The caribbean low‐level jet, the inter‐tropical convergence zone and precipitation patterns in the intra‐americas sea: a proposed dynamical mechanism

Hidalgo, Hugo G.; Durán-Quesada, Ana María; Astúa, Jorge Alberto Amador; Alfaro, Eric J.

doi:10.1111/geoa.12085

Cited by 90 publications

(139 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(55 reference statements)

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“…It is known that in the summer months (JJA) during warm (cold) ENSO episodes the CLLJ is stronger (weaker) than normal (Amador, 2008) with a correlation of −0.53 (p value < 0.01). Hidalgo et al (2015) also noted that during stronger (weaker) CLLJ the ITCZ is located south (north) from the normal position, leading to a reduction (increase) in the total precipitation during boreal summer (JJA), thus, affecting the MSD. Therefore, the bottom line of this result is that the ENSO events modulate the intensity and magnitude of the MSD.…”

Section: General Features Of the Msdmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Recently, Hidalgo et al (2015) also found that the latitudinal position of the precipitation centre of mass is correlated with the intensity of the CLLJ, i.e a weaker (stronger) jet is associated to the northward (southward) shift of the latitudinal precipitation centre of mass, resulting in rainfall above normal during JJA that might be also associated with variations of the MSD events.…”

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confidence: 94%

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Interannual variability of the midsummer drought in Central America and the connection with sea surface temperatures

et al. 2016

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Abstract. The midsummer drought (MSD) in Central America is characterised in order to create annual indexes representing the timing of its phases (start, minimum and end), and other features relevant for MSD forecasting such as the intensity and the magnitude. The MSD intensity is defined as the minimum rainfall detected during the MSD, meanwhile the magnitude is the total precipitation divided by the total days between the start and end of the MSD. It is shown that the MSD extends along the Pacific coast, however, a similar MSD structure was detected also in two stations in the Caribbean side of Central America, located in Nicaragua. The MSD intensity and magnitude show a negative relationship with Niño 3.4 and a positive relationship with the Caribbean low-level jet (CLLJ) index, however for the Caribbean stations the results were not statistically significant, which is indicating that other processes might be modulating the precipitation during the MSD over the Caribbean coast. On the other hand, the temporal variables (start, minimum and end) show low and no significant correlations with the same indexes.The results from canonical correlation analysis (CCA) show good performance to study the MSD intensity and magnitude, however, for the temporal indexes the performance is not satisfactory due to the low skill to predict the MSD phases. Moreover, we find that CCA shows potential predictability of the MSD intensity and magnitude using sea surface temperatures (SST) with leading times of up to 3 months. Using CCA as diagnostic tool it is found that during June, an SST dipole pattern upon the neighbouring waters to Central America is the main variability mode controlling the inter-annual variability of the MSD features. However, there is also evidence that the regional waters are playing an important role in the annual modulation of the MSD features. The waters in the PDO vicinity might be also controlling the rainfall during the MSD, however, exerting an opposite effect at the north and south regions of Central America.

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Section: General Features Of the Msdmentioning

confidence: 94%

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confidence: 94%

Interannual variability of the midsummer drought in Central America and the connection with sea surface temperatures

et al. 2016

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“…Several authors have pointed to the seasonal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), deep convection, low-level moisture transport, cyclone activity, and mid-latitude air intrusions as being the main drivers of regional precipitation (Schulz et al, 1997;Amador et al, 2006;Durán-Quesada et al, 2010;among others). Studies on the effect of large-scale structures such as the ITCZ on regional precipitation are scarce (Hidalgo et al, 2015), and some important interactions, including links with the tropical Pacific, are not fully understood. The region is influenced by deep convection and highly active stratiform precipitation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of moisture transport for Central American precipitation

2017

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Abstract.A climatology of moisture sources linked with Central American precipitation was computed based upon Lagrangian trajectories for the analysis period 1980-2013. The response of the annual cycle of precipitation in terms of moisture supply from the sources was analysed. Regional precipitation patterns are mostly driven by moisture transport from the Caribbean Sea (CS). Moisture supply from the eastern tropical Pacific (ETPac) and northern South America (NSA) exhibits a strong seasonal pattern but weaker compared to CS. The regional distribution of rainfall is largely influenced by a local signal associated with surface fluxes during the first part of the rainy season, whereas large-scale dynamics forces rainfall during the second part of the rainy season. The Caribbean Low Level Jet (CLLJ) and the Chocó Jet (CJ) are the main conveyors of regional moisture, being key to define the seasonality of large-scale forced rainfall. Therefore, interannual variability of rainfall is highly dependent of the regional LLJs to the atmospheric variability modes. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was found to be the dominant mode affecting moisture supply for Central American precipitation via the modulation of regional phenomena. Evaporative sources show opposite anomaly patterns during warm and cold ENSO phases, as a result of the strengthening and weakening, respectively, of the CLLJ during the summer months. Trends in both moisture supply and precipitation over the last three decades were computed, results suggest that precipitation trends are not homogeneous for Central America. Trends in moisture supply from the sources identified show a marked north-south seesaw, with an increasing supply from the CS Sea to northern Central America. Long-term trends in moisture supply are larger for the transition months (March and October). This might have important implications given that any changes in the conditions seen during the transition to the rainy season may induce stronger precipitation trends.

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“…13), se puede justificar este mínimo. La marcha hacia el norte de la ZCIT, genera alrededor de este mes ese máximo relativo de precipitación en esta zona (Magaña, Amador, & Medina, 1999;Shang-Ping et al, 2005;Amador et al, 2006;Quirós, 2015;Hidalgo et al, 2015). La distribución espacial superficial del oxígeno disuelto en el PTE está en relación con la variación espacial de los afloramientos del DTCR y del Golfo de Panamá, que tienen relación también, con en la marcha anual de la ZCIT.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…La variación estacional del viento y la oscilación meridional de la Zona de Convergencia Intertropical (ZCIT) (e.g. Quirós, 2015;Hidalgo, Durán-Quesada, Amador, & Alfaro, 2015), modifican la dinámica del PTE (Kessler, 2006). varios trabajos se han escrito sobre el Domo Térmico de Costa Rica (DTCR) por su singular productividad (Wyrtki, 1964;Umatani, & Yamagata, 1991;Fiedler, 1992;Fiedler, 1994), entre otros.…”

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Distribución espacio-temporal de la temperatura, salinidad y oxígeno disuelto alrededor del Domo Térmico de Costa Rica

Lizano

2016

RBT

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Spatio-temporal distribution of temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen around the Costa Rica Thermal Dome. The Costa Rica Thermal Dome (CRTD) is an oceanographic phenomenon in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). This is a region of very high biological productivity, resulting in high concentrations of phytoplankton, sea birds, and large pelagics, such as tunas, dolphins and whales. Few publications have looks at the station variability of the water column of the CRTD. Here, horizontal and vertical distribution of some oceanic parameters was analyzed to show the dynamics of ETP, its influence on the CRTD, climatic variations and relationships that justify their distributions. Climatological monthly mean data of Ocean Data view (ODv) from 1900 to 2009 were used to compile profiles of the water column's temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen, and their spatial distributions around the Costa Rica Thermal Dome (CRTD). Monthly variations of these parameters depend on the intensity and extent of ocean-meteorological phenomena in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), which are related to the north-south migration of Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The monthly climatic variation of these variables is analyzed down to 200 m depth. Increased climate variability is found in the water column at stations north and east of the CRTD. The two stations north of the CRTD, closer to the coast, are the ones most affected by the wind in front of the Gulf of Papagayo and where the greatest monthly upwelling variation occurs in this region. The distribution and concentration of dissolved oxygen depends on the ocean-atmospheric dynamics. Oxygen is consumed by respiration and organic matter oxidation around CRTD. Moreover, this is one of the regions of the tropical oceans where an Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) exist, which is related also to poor water circulation or lack ocean ventilation. Sources of dissolved oxygen are linked with sub-surface currents coming from the west and from the south of the geographic equator. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (Suppl. 1): S135-S152. Epub 2016 February 01.

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The caribbean low‐level jet, the inter‐tropical convergence zone and precipitation patterns in the intra‐americas sea: a proposed dynamical mechanism

Abstract: circulation seems to be consistent during years when latitudinal center of mass is lower than normal, apparently reinforcing the jet, and presents weaker strength during years of high latitudinal center of mass. The proposed mechanism is explained in some detail.

Cited by 90 publications

References 40 publications

Interannual variability of the midsummer drought in Central America and the connection with sea surface temperatures

Interannual variability of the midsummer drought in Central America and the connection with sea surface temperatures

Role of moisture transport for Central American precipitation

Distribución espacio-temporal de la temperatura, salinidad y oxígeno disuelto alrededor del Domo Térmico de Costa Rica

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