Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Drought Events Based on GRACE Data under Different Climatic Conditions: A Case Study in Mainland China
The occurrence of droughts has become more frequent, and their intensity has increased in mainland China. With the aim of better understanding the influence of climate background on drought events in this region, we analyzed the role of the drought-related factors and extreme climate in the formatio...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/18/2575 |
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| author | Lilu Cui Cheng Zhang Chaolong Yao Zhicai Luo Xiaolong Wang Qiong Li |
| author_facet | Lilu Cui Cheng Zhang Chaolong Yao Zhicai Luo Xiaolong Wang Qiong Li |
| author_sort | Lilu Cui |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The occurrence of droughts has become more frequent, and their intensity has increased in mainland China. With the aim of better understanding the influence of climate background on drought events in this region, we analyzed the role of the drought-related factors and extreme climate in the formation of droughts by investigating the relationship between the drought severity index (denoted as GRACE-DSI) based on the terrestrial water storage changes (TWSCs) derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) time-variable gravity fields and drought-related factors/extreme climate. The results show that GRACE-DSI was consistent with the self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index in mainland China, especially for the subtropical monsoon climate, with a correlation of 0.72. Precipitation (PPT) and evapotranspiration (ET) are the main factors causing drought events. However, they play different roles under different climate settings. The regions under temperate monsoon climate and subtropical monsoon climate were more impacted by PPT, while ET played a leading role in the regions under temperate continental climate and plateau mountain climate. Moreover, El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) events mainly caused abnormalities in PPT and ET by affecting the strength of monsoons (East Asian and Indian monsoon) and regional highs (Subtropical High, Siberian High, Central Asian High, etc.). As a result, the various affected regions were prone to droughts during ENSO or NAO events, which disturbed the normal operation of atmospheric circulation in different ways. The results of this study are valuable in the efforts to understand the formation mechanism of drought events in mainland China. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:08:04Z |
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| id | doaj.art-ca28bf94043e4e48a9f46a3bf8d8e14d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:08:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca28bf94043e4e48a9f46a3bf8d8e14d2023-11-22T15:41:29ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-09-011318257510.3390/w13182575Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Drought Events Based on GRACE Data under Different Climatic Conditions: A Case Study in Mainland ChinaLilu Cui0Cheng Zhang1Chaolong Yao2Zhicai Luo3Xiaolong Wang4Qiong Li5School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, ChinaCollege of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaMOE Key Laboratory of Fundamental Physical Quantities Measurement & Hubei Key Laboratory of Gravitation and Quantum Physics, PGMF and School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaNanning Exploration & Survey Geoinformation Institute, Nanning 530022, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, ChinaThe occurrence of droughts has become more frequent, and their intensity has increased in mainland China. With the aim of better understanding the influence of climate background on drought events in this region, we analyzed the role of the drought-related factors and extreme climate in the formation of droughts by investigating the relationship between the drought severity index (denoted as GRACE-DSI) based on the terrestrial water storage changes (TWSCs) derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) time-variable gravity fields and drought-related factors/extreme climate. The results show that GRACE-DSI was consistent with the self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index in mainland China, especially for the subtropical monsoon climate, with a correlation of 0.72. Precipitation (PPT) and evapotranspiration (ET) are the main factors causing drought events. However, they play different roles under different climate settings. The regions under temperate monsoon climate and subtropical monsoon climate were more impacted by PPT, while ET played a leading role in the regions under temperate continental climate and plateau mountain climate. Moreover, El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) events mainly caused abnormalities in PPT and ET by affecting the strength of monsoons (East Asian and Indian monsoon) and regional highs (Subtropical High, Siberian High, Central Asian High, etc.). As a result, the various affected regions were prone to droughts during ENSO or NAO events, which disturbed the normal operation of atmospheric circulation in different ways. The results of this study are valuable in the efforts to understand the formation mechanism of drought events in mainland China.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/18/2575GRACEdroughtmainland Chinaextreme climateclimatic conditions |
| spellingShingle | Lilu Cui Cheng Zhang Chaolong Yao Zhicai Luo Xiaolong Wang Qiong Li Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Drought Events Based on GRACE Data under Different Climatic Conditions: A Case Study in Mainland China Water GRACE drought mainland China extreme climate climatic conditions |
| title | Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Drought Events Based on GRACE Data under Different Climatic Conditions: A Case Study in Mainland China |
| title_full | Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Drought Events Based on GRACE Data under Different Climatic Conditions: A Case Study in Mainland China |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Drought Events Based on GRACE Data under Different Climatic Conditions: A Case Study in Mainland China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Drought Events Based on GRACE Data under Different Climatic Conditions: A Case Study in Mainland China |
| title_short | Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Drought Events Based on GRACE Data under Different Climatic Conditions: A Case Study in Mainland China |
| title_sort | analysis of the influencing factors of drought events based on grace data under different climatic conditions a case study in mainland china |
| topic | GRACE drought mainland China extreme climate climatic conditions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/18/2575 |
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