Evaporative controls on Antarctic precipitation: an ECHAM6 model study using innovative water tracer diagnostics

Gao, Qinggang; Sime, Louise C.; McLaren, Alison J.; Bracegirdle, Thomas J.; Capron, Emilie; Rhodes, Rachael H.; Steen-Larsen, Hans Christian; Shi, Xiaoxu; Werner, Martin

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-683-2024

Articles | Volume 18, issue 2

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-683-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-683-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 18, issue 2

Research article

|

13 Feb 2024

Research article |

| 13 Feb 2024

Evaporative controls on Antarctic precipitation: an ECHAM6 model study using innovative water tracer diagnostics

Qinggang Gao, Louise C. Sime, Alison J. McLaren, Thomas J. Bracegirdle, Emilie Capron, Rachael H. Rhodes, Hans Christian Steen-Larsen, Xiaoxu Shi, and Martin Werner

Data sets

ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present H. Hersbach et al. https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47

Antarctica and Greenland Ice Sheet Drainage Basins ESA http://imbie.org/imbie-2016/drainage-basins

PCMDI AMIP SST and sea-ice boundary conditions version 1.1.8 P. J. Durack et al. https://doi.org/10.22033/ESGF/input4MIPs.16921

Short summary

Antarctic precipitation is a crucial component of the climate system. Its spatio-temporal variability impacts sea level changes and the interpretation of water isotope measurements in ice cores. To better understand its climatic drivers, we developed water tracers in an atmospheric model to identify moisture source conditions from which precipitation originates. We find that mid-latitude surface winds exert an important control on moisture availability for Antarctic precipitation.