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The Africa–South America Intercontinental Teleconnection

The Africa–South America Intercontinental Teleconnection The influence of heating over Africa on the South American precipitation climatology, and the influence of South America on Africa, is examined through the application of GCM simulations with idealized boundary conditions and perpetual solstice (January and July) conditions. The presence of Africa is associated with a pronounced (up to 4 mm day −1 ) decrease in precipitation in Brazil's Nordeste region during austral summer. Low-level moisture divergence and dry-air advection associated with the downbranch of a Walker circulation induced by heating over southern Africa is amplified over the Nordeste due to the response of the land surface. The response is much smaller during austral winter due to differences in the heat source over Africa and a reduced sensitivity in the surface heat balance over tropical South America. Forcing from South America in January shifts the position of the South Indian convergence zone (SICZ) to the southwest over southern Africa in association with the formation of the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ). In July, a Rossby wave train generated over South America induces a response in the surface temperature of Africa that leads to stronger precipitation in central and western Africa. This study suggests a zonal mode of variability for South American and African circulation and precipitation fields. The resulting perturbations depend as much on land surface–atmosphere interactions as on the direct forcing from the adjacent continent, and the mechanisms are highly nonlinear. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Climate American Meteorological Society

The Africa–South America Intercontinental Teleconnection

Cook, K. H.; Hsieh, J-S.; Hagos, S. M.
Journal of Climate , Volume 17 (14) – Sep 3, 2003
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References (19)

Publisher
American Meteorological Society
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 American Meteorological Society
ISSN
1520-0442
DOI
10.1175/1520-0442(2004)017<2851:TAAIT>2.0.CO;2
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The influence of heating over Africa on the South American precipitation climatology, and the influence of South America on Africa, is examined through the application of GCM simulations with idealized boundary conditions and perpetual solstice (January and July) conditions. The presence of Africa is associated with a pronounced (up to 4 mm day −1 ) decrease in precipitation in Brazil's Nordeste region during austral summer. Low-level moisture divergence and dry-air advection associated with the downbranch of a Walker circulation induced by heating over southern Africa is amplified over the Nordeste due to the response of the land surface. The response is much smaller during austral winter due to differences in the heat source over Africa and a reduced sensitivity in the surface heat balance over tropical South America. Forcing from South America in January shifts the position of the South Indian convergence zone (SICZ) to the southwest over southern Africa in association with the formation of the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ). In July, a Rossby wave train generated over South America induces a response in the surface temperature of Africa that leads to stronger precipitation in central and western Africa. This study suggests a zonal mode of variability for South American and African circulation and precipitation fields. The resulting perturbations depend as much on land surface–atmosphere interactions as on the direct forcing from the adjacent continent, and the mechanisms are highly nonlinear.

Journal

Journal of Climate – American Meteorological Society

Published: Sep 3, 2003

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