Diagnostic Precipitation Data of Antarctica

Project

Version 2 reanalysis (1979-1999), dynamic retrieval calculations capture more mesoscale features of the precipitation distribution over Antarctica. In comparison to available glaciological measurements, the interannual variability of the Antarctic precipitation is well represented by the dynamic retrieval results at those measurement sites. A significant upward trend of +1.2 to +1.7 mm yr-2 is found from retrieved and forecast precipitation amounts for Antarctica that is consistent with results reported by other investigators.

Twenty-two sigma levels are used in the vertical, and a 40-km grid size is used in the horizontal. The square model domain used in this study consists of 181 grid points in each orthogonal direction, centered at the South Pole, with a horizontal polar stereographic projection resolution of 40 km. The model topography data over the Antarctic continent are also interpolated from a 5-km resolution digital elevation model using bi-linear interpolation from the nearest points.

This dataset, as well as references to methodology and validation, are currently available upon request from the Polar Meteorology Group, Byrd Polar Research Center, Columbus, OH. Email David Bromwich (bromwich@polarmet1.mps.ohio-state.edu).