Indian Ocean influence on the variability of the South American climate

• Grant number: 10/06972-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: September 06, 2010
• End date: October 05, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Meteorology
• Principal Investigator: Tercio Ambrizzi
• Grantee: Tercio Ambrizzi
• Visiting researcher: Andréa Sardinha Taschetto
• Visiting researcher institution: University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims to investigate the role of the Indian Ocean on the variability of the South American climate. Previous studies report the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans as the main forcing of the South American climate, however, much less is known about the influence of the Indian Ocean. In order to develop this proposal, we will make use of observational and reanalysis data as well as numerical experiments with the ocean-atmosphere general circulation model developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The results will be analysed using conventional statistical techniques (such as linear regression, correlation, power spectra), and via multivariate methods, as principal component analyses with two or more variables. The development of this project will provide a better understanding about the ocean-atmosphere interaction processes in the Indian Ocean and its associated impacts on the South American circulation, through the communication of the results in high international impact scientific journals. It is also expected to strength the scientific links between the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at USP and the Climate Change Research Centre at UNSW (AU)