Journal
CLIMATE DYNAMICS
Volume 48, Issue 1-2, Pages 405-427Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00382-016-3082-y
Keywords
Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI); Drought; Ecuador; El Nino 3.4; El Nino 1+2
Categories
Funding
- EPhysLab (UVIGO-CSIC Associated Unit)
- research projects I-COOP H2O [2013CD0006]
- Spanish National Research Council [CGL2011-27574-CO2-02, CGL2014-52135-C03-01]
- Red de variabilidad y cambio climatico RECLIM [CGL2014-517221-REDT]
- Spanish Commission of Science and Technology
- FEDER
- LIFE programme of the European Commission [LIFE12 ENV/ES/000536]
- Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness
- Aragon Regional Government
- Banco Iberoamericano de Desarrollo [CCI-009-ATN/OC-12439-RG-2012]
- [JCI-2011-10263]
- [JCI-2012-12508]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In this study, we analyzed the influence of El Nio-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the spatio-temporal variability of droughts in Ecuador for a 48-year period (1965-2012). Droughts were quantified from 22 high-quality and homogenized time series of precipitation and air temperature by means of the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index. In addition, the propagation of two different ENSO indices (El Nio 3.4 and El Nio 1 + 2 indices) and other atmospheric circulation processes (e.g., vertical velocity) on different time-scales of drought severity were investigated. The results showed a very complex influence of ENSO on drought behavior across Ecuador, with two regional patterns in the evolution of droughts: (1) the Andean chain with no changes in drought severity, and (2) the Western plains with less severe and frequent droughts. We also detected that drought variability in the Andes mountains is explained by the El Nio 3.4 index [sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the central Pacific], whereas the Western plains are much more driven by El Nio 1 + 2 index (SST anomalies in the eastern Pacific). Moreover, it was also observed that El Nio and La Nia phases enhance droughts in the Andes and Western plains regions, respectively. The results of this work could be crucial for predicting and monitoring drought variability and intensity in Ecuador.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available