IGF



Publication

The Amazonian Convective Boundary Layer Heights: Spatial and Temporal Analysis

Carneiro, R. G., Dias Júnior, C. Q., Durgante, F., Mallmann, C., Borges, C. K., Rykowska, Z., de Souza, C. M. A., Marra, D., dos Santos, C. A. C., Stachlewska, I. S., Fisch, G.

Workshop ATTO

2024

The planetary boundary layer (PBL) is the lowest portion of Earth's atmosphere, responding rapidly to surface fluxes and mediating complex processes of heat, moisture, momentum, and chemical constituent exchange between the surface and the atmosphere above. The Amazon basin, which covers approximately 6.9 million square kilometers and represents one-third of the South American continent, is predominantly covered by dense tropical forests. Amazon substantially influences regional and global climates by transporting trace gases, aerosols, and water vapor to different regions (moisture transfer) and contributing to precipitation recycling in the Earth's horological cycle. This study aims to provide a spatiotemporal analysis of the convective boundary layer height (CBLH) in the Amazon biome using ERA5 data and to evaluate the impacts of land use and land cover changes (LULC) on the CBLH structure, as well as changes in sensible heat flux (H) and latent heat flux (LE) patterns over four decades, as depicted by the Bowen ratio (β). A pronounced increase in CBLH of up to 1800 meters was noted, particularly in the southern and northeastern regions. This is associated with the intensification of LULC changes, especially in the last two decades. The trend seasonal analysis of CBLH for the wet season was 0.72 meters per year. Meanwhile, the trend in seasonal CBLH exhibited a growth rate of 5.01 meters per year during the dry season. This result indicates that LULC changes significantly affect the CBL during this period. These outcomes showed the substantial influence of LULC changes on the Amazon's atmospheric dynamics, which impacted regional and global climate. 


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