Quasi-biennial and quasi-triennial oscillations in the rainfall of Northeast Brazil
The 12-monthly running means centered 3 months apart (4 values per year) of the rainfalls in NE (Northeast) Brazil were subjected to Maximum Entropy Spectral Analysis and results compared with similar analysis for several other parameters. Characteristics of northern NE and eastern NE rainfalls were almost similar but differed considerably from those of southern NE rainfall. In the QBO region, northern NE had small periodicities at 2.03, 2.45 years, eastern NE had strong periodicities at 2.26, 2.60 years while southern NE had no significant QBO. The 50mb equatorial zonal wind had a strongest peak at 2.33 years, a smaller peak at 2.64 years and a still smaller peak at ~2.00 years. The Southern Oscillation Index T-D (Tahiti minus Darwin atmospheric pressure) had peaks at 2.05, 2.57 years while EEP-SST (equatorial eastern Pacific sea surface temperature) had peaks at 2.10, 2.57 years. (North and South Atlantic SST) had peaks at (2.10-2.15) years while NE Brazil coast SST had 2.29 years and Wind Stress had 2.20 years. In the QTO region, 50mb wind had a small peak at 3.2 years and NE coastal Wind Stress at 3.3 years. All other parameters including all the 3 regional rainfalls of NE Brazil had significant peaks near 3.5 years. Peaks were also in the (4.5-5.0) year and (9.5-13.9) year bands. All the three rainfalls had moderate correlations with T-D and EEP-SST (~0.3) and with 50mb wind (~0.4). Rainfall correlations were higher with North and South Atlantic SST (~0.5) and with NE coastal SST (~0.6). The eastern NE rainfall had a high correlation (0.5) with NE coastal Wind Stress.
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
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Sociedade Brasileira de Geofísica
1998
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| Online Access: | http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-261X1998000100004 |
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