Satellite Observations of the Seasonal Evolution of Total Precipitable Water Vapour over the Mediterranean Sea

This study shows satellite observations and new findings on the time and spatial distribution of the Total Precipitable Water (TPW) column over the Mediterranean Sea throughout the year. Annual evolution and seasonality of the TPW column are shown and compared to the estimated net evaporation over t...

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Main Authors: J. L. Palau, F. Rovira, M. J. Sales
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:Advances in Meteorology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/4790541
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author J. L. Palau
F. Rovira
M. J. Sales
author_facet J. L. Palau
F. Rovira
M. J. Sales
author_sort J. L. Palau
collection DOAJ
description This study shows satellite observations and new findings on the time and spatial distribution of the Total Precipitable Water (TPW) column over the Mediterranean Sea throughout the year. Annual evolution and seasonality of the TPW column are shown and compared to the estimated net evaporation over the Mediterranean Sea. Daily spatiotemporal means are in good agreement with previous short-term field campaigns and also corroborate hypothesis and conclusions reached from previous mesoscale modelling studies: (a) from a meteorological point of view, Mediterranean Basin should be considered as two different subbasins (the Western and the Eastern Mediterranean); (b) accumulation processes may affect the radiative balance at regional scale and the summer precipitation regimes. Furthermore, these satellite observations constitute strong empirical evidences that, (a) from late May to early October, contrary to what happens in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin (EMB), there is a net accumulation of TPW on the Western Mediterranean Basin (WMB) that favours the instability of the atmosphere, (b) there is a seasonal anticorrelation between the seasonal variability of the TPW column over the two Mediterranean subbasins, (c) solar radiation can not be the only driver for the annual variability of the TPW column over the Mediterranean Sea, and (d) both previous features are seasonally dependent and, therefore, their effects on the TPW column are attenuated by annual variability.
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series Advances in Meteorology
spelling doaj-art-7afd4b28b68a47bea43037291fdd70642025-02-03T06:07:55ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172017-01-01201710.1155/2017/47905414790541Satellite Observations of the Seasonal Evolution of Total Precipitable Water Vapour over the Mediterranean SeaJ. L. Palau0F. Rovira1M. J. Sales2Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo (CEAM), Parc Tecnològic, C/Charles R. Darwin, No. 14, Paterna, 46980 València, SpainCentro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo (CEAM), Parc Tecnològic, C/Charles R. Darwin, No. 14, Paterna, 46980 València, SpainMODELIZA, Parc Científic de la Universitat de València, C/Catedrático Agustín Escardino, n° 9, Paterna, 46980 València, SpainThis study shows satellite observations and new findings on the time and spatial distribution of the Total Precipitable Water (TPW) column over the Mediterranean Sea throughout the year. Annual evolution and seasonality of the TPW column are shown and compared to the estimated net evaporation over the Mediterranean Sea. Daily spatiotemporal means are in good agreement with previous short-term field campaigns and also corroborate hypothesis and conclusions reached from previous mesoscale modelling studies: (a) from a meteorological point of view, Mediterranean Basin should be considered as two different subbasins (the Western and the Eastern Mediterranean); (b) accumulation processes may affect the radiative balance at regional scale and the summer precipitation regimes. Furthermore, these satellite observations constitute strong empirical evidences that, (a) from late May to early October, contrary to what happens in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin (EMB), there is a net accumulation of TPW on the Western Mediterranean Basin (WMB) that favours the instability of the atmosphere, (b) there is a seasonal anticorrelation between the seasonal variability of the TPW column over the two Mediterranean subbasins, (c) solar radiation can not be the only driver for the annual variability of the TPW column over the Mediterranean Sea, and (d) both previous features are seasonally dependent and, therefore, their effects on the TPW column are attenuated by annual variability.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/4790541
spellingShingle J. L. Palau
F. Rovira
M. J. Sales
Satellite Observations of the Seasonal Evolution of Total Precipitable Water Vapour over the Mediterranean Sea
Advances in Meteorology
title Satellite Observations of the Seasonal Evolution of Total Precipitable Water Vapour over the Mediterranean Sea
title_full Satellite Observations of the Seasonal Evolution of Total Precipitable Water Vapour over the Mediterranean Sea
title_fullStr Satellite Observations of the Seasonal Evolution of Total Precipitable Water Vapour over the Mediterranean Sea
title_full_unstemmed Satellite Observations of the Seasonal Evolution of Total Precipitable Water Vapour over the Mediterranean Sea
title_short Satellite Observations of the Seasonal Evolution of Total Precipitable Water Vapour over the Mediterranean Sea
title_sort satellite observations of the seasonal evolution of total precipitable water vapour over the mediterranean sea
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/4790541
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AT frovira satelliteobservationsoftheseasonalevolutionoftotalprecipitablewatervapouroverthemediterraneansea
AT mjsales satelliteobservationsoftheseasonalevolutionoftotalprecipitablewatervapouroverthemediterraneansea