N. V. Mikhailova
Marine Hydrophysical Institute of RAS, Sevastopol, Russia
Abstract
Using NASA MERRA reanalysis for 1979 – 2014 an integrated horizontal moisture flux in the atmosphere over the Atlantic-European region is calculated and its temporal variability is analyzed. It is shown that the maximum moisture transported over the midlatitudes of the Atlantic Ocean (up to 280 kg / (m·s)). In the course of the annual maximum moisture flux is in the summer, minimum – in the winter and spring. The atmospheric moisture flux over Europe in winter, spring and autumn is reduced about 5 – 10 kg / (m·s) per decade. In summertime moisture flux arises over the Atlantic south off 52N and over the northern regions of European Russia (40 and 25 kg / (m·s) for 10 years, respectively) and decreases over northern Atlantic and southern regions of European Russia (30 and 15 – 20 kg / (m·s) 10 years, respectively).
Keywords
atmospheric water balance, integrated horizontal moisture flux, interannual variability