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on earth, fog deposition plays an important role for the water balance and for the survival of vulnerable ecosystems. The eddy covariance method, previously applied for the quantification of fog deposition to forests in various parts of the world, was used for the first time to measure deposition of fog water to a desert. In this exploratory study we estimate the amount of water available for the ecosystem by deposition and determine the relevant processes driving fog deposition. This is especially important for the species Tillandsia landbecki living in coastal Atacama at the limit of plant existence with fog and dew being the only sources of water. Between 31 July and 19 August 2008 approximately 2.5 L m −2 of water were made available through deposition. Wholeyear deposition was estimated as 25 L m −2 . Turbulent upward fluxes occurred several times during the evenings and are explained by the formation of radiation fog. In connection with that, underestimates of the deposition are assumed. More detailed studies covering various seasons and all parameters and fluxes contributing to the local energy balance are suggested. This will help to further develop understanding about the processes of (i) deposition of water to the desert, and (ii) intensification of advection fog through additional formation of radiation fog.

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Advective, orographic and radiation fog in the Tarapacá region, Chile

Cited by 135 publications

References 3 publications

ENSO Influence on Coastal Fog-Water Yield in the Atacama Desert, Chile

ENSO Influence on Coastal Fog-Water Yield in the Atacama Desert, Chile

Fog Spatial Distributions over the Central Namib Desert - An Isotope Approach

Fog deposition to a <I>Tillandsia</I> carpet in the Atacama Desert

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Advective, orographic and radiation fog in the Tarapacá region, Chile

Cited by 135 publications

References 3 publications

ENSO Influence on Coastal Fog-Water Yield in the Atacama Desert, Chile

ENSO Influence on Coastal Fog-Water Yield in the Atacama Desert, Chile

Fog Spatial Distributions over the Central Namib Desert - An Isotope Approach

Fog deposition to a &lt;I&gt;Tillandsia&lt;/I&gt; carpet in the Atacama Desert

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Fog deposition to a <I>Tillandsia</I> carpet in the Atacama Desert