Diagnostic Studies of Growing Season Rainfall Fluctuations in Central North America

这项为期三年的研究项目旨在扩展和扩大一项计划，该计划正在处理落基山脉和阿巴拉契亚山脉、墨西哥湾沿岸以及加拿大约55 N地区边界地区的生长季(5月至8月)降雨量。迄今的基本目标是：(1)确定1949-1980年降雨量变化的特征空间模式；以及(2)量化造成三个案例研究年(1975、1976、1979)不同降雨模式的“局部”气候系统过程/条件(发生在研究区域上方和邻近区域的过程/条件--水汽的发生和供应、对流层提供抬升的可能性)。指标将(A)扩展和补充上述雨量分析；(B)完成和整合上述“本地”个案研究调查；以及(C)启动对区域生长季降雨量变化的更广泛气候系统原因的调查。这项研究之所以重要，是因为它试图在更具全球性气候特征和强迫的背景下理解区域气候变异性。

This three-year research project seeks to extend and broaden a program that is dealing with the growing season (May-August) rainfall of the region bounded by the Rocky and Appalachian mountains, the Gulf Coast, and approximately 55 N in Canada. The fundamental goals to date have been to: (i) identify the characteristic spatial patterns of rainfall variation for 1949- 80; and (ii) quantify the "local" climate system processes/conditions (those occurring over and adjacent to study region -- water vapor occurrence and supply, troposphere's predisposition to provide uplift) contributing to the contrasting rainfall patterns of three case study years (1975, 1976, 1979). The PIs will (a) extend and complement the aforementioned rainfall analyses; (b) complete and integrate the above "local" case study investigations; and (c) initiate inquiry into the wider climate system causes of the region's growing season rainfall variations. This research is important because it seeks to understand regional climate variability in the context of more global climate features and forcing.