1. MECHANISMS CONTROLLING CLIMATE VARIABILITY AT ATLANTIC-EUROPEAN SCALE.
- Author
-
Ionac, Nicoleta, Matei, Monica, and Năftănăilă, Vlad
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,ATMOSPHERIC pressure ,GEOPOTENTIAL height ,HUMIDITY ,ORTHOGONAL functions ,ATMOSPHERIC circulation - Abstract
The purpose of the present paper is to analyze the main patterns of Atlantic-European climate variability in the context of observed climate change conditions. In this respect, we have chosen multiple variables in grid points, as they were provided by the National Centre of Atmospheric Research (NCAR, USA). The variables taken into consideration are: sea level pressure (SLP), geopotential height, air temperature and specific humidity at different pressure levels (500, 700, 850 mb), over a 60 years' time period (1950-2010). The Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) analysis was applied to identify the anomalies of the chosen variables, both for summer (June to August) and winter (December to February) seasons. The time coefficient series reveal both spatial and temporal variability modes. By using Man- Kendall and Pettitt non-parametric tests, we could also detect the general trends and change points of time coefficient series resulted. One of the most important circulation pattern that was identified is the North Atlantic Circulation, which becomes the main pattern of atmospheric circulation variability, at least in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012