TY - GEN A1 - Ramezani Ziarani, Maryam A1 - Bookhagen, Bodo A1 - Schmidt, Torsten A1 - Wickert, Jens A1 - de la Torre, Alejandro A1 - Hierro, Rodrigo T1 - Using Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) and Dew-Point Temperature to Characterize Rainfall-Extreme Events in the South-Central Andes T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - The interactions between atmosphere and steep topography in the eastern south–central Andes result in complex relations with inhomogenous rainfall distributions. The atmospheric conditions leading to deep convection and extreme rainfall and their spatial patterns—both at the valley and mountain-belt scales—are not well understood. In this study, we aim to identify the dominant atmospheric conditions and their spatial variability by analyzing the convective available potential energy (CAPE) and dew-point temperature (Td). We explain the crucial effect of temperature on extreme rainfall generation along the steep climatic and topographic gradients in the NW Argentine Andes stretching from the low-elevation eastern foreland to the high-elevation central Andean Plateau in the west. Our analysis relies on version 2.0 of the ECMWF’s (European Centre for Medium-RangeWeather Forecasts) Re-Analysis (ERA-interim) data and TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) data. We make the following key observations: First, we observe distinctive gradients along and across strike of the Andes in dew-point temperature and CAPE that both control rainfall distributions. Second, we identify a nonlinear correlation between rainfall and a combination of dew-point temperature and CAPE through a multivariable regression analysis. The correlation changes in space along the climatic and topographic gradients and helps to explain controlling factors for extreme-rainfall generation. Third, we observe more contribution (or higher importance) of Td in the tropical low-elevation foreland and intermediate-elevation areas as compared to the high-elevation central Andean Plateau for 90th percentile rainfall. In contrast, we observe a higher contribution of CAPE in the intermediate-elevation area between low and high elevation, especially in the transition zone between the tropical and subtropical areas for the 90th percentile rainfall. Fourth, we find that the parameters of the multivariable regression using CAPE and Td can explain rainfall with higher statistical significance for the 90th percentile compared to lower rainfall percentiles. Based on our results, the spatial pattern of rainfall-extreme events during the past ∼16 years can be described by a combination of dew-point temperature and CAPE in the south–central Andes. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 771 KW - eastern south–central Andes KW - extreme rainfall KW - deep convection KW - convective available potential energy KW - dew-point temperature Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-438865 SN - 1866-8372 IS - 771 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ramezani Ziarani, Maryam A1 - Bookhagen, Bodo A1 - Schmidt, Torsten A1 - Wickert, Jens A1 - de la Torre, Alejandro A1 - Hierro, Rodrigo T1 - Using Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) and Dew-Point Temperature to Characterize Rainfall-Extreme Events in the South-Central Andes JF - Atmosphere N2 - The interactions between atmosphere and steep topography in the eastern south–central Andes result in complex relations with inhomogenous rainfall distributions. The atmospheric conditions leading to deep convection and extreme rainfall and their spatial patterns—both at the valley and mountain-belt scales—are not well understood. In this study, we aim to identify the dominant atmospheric conditions and their spatial variability by analyzing the convective available potential energy (CAPE) and dew-point temperature (Td). We explain the crucial effect of temperature on extreme rainfall generation along the steep climatic and topographic gradients in the NW Argentine Andes stretching from the low-elevation eastern foreland to the high-elevation central Andean Plateau in the west. Our analysis relies on version 2.0 of the ECMWF’s (European Centre for Medium-RangeWeather Forecasts) Re-Analysis (ERA-interim) data and TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) data. We make the following key observations: First, we observe distinctive gradients along and across strike of the Andes in dew-point temperature and CAPE that both control rainfall distributions. Second, we identify a nonlinear correlation between rainfall and a combination of dew-point temperature and CAPE through a multivariable regression analysis. The correlation changes in space along the climatic and topographic gradients and helps to explain controlling factors for extreme-rainfall generation. Third, we observe more contribution (or higher importance) of Td in the tropical low-elevation foreland and intermediate-elevation areas as compared to the high-elevation central Andean Plateau for 90th percentile rainfall. In contrast, we observe a higher contribution of CAPE in the intermediate-elevation area between low and high elevation, especially in the transition zone between the tropical and subtropical areas for the 90th percentile rainfall. Fourth, we find that the parameters of the multivariable regression using CAPE and Td can explain rainfall with higher statistical significance for the 90th percentile compared to lower rainfall percentiles. Based on our results, the spatial pattern of rainfall-extreme events during the past ∼16 years can be described by a combination of dew-point temperature and CAPE in the south–central Andes. KW - eastern south–central Andes KW - extreme rainfall KW - deep convection KW - convective available potential energy KW - dew-point temperature Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10070379 SN - 2073-4433 VL - 10 IS - 7 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - THES A1 - Ramezani Ziarani, Maryam T1 - Characterization of atmospheric processes related to hydro-meteorological extreme events over the south-central Andes N2 - The significant environmental and socioeconomic consequences of hydrometeorological extreme events, such as extreme rainfall, are constituted as a most important motivation for analyzing these events in the south-central Andes of NW Argentina. The steep topographic and climatic gradients and their interactions frequently lead to the formation of deep convective storms and consequently trigger extreme rainfall generation. In this dissertation, I focus on identifying the dominant climatic variables and atmospheric conditions and their spatiotemporal variability leading to deep convection and extreme rainfall in the south-central Andes. This dissertation first examines the significant contribution of temperature on atmospheric humidity (dew-point temperature, Td) and on convection (convective available potential energy, CAPE) for deep convective storms and hence, extreme rainfall along the topographic and climatic gradients. It was found that both climatic variables play an important role in extreme rainfall generation. However, their contributions differ depending on topographic and climatic sub-regions, as well as rainfall percentiles. Second, this dissertation explores if (near real-time) the measurements conducted by the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) on integrated water vapor (IWV) provide reliable data for explaining atmospheric humidity. I argue that GNSS-IWV, in conjunction with other atmospheric stability parameters such as CAPE, is able to decipher the extreme rainfall in the eastern central Andes. In my work, I rely on a multivariable regression analysis described by a theoretical relationship and fitting function analysis. Third, this dissertation identifies the local impact of convection on extreme rainfall in the eastern Andes. Relying on a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) it was found that during the existence of moist and warm air, extreme rainfall is observed more often during local night hours. The analysis includes the mechanisms for this observation. Exploring the atmospheric conditions and climatic variables leading to extreme rainfall is one of the main findings of this dissertation. The conditions and variables are a prerequisite for understanding the dynamics of extreme rainfall and predicting these events in the eastern Andes. N2 - Die entscheidenden ökologischen und sozioökonomischen Folgen hydrometeorologischer Extremereignisse, wie z.B. extremer Niederschläge, stellen eine wichtige Motivation für die Analyse dieser Ereignisse in den südlich-zentralen Anden von NW Argentinien dar. Die steilen topographischen und klimatischen Gradienten und deren Wechselwirkungen führen häufig zu einer starken konvektiven Regenfallbildung und sind häufig auch die Auslöser von Starkniederschlägen. In dieser Dissertation konzentriere ich mich auf die Identifizierung der dominanten klimatischen Variablen und atmosphärischen Rahmenbedingungen und ihrer räumlich-zeitliche Variabilität, die zu starker Konvektion und extremen Niederschlägen in den südlich-zentralen Anden führt. Diese Dissertation untersucht zunächst den wichtigen Beitrag der Temperatur zur Luftfeuchtigkeit(Taupunkttemperatur, Td) und zur Konvektion (konvektive verfügbare potenzielle Energie, CAPE) für starke, konvektive Stürme und damit extreme Niederschläge entlang der topographischen und klimatischen Gradienten. Es wurde festgestellt, dass beide klimatischen Variablen eine wichtige Rolle bei der Erzeugung extremer Niederschläge spielen. Ihr Beitrag hängt jedoch von den topographischen und klimatischen Teilregionen sowie den Niederschlagsperzentilen ab. Zweitens, auf der Grundlage einer multivariablen Regressionsanalyse, die durch eine theoretische Beziehungs- und Anpassungsfunktionsanalyse beschrieben wird, untersucht diese Arbeit, ob integrierter Wasserdampf (IWV) auf der Grundlage von GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Messungen zuverlässige Daten sind, um die Luftfeuchtigkeit zu erklären. Das GNSS-IWV in Verbindung mit anderen atmosphärischen Stabilitätsparametern wie z.B. CAPE ist in der Lage, die extremen Niederschläge in den östlichen zentralen Anden zu entschlüsseln. Drittens, diese Dissertation identifiziert die lokalen Auswirkungen der Konvektion auf extreme Niederschläge in den östlichen Anden. Auf der Grundlage einer Hauptkomponentenanalyse (PCA) wurde festgestellt, dass die extremen Niederschläge häufiger während der lokalen Nachtstunden beobachtet werden, wenn feuchte und warme Luft vorhanden ist. Die Erforschung der atmosphärischen Rahmenbedingungen und klimatischen Variablen, die zu extremen Niederschlägen führen, ist eines der wichtigste Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit. Sie ist Voraussetzung für das Verständnis der Dynamik von extremen Niederschlägen und wichtig für die Vorhersage dieser Ereignisse in den östlichen Anden. T2 - Charakterisierung der atmosphärischen Prozesse im Zusammenhang mit hydro-meteorologischen Extremereignissen über den süd-zentralen Anden KW - eastern south–central Andes KW - extreme rainfall KW - deep convection KW - östlich-südzentrale Anden KW - Extremniederschläge KW - starker Konvektion Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-471755 ER -