Drought and institutional adaptation in the Great Plains of Alberta and Saskatchewan, 1914–1939

Agriculture in the southern Great Plains of Canada has been particularly vulnerable to prolonged episodes of drought. Using climate data and a precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration index, the extent of the region’s exposure to drought is examined. Between 1914 and 1917, the Dry Belt was particularly vulnerable to drought, whereas after 1928, a much larger region known as the Palliser Triangle covering most of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan was much more exposed to drought. These droughts provoked major institutional adaptation, in particular the establishment of the Special Areas Board by the Government of Alberta, and the creation of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration by the Government of Canada. Both organizations have proved to be relatively permanent public adaptations to the natural hazard of drought in the region. Moreover, these earlier experiences with prolonged drought as well as institution-building may be of value in helping the residents of the Palliser Triangle adapt to predicted climate changes in the future as well as anticipate some of the barriers to effective institutional adaptation.     

A new standardized Palmer drought index for hydro‐meteorological use

Accepting the concept of standardization introduced by the standardized precipitation index, similar methodologies have been developed to construct some other standardized drought indices such as the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). In this study, the authors provided deep insight into the SPEI and recognized potential deficiencies/limitations in relating to the climatic water balance it used. By coupling another well‐known Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), we proposed a new standardized Palmer drought index (SPDI) through a moisture departure probabilistic approach, which allows multi‐scalar calculation for accurate temporal and spatial comparison of the hydro‐meteorological conditions of different locations. Using datasets of monthly precipitation, temperature and soil available water capacity, the moisture deficit/surplus was calculated at multiple temporal scales, and a couple of techniques were adopted to adjust corresponding time series to a generalized extreme value distribution out of several candidates. Results of the historical records (1900–2012) for diverse climates by multiple indices showed that the SPDI was highly consistent and correlated with the SPEI and self‐calibrated PDSI at most analysed time scales. Furthermore, a simple experiment of hypothetical temperature and/or precipitation change scenarios also verified the effectiveness of this newly derived SPDI in response to climate change impacts. Being more robust and preferable in spatial consistency and comparability as well as combining the simplicity of calculation with sufficient accounting of the physical nature of water supply and demand relating to droughts, the SPDI is promising to serve as a competent reference and an alternative for drought assessment and monitoring. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nitrogen and sulfur species in Antarctic aerosols at Mawson,Palmer Station,and Marsh (King George Island)

High volume bulk aerosol samples were collected continuously at three Antarctic sites: Mawson (67.60° S, 62.50° E) from 20 February 1987 to 6 January 1992; Palmer Station (64.77° S, 64.06° W) from 3 April 1990 to 15 June 1991; and Marsh (62.18° S, 58.30° W) from 28 March 1990, to 1 May 1991. All samples were analyzed for Na⁺, SO ₄ ^2– , NO ₃ ^– , methanesulfonate (MSA), NH ₄ ⁺ ,²¹⁰Pb, and⁷Be. At Mawson for which we have a multiple year data set, the annual mean concentration of each species sometimes vary significantly from one year to the next: Na⁺, 68–151 ng m^–3; NO ₃ ^– , 25–30 ng m^–3; nss SO ₄ ^2– , 81–97 ng m^–3; MSA, 19–28 ng m^–3; NH ₄ ⁺ , 16–21 ng m^–3;²¹⁰Pb, 0.75–0.86 fCi m^–3. Results from multiple variable regression of non-sea-salt (nss) SO ₄ ^2– with MSA and NO ₃ ^– as the independent variables indicates that, at Mawson, the nss SO ₄ ^2– /MSA ratio resulting from the oxidation of dimethylsulfide (DMS) is 2.80±0.13, about 13% lower than our earlier estimate (3.22) that was based on 2.5 years of data. A similar analysis indicates that the ratio at Palmer is about 40% lower, 1.71±0.10, and more comparable to previous results over the southern oceans. These results when combined with previously published data suggest that the differences in the ratio may reflect a more rapid loss of MSA relative to nss SO ₄ ^2– during transport over Antarctica from the oceanic source region. The mean²¹⁰Pb concentrations at Palmer and Marsh and the mean NO ₃ ^– concentration at Palmer are about a factor of two lower than those at Mawson. The²¹⁰Pb distributions are consistent with a²¹⁰Pb minimum in the marine boundary layer in the region of 40°–60° S. These features and the similar seasonalities of NO ₃ ^– and²¹⁰Pb at Mawson support the conclusion that the primary source regions for NO ₃ ^– are continental. In contrast, the mean concentrations of MSA, nss SO ₄ ^2– , and NH ₄ ⁺ at Palmer are all higher than those at Mawson: MSA by a factor of 2; nss SO ₄ ^2– by 10%; and NH ₄ ⁺ by more than 50%. However, the factor differences exhibit substantial seasonal variability; the largest differences generally occur during the austral summer when the concentrations of most of the species are highest. NH ₄ ⁺ /(nss SO ₄ ^2– +MSA) equivalent ratios indicate that NH₃ neutralizes about 60% of the sulfur acids during December at both Mawson and Palmer, but only about 30% at Mawson during February and March.     

基于帕默尔干旱指数的中国春季区域干旱特征比较研究

利用全国515个站(1957-2000年)气象资料,修正计算帕默尔干旱指数(Palmer drought severy index),进行干旱区划和研究春季区域演变特征.结果表明:中国干旱变化全区一致性程度低,干旱演变的区域差别大,存在着以内蒙古高原、南岭、华北北部及长白山脉、长江中下游、黄土高原、黄淮地区、天山北部、东北平原、河西走廊、云贵高原、塔里木盆地、青藏高原等为代表的12个干旱特征区.内蒙古高原区、华北北部及长白山脉区、黄土高原区、天山北部区域、东北平原区、河西走廊及其沙漠戈壁区春季干旱指数趋势变化呈下降趋势.南岭区、长江中下游区、黄淮区域、云贵高原区、塔里木盆地区、青藏高原区春季干旱指数趋势变化呈上升趋势.中国春季干旱指数大多存在5～8年的短周期年际周期变化,12～13年、15～16年的长周年际周期变化存在于部分区域,个别区域还存在20年长周期年际周期变化.中国干旱的区域特征差别显著.     

中国夏季和冬季极端干旱年代际变化及成因分析

依据1961～2009年中国区域540个气象站的夏、冬季气温和降水数据,首先采用气候变化趋势转折判别模型（简称PLFIM）分析了中国区域8个分区夏、冬季气温和降水的年代际变化,而后利用PDSI干旱指数研究了夏、冬季极端干旱在年代际尺度上的时空变化特征及其成因。结果表明:1961～2009年中国夏季极端干旱发生率北方大于南方,冬季则为在东部多而在西部少。夏季和冬季极端干旱发生概率在最后一次年代际转折后都呈增加趋势。在区域尺度上,夏季东北、华北和西北地区增加明显,冬季东北、华北、华南、西南地区增加显著。其中,降水在20世纪90年代以前的极端干旱变化中起主导作用,而后由于气候变暖所引起的极端干旱增加趋势逐渐增大,与降水变化的作用相互叠加。     

Interdecadal variation in Korean spring drought in the early 1990s

Statistical change-point analysis was applied to a spring time series of the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) in Korea, and this showed that the total analysis period can be divided into two periods: a wet period (1975–1990) and a dry period (1991–2014). To investigate the deepening of the spring drought in Korea, a difference in the spring means between the 1991–2014 and 1975–1990 periods was analyzed with respect to large-scale environments. In the recent spring, a typical pressure system pattern in winter, which was an anomalous west-high east-low pressure system pattern, was strengthened throughout the troposphere around Korea. Due to the anomalous pressure system pattern, Korea was affected by relatively cold and dry anomalous northerlies. Furthermore, the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) was not intensified, and thus the supply of warm and moist airs into Korea was further reduced due to the upper-level jet moving further to the south. In order to determine the reason for the development of the anomalous west-high east-low pressure system pattern in East Asia, the difference in spring snow depth between the two periods was analyzed, and the analysis results showed that positive anomalies were predominant throughout most regions in East Eurasia. As a result, in the analysis of the ground heat net flux, negative anomalies were strengthened in most regions in East Eurasia. The cooling effect in the surrounding regions due to the high snow depth in East Eurasia strengthened the anomalous pressure system pattern as a west-high east-low type.     

帕默尔干旱指数在天山北坡典型绿洲干旱特征分析中的适用性

以天山北坡为实验区,采用2002-2008年精河、乌苏、石河子、蔡家湖4个气象站的气象数据,进行月的水分平衡及其各分量的多年平均值计算,然后计算各气候常数;基于气候常数计算气候适宜蒸散量、气候适宜补水、气候适宜径流量、气候适宜失水量,确定月正常气候所需的水量,即气候适宜降水量;进而计算水分距平,最终确定研究区的帕默尔干旱指数.对帕默尔干旱指数与本地的历史文献记录的实际干旱情况进行对比,验证了帕默尔干旱指数模式的可应用性,并得出了研究区内4站点的帕默尔干旱指数计算公式,根据该指数计算的结果与实际的旱情记录相符合.     

Comparison of ten notable meteorological drought indices on tracking the effect of drought on streamflow

ABSTRACT

Ten notable meteorological drought indices were compared on tracking the effect of drought on streamflow. A 730-month dataset of precipitation, temperature and evapotranspiration for 88 catchments in Oregon, USA, representing pristine conditions, was used to compute the drought indices. These indices were correlated with the monthly streamflow datasets of the minimum, maximum and mean discharge, and the discharge monthly fluctuation; it was revealed that the 3-month Z-score drought index (Z3) has the best association with the four streamflow variables. The Mann-Kendall trend detection test applied to the latter index time series mainly highlighted a downward trend in the autumn and winter drought magnitude (DM) and an upward trend in the spring and summer DM (p = 0.05). Finally, the Pettitt test indicated an abrupt decline in the annual and autumn DM, which began in 1984 and 1986, respectively.     

The Modification of Palmer Drought Severity Index in the Research of Drought in Huaihe Area

Palmer指数是目前研究区域干旱时应用最广泛的指数之一,但由于其空间适用性比较强,所以在应用已修正的Palmer指数描述淮河流域干旱等级和持续时间时和实际情况有较大差异,因此有必要做进一步订正。利用淮河流域开封、信阳、巢湖站1961—2009年逐日降水和气温等常规观测资料,根据1965年Palmer指数原理,在2004、2006年几次修正的基础上对Palmer指数进行修正。淮河流域和美国Kansas、Iowa周边区域均属亚热带季风气候,但在用Palmer指数研究2个区域的旱涝时,其前期旱涝对后期的影响程度存在一定的差异,在淮河流域前期旱涝的影响要小些,因此,在修正Palmer指数过程中加入一个修正系数,用以改善其敏感度。结果表明,修正后的Palmer指数在反映淮河流域的干旱强度和持续时间等方面都得到了很好的改进,可以用于淮河流域干旱的监测和预警。     

Palmer干旱指数在淮河流域的修正及应用

Palmer指数是目前研究区域干旱时应用最广泛的指数之一,但由于其空间适用性比较强,所以在应用已修正的Palmer指数描述淮河流域干旱等级和持续时间时和实际情况有较大差异,因此有必要做进一步订正。利用淮河流域开封、信阳、巢湖站1961—2009年逐日降水和气温等常规观测资料,根据1965年Palmer指数原理,在200...