Spatial variations of effective moisture in the western United States

Spatial patterns of actual evapotranspiration (AE), potential evapotranspiration (PE), and their ratio (AE/PE) in the western United States are examined to describe the annual cycle of moisture availability. Long‐term (1971–2000) averages of observed temperature and precipitation, and sunshine data...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2010-01, Vol.37 (2), p.n/a
Main Authors: Shinker, Jacqueline J., Bartlein, Patrick J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atmospheric sciences
Climate change
Climate science
Earth
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
effective moisture
Evapotranspiration
Exact sciences and technology
Geobiology
Geophysics
Hydrology
Moisture
Moisture availability
Monsoons
Mountains
Net radiation
Polyethylenes
Precipitation
Terrestrial ecosystems
Topography
Water
Water resources management
western United States
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Summary:Spatial patterns of actual evapotranspiration (AE), potential evapotranspiration (PE), and their ratio (AE/PE) in the western United States are examined to describe the annual cycle of moisture availability. Long‐term (1971–2000) averages of observed temperature and precipitation, and sunshine data were used to calculate AE and PE. A cluster analysis identifies regions with similar annual cycles of AE/PE. We identify three different spatial scales of variability in AE/PE: (1) broadscale patterns reflect the trade‐off between winter‐dominated precipitation of the Pacific Northwest and summer‐dominated precipitation east of the Rocky Mountains, and the south‐to‐north decrease in PE related to latitudinal variations in net radiation; (2) mesoscale patterns show the influence of regional‐scale features (e.g., the North American Monsoon); and (3) local‐scale patterns are related to topography. Understanding the scales of effective‐moisture variations is valuable from the perspective of terrestrial ecosystems and water resources management in the mostly arid western United States.
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1029/2009GL041387