The role of land use change on the development and evolution of the West Coast trough, convective clouds, and precipitation in Southwest Australia

U.S. Nair; Y. Wu; J. Kala; T.J. Lyons; R.A. Pielke; J.M. Hacker

doi:10.1029/2010JD014950

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The role of land use change on the development and evolution of the West Coast trough, convective clouds, and precipitation in Southwest Australia

Journal article

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The role of land use change on the development and evolution of the West Coast trough, convective clouds, and precipitation in Southwest Australia

U.S. Nair, Y. Wu, J. Kala, T.J. Lyons, R.A. Pielke and J.M. Hacker

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, Vol.116(7), D07103

2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD014950

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Abstract

Land clearing for agricultural purposes in southwest Australia has created a landscape where a 750 km rabbit-proof fence separates 13 million hectares of croplands from the remnant native vegetation to the east. The Bunny Fence Experiment (BuFex) was conducted in the vicinity of the intended vermin-proof boundary in December 2005 and August 2007. The experiment examined the role of land cover change (LCC) on the preferential formation of clouds over the native vegetation that often terminates along the vermin-proof fence as well as the regional rainfall reduction observed in this region. Observations and numerical model analysis show that the formation and development of the west coast trough (WCT), which is a synoptic-scale feature that initiates spring and summertime convection, is impacted by land cover change and that the cloud fields induced by the WCT would extend further west in the absence of the LCC. The surface convergence patterns associated with the wintertime WCT circulation is substantially altered by LCC, due to changes in both WCT dynamics and surface aerodynamic roughness, leading to a rainfall decrease to the west of the rabbit fence. It is found that the LCC in southwest Australia is indeed responsible for preferential formation of clouds over native vegetation and contributes to the observed rainfall reduction in this region.”

Details

Title: The role of land use change on the development and evolution of the West Coast trough, convective clouds, and precipitation in Southwest Australia
Authors/Creators: U.S. Nair (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
Y. Wu (Author/Creator) - University of Alabama in Huntsville
J. Kala (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
T.J. Lyons (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
R.A. Pielke (Author/Creator) - Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
J.M. Hacker (Author/Creator) - Flinders University
Publication Details: Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, Vol.116(7), D07103
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Identifiers: 991005540147907891
Copyright: American Geophysical Union
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Environmental Science
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 8 Earth Sciences; 8.19 Oceanography, Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences; 8.19.7 Hydroclimatic Modeling
Web Of Science research areas: Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
ESI research areas: Geosciences