Ning Zeng, Jin-Ho Yoon, Jose A Marengo, Ajit Subramaniam, Carlos A Nobre,
Annarita Mariotti, and J. David Neelin
Environ. Res. Lett., 3, 014002 (9pp) doi:10.1088/1748-9326/3/1/014002
Paper (PDF 1.2MB)
Supplimental data (PDF 328KB)
© Copyright 2008 by the Institute of Physics Publishing.
http://www.atmos.umd.edu/~zeng
Abstract.
A rare drought in the Amazon culminated in 2005, leading to near record-low streamflows, small
Amazon river plume, and greatly enhanced fire frequency. This episode was caused by the
combination of 200203 El Niņo and a dry spell in 2005 attributable to a warm subtropical
North Atlantic Ocean. Analysis for 19792005 reveals that the Atlantic influence is comparable
to the better-known Pacific linkage. While the Pacific influence is typically locked to the wet
season, the 2005 Atlantic impact concentrated in the Amazon dry season when its hydroecosystem
is most vulnerable. Such mechanisms may have wide-ranging implications for the future of the
Amazon rainforest.
Citation. > Zeng, N. J.-H. Yoon, J. A. Marengo, A. Subramaniam, C. A. Nobre, A. Mariotti, and J. D. Neelin, 2008 Causes and impacts of the 2005 Amazon drought. Environ. Res. Lett., 3, 0114002 (9pp) doi:10.1088/1748-9326/3/1/014002