Abstract
Abstract. This study describes the characteristics of large-scale vertical velocity, apparent heating source (Q1) and apparent moisture sink (Q2) profiles associated with seasonal and diurnal variations of convective systems observed during the two intensive operational periods (IOPs) that were conducted from 15 February to 26 March 2014 (wet season) and from 1 September to 10 October 2014 (dry season) near Manaus, Brazil, during the Green Ocean Amazon (GoAmazon2014/5) experiment. The derived large-scale fields have large diurnal variations according to convective activity in the GoAmazon region and the morning profiles show distinct differences between the dry and wet seasons. In the wet season, propagating convective systems originating far from the GoAmazon region are often seen in the early morning, while in the dry season they are rarely observed. Afternoon convective systems due to solar heating are frequently seen in both seasons. Accordingly, in the morning, there is strong upward motion and associated heating and drying throughout the entire troposphere in the wet season, which is limited to lower levels in the dry season. In the afternoon, both seasons exhibit weak heating and strong moistening in the boundary layer related to the vertical convergence of eddy fluxes. A set of case studies of three typical types of convective systems occurring in Amazonia – i.e., locally occurring systems, coastal-occurring systems and basin-occurring systems – is also conducted to investigate the variability of the large-scale environment with different types of convective systems.
Highlights
Amazonia is one of the major tropical convective regions in the global climate system
The cloud frequency was derived from the Active Remote Sensing of Clouds (ARSCL) (Kollias et al, 2007) product, which uses a combination of the 95 GHz W-band Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) cloud radar (WACR), micropulse lidar (MPL) and ceilometer located at the ARM site pointing upward to determine a best-estimate cloud mask above the ARM site with 5 s temporal and 30 m vertical resolution
This study presented the characteristics of the seasonal variation and diurnal cycle of the large-scale vertical velocity and diabatic heating (Q1) and drying (Q2) profiles for the two intensive operational periods (IOPs) conducted during the GoAmazon2014/5 experiment
Summary
Amazonia is one of the major tropical convective regions in the global climate system. The goal of this study is to document and understand the seasonal variability and diurnal cycle of large-scale vertical velocity, heat and moisture budgets associated with the convective systems observed during the two IOPs in the GoAmazon2014/5 experiment. In this study we use data collected from the comprehensive GoAmazon2014/5 field campaign to examine the seasonal and diurnal variations of the large-scale vertical velocity and heat and moisture budgets associated with the convective systems that occur in central Amazonia.
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