El Nino-Southern oscillation influence on the dust storm activity in Australia: can the past provide an insight into the future?
Poster
Paper/Presentation Title | El Nino-Southern oscillation influence on the dust storm activity in Australia: can the past provide an insight into the future? |
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Presentation Type | Poster |
Authors | Pudmenzky, Christa (Author), Stone, Roger (Author) and Butler, Harry (Author) |
Journal or Proceedings Title | Proceedings of the Open Science Conference (WCRP 2011) |
Number of Pages | 1 |
Year | 2011 |
Place of Publication | Geneva, Switzerland |
Web Address (URL) of Paper | http://conference2011.wcrp-climate.org/abstracts/C1/Pudmenzky_C1_M223A.pdf |
Conference/Event | WCRP 2011: Climate Research in Service to Society |
Event Details | WCRP 2011: Climate Research in Service to Society Event Date 24 to end of 28 Oct 2011 Event Location Denver, United States |
Abstract | Australia is a major global source region for atmospheric dust. The Australian climate (especially eastern Australian climate) is greatly influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) which is the strongest natural fluctuation of climate on interannual time-scales and also affects climate conditions globally. ENSO is the prime driver of extreme weather events such as drought, flooding, bushfires, dust storms and tropical cyclones and up to 50% of annual rainfall variability in northern and eastern Australia is linked to ENSO. As a result increased dust storm events occur in central eastern Australia during dry El Niño phases of the Southern Oscillation. Large dust storm events remove millions of tonnes of fertile topsoil, which is deposited downwind in continental Australia and far beyond. The Lake Eyre Basin, Channel Country and the Mallee region are the main dust source areas. The research project will investigate the influence of the ENSO on dust storm activity in Australia. This will be achieved through major reanalysis of past climate conditions for the past 150 years or more using the global ‘ACRE’ project which will reconstruct both upper-air dynamics, surface conditions and then all major dust storm events of the past. Australia has one of the most variable rainfall climates in the world and observational and modelling results suggest that more frequent or stronger ENSO events are possible in the future. Drought in Australia is probably the most economically costly climate event and has environmental and social impacts by reducing agricultural output and having social impacts on rural communities. All major continental scale dust storm events have occurred after periods of prolonged drought. |
Keywords | El Nino; SOI; Southern Oscillation index; extreme weather |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 370201. Climate change processes |
300210. Sustainable agricultural development | |
410601. Land capability and soil productivity | |
Public Notes | Poster no. M223A. No evidence of copyright restrictions preventing deposit. |
Byline Affiliations | Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q0z6z/el-nino-southern-oscillation-influence-on-the-dust-storm-activity-in-australia-can-the-past-provide-an-insight-into-the-future
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