Publication Abstracts

Marengo et al. 1993

Marengo, J.A., L.M. Druyan, and S. Hastenrath, 1993: Observational and modelling studies of Amazonia interannual climate variability. Climatic Change, 23, 267-286, doi:10.1007/BF01091619.

The interannual variability of climate in the Amazon basin is studied using precipitation and river level anomalies observed near the March/April rainy season peak for the period 1980-86, supported by satellite imagery of tropical convection. Evaluation of this data in conjunction with the corresponding circulation and sea-surface temperature (SST) anomaly patterns indicates that abundant rainy seasons in Northern Amazonia are characterized by anomalously cold surface waters in the tropical eastern Pacific, and negative/positive anomalies in the tropical North/South Atlantic, accelerated Northeast trades and a southward displaced Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) over the Atlantic sector. Years with deficient rainfall show broadly opposite patterns.

General circulation model (GCM) experiments using observed SST in three case studies were aimed at testing the teleconnections between SST and Amazon climate implied by the empirical analysis. The GCM-generated surface fields resemble the corresponding observers fields most closely over the tropical Pacific and, with one exception, over the tropical Atlantic as well. The modeled precipitation features, along the Northwest coast of South America, anomalies of opposite sign to the North and South of the equator, in agreement with observations and results from a different GCM. Similarities in simulations run from different initial conditions, but using the same global SST, indicate broad consistency in response to common boundary forcing.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ma07200r,
  author={Marengo, J. A. and Druyan, L. M. and Hastenrath, S.},
  title={Observational and modelling studies of Amazonia interannual climate variability},
  year={1993},
  journal={Climatic Change},
  volume={23},
  pages={267--286},
  doi={10.1007/BF01091619},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ma07200r
AU  - Marengo, J. A.
AU  - Druyan, L. M.
AU  - Hastenrath, S.
PY  - 1993
TI  - Observational and modelling studies of Amazonia interannual climate variability
JA  - Climatic Change
JO  - Climatic Change
VL  - 23
SP  - 267
EP  - 286
DO  - 10.1007/BF01091619
ER  -

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