Online Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i
01 Mar 2013-Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (American Meteorological Society)-Vol. 94, Iss: 3, pp 313-316
TL;DR: The Rainfall Atlas of Hawai'i as discussed by the authors is a set of digitalmaps of the spatial patterns of the 1978-2007 meanmonthly and annual rainfall for the major Hawaiian islands.
Abstract: nteraction among trade winds,terrain, land thermal effects, andthe trade-wind inversion give theHawaiian Islands one of the mostvaried rainfall patterns on Earth.Distinct, persistent patterns of upliftlead to dramatic rainfall gradientsand, together with elevation-relatedtemperature differences, producenearly the full range of climate types.This microcosm of global environ-mental diversity provides a uniquenatural laboratory for world-classresearch on topics such as terres-trial ecosystem carbon dynamics, soilgeochemistry, and the mechanics ofspecies invasion. Knowledge of meanrainfall patterns in Hawai'i is criticallyimportant in support of these researchendeavors as well as for managing andprotecting groundwater and surfacewater resources, controlling and eradicating invasivespecies, protecting and restoring native ecosystems,and planning for the effects of global climate change.The Rainfall Atlas of Hawai'i is a set of digitalmaps of the spatial patterns of 1978-2007 meanmonthly and annual rainfall for the major Hawaiian
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors created a new dataset of spatially interpolated monthly climate data for global land areas at a very high spatial resolution (approximately 1 km2), including monthly temperature (minimum, maximum and average), precipitation, solar radiation, vapour pressure and wind speed, aggregated across a target temporal range of 1970-2000, using data from between 9000 and 60,000 weather stations.
Abstract: We created a new dataset of spatially interpolated monthly climate data for global land areas at a very high spatial resolution (approximately 1 km2). We included monthly temperature (minimum, maximum and average), precipitation, solar radiation, vapour pressure and wind speed, aggregated across a target temporal range of 1970–2000, using data from between 9000 and 60 000 weather stations. Weather station data were interpolated using thin-plate splines with covariates including elevation, distance to the coast and three satellite-derived covariates: maximum and minimum land surface temperature as well as cloud cover, obtained with the MODIS satellite platform. Interpolation was done for 23 regions of varying size depending on station density. Satellite data improved prediction accuracy for temperature variables 5–15% (0.07–0.17 °C), particularly for areas with a low station density, although prediction error remained high in such regions for all climate variables. Contributions of satellite covariates were mostly negligible for the other variables, although their importance varied by region. In contrast to the common approach to use a single model formulation for the entire world, we constructed the final product by selecting the best performing model for each region and variable. Global cross-validation correlations were ≥ 0.99 for temperature and humidity, 0.86 for precipitation and 0.76 for wind speed. The fact that most of our climate surface estimates were only marginally improved by use of satellite covariates highlights the importance having a dense, high-quality network of climate station data.
7,558 citations
Cites background from "Online Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i"
...rainfall interpolated with latitude, longitude and elevation as independent spline variables, (c) Hawai’i rainfall atlas (Giambelluca et al., 2013), and...
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TL;DR: It is shown that CHELSA climatological data has a similar accuracy as other products for temperature, but that its predictions of precipitation patterns are better and can increase the accuracy of species range predictions.
Abstract: High resolution information on climatic conditions is essential to many applications in environmental and ecological sciences. Here we present the CHELSA Climatologies at high resolution for the earths land surface areas data of downscaled model output temperature and precipitation estimates of the ERA Interim climatic reanalysis to a high resolution of 30 arc seconds. The temperature algorithm is based on statistical downscaling of atmospheric temperatures. The precipitation algorithm incorporates orographic predictors including wind fields, valley exposition, and boundary layer height with a subsequent bias correction. The resulting data consist of a monthly temperature and precipitation climatology for the years 1979 to 2013. We compare the data derived from the CHELSA algorithm with other standard gridded products and station data from the Global Historical Climate Network. We compare the performance of the new climatologies in species distribution modelling and show that we can increase the accuracy of species range predictions. We further show that CHELSA climatological data has a similar accuracy as other products for temperature but that its predictions of precipitation patterns are better.
809 citations
TL;DR: In mountain terrain, well-configured high-resolution atmospheric models are able to simulate total annual rain and snowfall better than spatial estimates derived from in situ observational data as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: In mountain terrain, well-configured high-resolution atmospheric models are able to simulate total annual rain and snowfall better than spatial estimates derived from in situ observational ...
153 citations
TL;DR: Spectroscopic and isotopic techniques are used to estimate turnover times of P pools and tease apart biologically-driven and geochemically-driven P fluxes, making possible a more dynamic, process-oriented conceptual model of P cycling in soils.
Abstract: Current understanding of phosphorus (P) cycling in soils can be enhanced by integrating previously discrete findings concerning P speciation, exchange kinetics, and the underlying biological and geochemical processes. Here, we combine sequential extraction with P K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy and isotopic methods (33P and 18O in phosphate) to characterize P cycling on a climatic gradient in Hawaii. We link P pools to P species and estimate the turnover times for commonly considered P pools. Dissolved P turned over in seconds, resin-extractable P in minutes, NaOH-extractable inorganic P in weeks to months, and HCl-extractable P in years to millennia. Furthermore, we show that in arid-zone soils, some primary mineral P remains even after 150 ky of soil development, whereas in humid-zone soils of the same age, all P in all pools has been biologically cycled. The integrative information we provide makes possible a more dynamic, process-oriented conceptual model of P cycling in soils.
120 citations
TL;DR: In this article, three kriging algorithms, namely, Ordinary Kriging (OK), OCK and KED, were compared using cross-validation statistics, where OK produced the lowest error statistics.
Abstract: The Hawaiian Islands have one of the most spatially diverse rainfall patterns on earth. Knowledge of these patterns is critical for a variety of resource management issues and, until now, only long-term mean monthly and annual rainfall maps have been available for Hawai‘i. In this study, month-year rainfall maps from January 1920 to December 2012 were developed for the major Hawaiian Islands. The maps were produced using climatologically aided interpolation (CAI), where the station anomalies were interpolated first, and then combined with the mean maps. A geostatistical method comparison was performed to choose the best interpolation method. The comparison focuses on three kriging algorithms: ordinary kriging (OK), ordinary cokriging (OCK), and kriging with an external drift (KED). Two covariates, elevation and mean rainfall, were tested with OCK and KED. The combinations of methods and covariates were compared using cross-validation statistics, where OK produced the lowest error statistics. Station anomalies for each month were interpolated using OK and combined with the mean monthly maps to produce the final month-year rainfall maps.
104 citations
References
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TL;DR: In this article, a nonhydrostatic extension to the PA-NCAR Mesoscale Model is presented, which employs reference pressure as the basis for a terrain-following vertical coordinate and the fully compressible system of equations.
Abstract: A nonhydrostatic extension to the Pennsylvania State University-NCAR Mesoscale Model is presented. This new version employs reference pressure as the basis for a terrain-following vertical coordinate and the fully compressible system of equations. In combination with the existing initialization techniques and physics of the current hydrostatic model, this provides a model capable of real-data simulations on any scale, limited only by data resolution and quality and by computer resources. The model uses pressure perturbation and temperature as prognostic variables as well as a B-grid staggering in contrast to most current nonhydrostatic models. The compressible equations are solved with a split-time- step approach where sound waves are treated semi-implicitly on the shorter step. Numerical techniques and finite differencing are described. Two-dimensional tests of flow over a bell-shaped hill on a range of scales were carded out with the hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic models to contrast the two and...
1,509 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that inputs of elements from the atmosphere can sustain the productivity of Hawaiian rainforests on highly weathered soils, where cations are supplied in marine aerosols and phosphorus is deposited in dust from central Asia, which is over 6,000 km away.
Abstract: As soils develop in humid environments, rock-derived elements are gradually lost, and under constant conditions it seems that ecosystems should reach a state of profound and irreversible nutrient depletion. We show here that inputs of elements from the atmosphere can sustain the productivity of Hawaiian rainforests on highly weathered soils. Cations are supplied in marine aerosols and phosphorus is deposited in dust from central Asia, which is over 6,000 km away.
1,116 citations
TL;DR: The decline in NPP with associated MAP appeared to be most directly associated with decreased N availability in these humid forests, a mechanism that slows decomposition and N mineralization while concurrently increasing P solubility from soil mineral-bound pools.
Abstract: Variation in rainfall in humid tropical forests has the potential to alter patterns of primary productivity andnutrient cycling. Net primary productivity (NPP) and nutrient cycling were measured at six sites similar in temperature regime, parent material, ecosystem age, vegetation and topographical relief, while mean annual precipitation (MAP) varied from 2,200 toover 5,000 mm/year. Aboveground NPP declined by a factor of 2.2 with increased MAP across the precipitation gradient. Increased water availability in excess of plant demand is likely to have decreased the other resources for plant growth. Patterns of nutrient cycling and other factors that affect plant growth suggest that increased nutrient limitation in wetter sites could be the direct cause of the decline in NPP. Foliar nitrogen (N) and soil N availability decreased with increased precipitation, corresponding with the decrease in forest growth. In contrast, patterns of foliar and soil phosphorus (P) did not correspond with the decrease in growth; P availability was highest at either end of the precipitation gradient and lowest across the middle. Natural abundance of δ15N in foliage and soils decreased with increased precipitation, further supporting the idea that N availability declined. Decreased N availability was associated with a decrease in soil reduction-oxidation potentials. Oxygen limitation in soil microsites was a factor at all sites, but became increasingly widespread at higher MAP regimes. There was no strong evidence that soil oxygen availability, expressed in foliar δ13C values, directly limited plant growth. In addition foliar micronutrients either showed no change (Ca, Mg) or declined (Al, Fe) with increased MAP while soil pH was low but constant, suggesting that toxic elements in the soil solution were also not direct factors in decreased plant growth across the gradient. Thus, the decline in NPP with associated MAP appeared to be most directly associated with decreased N availability in these humid forests. Fluctuating anaerobic conditions that increased in intensity and duration with increased rainfall could be a mechanism that slows decomposition and N mineralization while concurrently increasing P solubility from soil mineral-bound pools.
330 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the development of serially complete (no missing values) daily maximum-minimum temperatures and total precipitation time series over the western United States is documented, with several estimation techniques based on spatial objective analysis schemes used to estimate daily values, with the &ldquost estimate chosen as a missing value replacement.
Abstract: The development of serially complete (no missing values) daily maximum–minimum temperatures and total precipitation time series over the western United States is documented. Several estimation techniques based on spatial objective analysis schemes are used to estimate daily values, with the &ldquost” estimate chosen as a missing value replacement. The development of a continuous and complete daily dataset will be useful in a variety of meteorological and hydrological research applications. The spatial interpolation schemes are evaluated separately by interpolation method and calendar month. Cross validation of the results indicates a distinct seasonality to the efficiency (error) of the estimates, although no systematic bias in the estimation procedures was found. The resulting number of serially complete daily time series for the western United States (all states west of the Mississippi River) includes 2034 maximum–minimum temperature stations and 2962 total daily precipitation locations.
222 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the correlation between the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) signal and the interdecadal variations in Hawaii rainfall and compared the difference in constructive match conditions of El Nino and PDO (i.e., DRY minus WET) for composites of extremely dry and wet winters.
Abstract: Hawaii rainfall has exhibited both interannual and interdecadal variations. On the interannual time scale, Hawaii tends to be dry during most El Nino events, but low rainfall also occurred in the absence of El Nino. On the interdecadal time scale, Hawaii rainfall is negatively and significantly correlated with the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) signal; an epoch of low rainfall persists from the mid-1970s to 2001, which is preceded by an epoch of high rainfall lasting for nearly 28 yr. Difference patterns in winter [November–December–January–February–March (NDJFM)] rainfall are investigated for composites of extremely dry and wet winters during the dry and wet epochs, respectively. These patterns (i.e., DRY minus WET) are then compared to the difference in constructive match conditions of El Nino and PDO (i.e., El Nino/+PDO minus La Nina/−PDO). Relative to the El Nino/PDO stage, the magnitude of dryness during the rainfall-based stage is enhanced. The corresponding large-scale atmospheric circu...
156 citations