An Assessment of Land–Atmosphere Interactions over South America Using Satellites, Reanalysis, and Two Global Climate Models

• DOI: 10.1175/jhm-d-20-0132.1
• Publication Date: 2021-02-11T16:52:54Z
• Authors: Jessica C. A. Baker; Dayana Castilho d...; Paulo Y. Kubota; Wolfgang Buermann; Caio A. S. Coelho; Martin B. Andrews; Manuel Gloor; Luis Garcia-Carreras; Silvio N. Figueroa; Dominick V. Sprac...
• Keywords: Land Cover

Abstract In South America, land–atmosphere interactions have an important impact on climate, particularly the regional hydrological cycle, but detailed evaluation of these processes in global climate models has been limited. Focusing satellite-era period 2003–14, we assess annual to seasonal time scales over America satellite products, a novel reanalysis (ERA5-Land), and two models: Brazilian Global Atmospheric Model version 1.2 (BAM-1.2) U.K. Hadley Centre Environment 3 (HadGEM3). We identify key features American represented model datasets, including variation coupling strength, large-scale spatial sensitivity evapotranspiration surface moisture, dipole evaporative regime across continent. Differences between products are also identified, with ERA5-Land, HadGEM3, BAM-1.2 showing opposite satellites parts Amazon Cerrado stronger along North Atlantic coast. Where disagree strength direction interactions, precipitation biases misrepresentation controlling soil moisture implicated as likely drivers. These results show where improvement could reduce uncertainty modeled response land-use change, highlight unrealistically amplify drying or wetting trends future projections. Finally, HadGEM3 consistent median ensemble nine CMIP6 models, they broadly representative latest generation models.