Search from over 60,000 research works

Advanced Search

Monsoon‐induced zonal asymmetries in moisture transport cause anomalous Pacific precipitation minus evaporation

[thumbnail of Open Access]
Preview
2020GL088659.pdf - Published Version (1MB) | Preview
Available under license: Creative Commons Attribution
[thumbnail of 2020GL088659.pdf]
2020GL088659.pdf - Accepted Version (2MB)
Restricted to Repository staff only
Add to AnyAdd to TwitterAdd to FacebookAdd to LinkedinAdd to PinterestAdd to Email

Craig, P. M. orcid id iconORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9213-4599, Ferreira, D. orcid id iconORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3243-9774 and Methven, J. orcid id iconORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7636-6872 (2020) Monsoon‐induced zonal asymmetries in moisture transport cause anomalous Pacific precipitation minus evaporation. Geophysical Research Letters, 47 (18). e2020GL088. ISSN 0094-8276 doi: 10.1029/2020GL088659

Abstract/Summary

Basin‐integrated precipitation minus evaporation (P‐E) in the Pacific is near neutral while the Atlantic shows net evaporation. We link this P-E asymmetry to atmospheric moisture fluxes across the boundaries of the ocean drainage basins. Adopting an objective approach based on a comparison between actual fluxes and a zonally averaged circulation, we show that the asymmetry is dominated by moisture fluxes associated with the monthly‐mean flow at low latitudes rather than by differences in moisture fluxes into the Southern Ocean and Arctic catchments. In boreal summer, the eastward moisture flux, due to the Asian Summer Monsoon flow opposes the zonal mean westward flux in the Trade Winds and results in more positive P‐E over the Pacific than both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, even in the annual mean. Our analysis reveals that moisture flux across Southeast Asia, rather than across Central America, is the dominant factor in the P‐E asymmetry.

Altmetric Badge

Item Type Article
URI https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/92865
Item Type Article
Refereed Yes
Divisions Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > NCAS
Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Download/View statistics View download statistics for this item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

University Staff: Request a correction | Centaur Editors: Update this record

Search Google Scholar