Search

Abstract: The Global Positioning System (GPS) Radio Occultation (RO) technique has global coverage and is capable of generating high vertical resolution temperature profiles of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere with sub-Kelvin accuracy and long-term stability, regardless of weather conditions. In this work, we take advantage of the anomalously high density of occultation events at the eastern side of the highest Andes Mountains during the initial mission months of COSMIC (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate). This region is well-known for its high wave activity. We choose to study two pairs of GPS RO, both containing two occultations that occurred close in time and space. One pair shows significant differences between both temperature profiles. Numerical simulations with a mesoscale model were performed, in order to understand this discrepancy. It is attributed to the presence of a horizontal inhomogeneous structure caused by gravity waves. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study was aimed at analysing the main atmospheric dynamic mechanisms associated with the occurrence of intense rainfall events above the Huancayo observatory (12.05°S, 75.32°W, 3313 m asl) in the central Andes of Perú (Mantaro valley) from January 2018 to April 2019. To identify the rainfall events, we used a set of instruments from the laboratory of physics, microphysics and radiation (LAMAR) composed by in-situ pluviometric observations, satellite remote sensing data (GPM), Cloud Radar (MIRA-35c), Boundary Layer Tropospheric Radar (BLTR) and downscaling model simulations with WRF (resolutions: 18 km, 6 km and 2 km) and ARPS (0.5 km) models to analyse the dynamics of the atmosphere for the synoptic, meso and local processes that control the occurrence of these rainfall events. The results showed that all intense rainfall events are associated with the presence of thermal meso-scale circulations that transport moisture fluxes through passes with gentle slopes along both sides of the Andes. The easterly moisture fluxes come in from the South America Low Level Jet (SALLJ) and the westerly moisture fluxes from the Pacific Ocean. The arrival of these moisture flows to regions within the Mantaro valley depends on their coupling with the circulations at medium and high levels of the atmosphere. At the synoptic scale, the results show that the rainfall events can be separated into two groups: the first one associated with westerly circulations (WC) at the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere, generated by the weakening and eastern displacement of the anticyclonic Bolivian high-North east low (BH-NE) system, and the second associated with easterly circulations (EC) at the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere, generated by the intensification of the BH-NE system. The observed and simulated results showed that multicell convective systems of WC events are more extensive and deeper than EC events. This situation can be explained as the convergence of moisture fluxes from opposite directions occurred within the Mantaro basin for WC events. In contrast, for EC events, the convergence develops at the east Andes mountain range, following which the multicell storm system propagates westward, driven by easterly circulations. The EC events occur mostly in the summer months, while the WC events occur mostly in the autumn and spring months. Moreover, apparently the inertia gravity waves (IGWs) formed in the Amazon basin transport moisture and energy to the central Andes plateau and intensify the convection processes. • The study analyzes the main atmospheric dynamic conditions that generate intense rainfall events in the Peruvian central Andes. • All intense rainfall events are associated with thermal meso-scale circulations that transport moisture fluxes. • Easterly moisture fluxes coming from the South America Low Level Jet and the westerlies from the Pacific Ocean. • Rainfall events were separated into two groups: events with easterly circulations (EC) and with westerly circulations (WC) • The WC events were more extensive and deeper than EC events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]