articleJournal of ClimateDec 31, 2003Closed access

The South Atlantic Convergence Zone: Intensity, Form, Persistence, and Relationships with Intraseasonal to Interannual Activity and Extreme Rainfall

LMLeila M. V. CarvalhoCJCharles JonesBLBrant Liebmann

Universidade de São Paulo · University of California, Santa Barbara · +1 more institution

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Abstract

The characteristics of intensity, geographical location, and persistence of the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ) during the austral summer are investigated. Intensity and spatial features of the SACZ are identified by performing a factor analysis of structural properties of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data. The first two leading factors explain 65 % of the total variance of structural properties and characterize the SACZ according to intensity and location (oceanic versus continental). An index is constructed based on the magnitude of the factor scores to identify intense (weak) and oceanic (continental) SACZ. The intense SACZ category is associated with negative OLR anomalies over a large area of…

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Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Climatology
  • Madden–Julian oscillation
  • Outgoing longwave radiation
  • Geology
  • Environmental science
  • Geography
  • Convection
  • Meteorology
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Life below water
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