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  • Near-Surface Salinity Reveals the Oceanic Sources of Moisture for Australian Precipitation Through Atmospheric Moisture Transport
Title: Near-Surface Salinity Reveals the Oceanic Sources of Moisture for Australian Precipitation Through Atmospheric Moisture Transport
The long-term trend of sea surface salinity (SSS) reveals an intensification of the global hydrological cycle due to human-induced climate change. This study demonstrates that SSS variability can also be used as a measure of terrestrial precipitation on inter-seasonal to inter-annual time scales, and to locate the source of moisture. Seasonal composites during El Niño Southern Oscillation/Indian Ocean Dipole (ENSO/IOD) events are used to understand the variations of moisture transport and precipitation over Australia, and their association with SSS variability. As ENSO/IOD events evolve, patterns of positive or negative SSS anomaly emerge in the Indo-Pacific warm pool region and are accompanied by atmospheric moisture transport anomalies towards Australia. During co-occurring La Niña and negative-IOD events, salty anomalies around the maritime continent (north of Australia) indicate freshwater export and are associated with a significant moisture transport that converges over Australia to create anomalous wet conditions. In contrast, during co-occurring El Niño and positive IOD events, there is the moisture transport divergence anomaly over Australia and results in anomalous dry conditions. The relationship between SSS and atmospheric moisture transport also holds for pure ENSO/IOD events but varies in magnitude and spatial pattern. The significant pattern correlation between the moisture flux divergence and SSS anomaly during the ENSO/IOD events highlights the associated ocean-atmosphere coupling. A case study of the extreme hydroclimatic events of Australia (e.g. 2010-11 Brisbane flood) demonstrates that the changes in SSS occur before the peak of ENSO/IOD events. This raises the prospect that tracking of SSS variability could aid the prediction of Australian rainfall.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1663704
PAR ID:
10158742
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Journal of Climate
ISSN:
0894-8755
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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