Patterns of surface air turbulence, preliminary to local convective rain: a case study in 3 regions of Brazil

• Grant number: 16/21087-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2016
• End date: July 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Meteorology
• Agreement: Belmont Forum
• Principal Investigator: Humberto Ribeiro da Rocha
• Grantee: Júlia Bernardes Ogata
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/50682-6 - Climate-smart watershed investments in the montane tropics of South America (ClimateWise), AP.PFPMCG.TEM

Abstract

The turbulent regime of the atmosphere at the surface depends largely on the amount and sources of heat and moisture, which constrains the processes of convective rainfall and its onset. This proposal seeks to assess the patterns of the atmospheric turbulence at the surface, with the purpose to associate it with the ingredients previously to the onset and triggering of convective rainfall locally. We will investigate two different locals in Brazil, with data measured in micrometeorological flux towers , respectively in an Atlantic Forest in São Luis do Paraitinga (SP), and a second one over a Cerrado restrict area in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro (SP). We will study the diurnal cycle of variables associated with the turbulence, as the turbulent fluxes of heat and moister, the turbulent kinetic energy, the spectra of temperature, moisture and wind speed, and Richardson bulk number. (AU)