Thermodynamic and dynamic contributions to future changes in regional precipitation variance: focus on the Southeastern United States

Verfasser / Beitragende:
[Laifang Li, Wenhong Li]
Ort, Verlag, Jahr:
2015
Enthalten in:
Climate Dynamics, 45/1-2(2015-07-01), 67-82
Format:
Artikel (online)
ID: 605472157
LEADER caa a22 4500
001 605472157
003 CHVBK
005 20210128100336.0
007 cr unu---uuuuu
008 210128e20150701xx s 000 0 eng
024 7 0 |a 10.1007/s00382-014-2216-3  |2 doi 
035 |a (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00382-014-2216-3 
245 0 0 |a Thermodynamic and dynamic contributions to future changes in regional precipitation variance: focus on the Southeastern United States  |h [Elektronische Daten]  |c [Laifang Li, Wenhong Li] 
520 3 |a The frequency and severity of extreme events are tightly associated with the variance of precipitation. As climate warms, the acceleration in hydrological cycle is likely to enhance the variance of precipitation across the globe. However, due to the lack of an effective analysis method, the mechanisms responsible for the changes of precipitation variance are poorly understood, especially on regional scales. Our study fills this gap by formulating a variance partition algorithm, which explicitly quantifies the contributions of atmospheric thermodynamics (specific humidity) and dynamics (wind) to the changes in regional-scale precipitation variance. Taking Southeastern (SE) United States (US) summer precipitation as an example, the algorithm is applied to the simulations of current and future climate by phase 5 of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models. The analysis suggests that compared to observations, most CMIP5 models (~60%) tend to underestimate the summer precipitation variance over the SE US during the 1950-1999, primarily due to the errors in the modeled dynamic processes (i.e. large-scale circulation). Among the 18 CMIP5 models analyzed in this study, six of them reasonably simulate SE US summer precipitation variance in the twentieth century and the underlying physical processes; these models are thus applied for mechanistic study of future changes in SE US summer precipitation variance. In the future, the six models collectively project an intensification of SE US summer precipitation variance, resulting from the combined effects of atmospheric thermodynamics and dynamics. Between them, the latter plays a more important role. Specifically, thermodynamics results in more frequent and intensified wet summers, but does not contribute to the projected increase in the frequency and intensity of dry summers. In contrast, atmospheric dynamics explains the projected enhancement in both wet and dry summers, indicating its importance in understanding future climate change over the SE US. The results suggest that the intensified SE US summer precipitation variance is not a purely thermodynamic response to greenhouse gases forcing, and cannot be explained without the contribution of atmospheric dynamics. Our analysis provides important insights to understand the mechanisms of SE US summer precipitation variance change. The algorithm formulated in this study can be easily applied to other regions and seasons to systematically explore the mechanisms responsible for the changes in precipitation extremes in a warming climate. 
540 |a Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2014 
690 7 |a Southeastern US summer precipitation variance  |2 nationallicence 
690 7 |a Atmospheric hydrological cycle  |2 nationallicence 
690 7 |a Variance partition algorithm  |2 nationallicence 
690 7 |a Thermodynamic and dynamic components  |2 nationallicence 
690 7 |a Extreme precipitation  |2 nationallicence 
700 1 |a Li  |D Laifang  |u Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, 322 Old Chem. Bldg, P.O. Box 90227, 27708, Durham, NC, USA  |4 aut 
700 1 |a Li  |D Wenhong  |u Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, 322 Old Chem. Bldg, P.O. Box 90227, 27708, Durham, NC, USA  |4 aut 
773 0 |t Climate Dynamics  |d Springer Berlin Heidelberg  |g 45/1-2(2015-07-01), 67-82  |x 0930-7575  |q 45:1-2<67  |1 2015  |2 45  |o 382 
856 4 0 |u https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2216-3  |q text/html  |z Onlinezugriff via DOI 
898 |a BK010053  |b XK010053  |c XK010000 
900 7 |a Metadata rights reserved  |b Springer special CC-BY-NC licence  |2 nationallicence 
908 |D 1  |a research-article  |2 jats 
949 |B NATIONALLICENCE  |F NATIONALLICENCE  |b NL-springer 
950 |B NATIONALLICENCE  |P 856  |E 40  |u https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2216-3  |q text/html  |z Onlinezugriff via DOI 
950 |B NATIONALLICENCE  |P 700  |E 1-  |a Li  |D Laifang  |u Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, 322 Old Chem. Bldg, P.O. Box 90227, 27708, Durham, NC, USA  |4 aut 
950 |B NATIONALLICENCE  |P 700  |E 1-  |a Li  |D Wenhong  |u Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, 322 Old Chem. Bldg, P.O. Box 90227, 27708, Durham, NC, USA  |4 aut 
950 |B NATIONALLICENCE  |P 773  |E 0-  |t Climate Dynamics  |d Springer Berlin Heidelberg  |g 45/1-2(2015-07-01), 67-82  |x 0930-7575  |q 45:1-2<67  |1 2015  |2 45  |o 382