Assessing the soil moisture-precipitation feedback in Australia: CYGNSS observations

Hien X. Bui; Yi Xian Li; Steven C. Sherwood; Kimberley J. Reid; Dietmar Dommenget

doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ad15b7

Assessing the soil moisture-precipitation feedback in Australia: CYGNSS observations

Hien X. Bui
, Yi Xian Li
, Steven C. Sherwood
, Kimberley J. Reid
, Dietmar Dommenget

School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Previous modelling and case studies highlight the impacts of antecedent soil moisture on precipitation, showing the connection between the anomalous land surface and atmospheric conditions. However, observational evidence is lacking, especially on daily timescales, primarily due to the difficulty in assessing the interaction between soil moisture and atmospheric variability and dataset quality. Using satellite retrievals, this study investigates the relationship between soil moisture and next-day precipitation in Australia. Analysing the 5 year soil moisture data from the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, we find that soil moisture anomalies influence next-day precipitation probability where higher soil moisture is associated with a higher probability of precipitation, even allowing for precipitation persistence. We also find that this feedback is generally positive in northern Australia but slightly negative in the southern regions, suggesting regional dependence. Linkages between the persistence of dry/wet soil moisture days and the possibility of wildfires and floods are also discussed. These findings have direct implications for the management and predictions of extreme conditions.

Original language	English
Article number	014055
Number of pages	9
Journal	Environmental Research Letters
Volume	19
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad15b7
Publication status	Published - Jan 2024

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

extreme events
land-atmosphere interaction
precipitation
soil moisture

Access to Document

10.1088/1748-9326/ad15b7Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Assessing the soil moisture-precipitation feedback in Australia: CYGNSS observations",

abstract = "Previous modelling and case studies highlight the impacts of antecedent soil moisture on precipitation, showing the connection between the anomalous land surface and atmospheric conditions. However, observational evidence is lacking, especially on daily timescales, primarily due to the difficulty in assessing the interaction between soil moisture and atmospheric variability and dataset quality. Using satellite retrievals, this study investigates the relationship between soil moisture and next-day precipitation in Australia. Analysing the 5 year soil moisture data from the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, we find that soil moisture anomalies influence next-day precipitation probability where higher soil moisture is associated with a higher probability of precipitation, even allowing for precipitation persistence. We also find that this feedback is generally positive in northern Australia but slightly negative in the southern regions, suggesting regional dependence. Linkages between the persistence of dry/wet soil moisture days and the possibility of wildfires and floods are also discussed. These findings have direct implications for the management and predictions of extreme conditions.",

keywords = "extreme events, land-atmosphere interaction, precipitation, soil moisture",

author = "Bui, \{Hien X.\} and Li, \{Yi Xian\} and Sherwood, \{Steven C.\} and Reid, \{Kimberley J.\} and Dietmar Dommenget",

note = "Funding Information: We thank two anonymous reviewers for insightful comments that helped improve the manuscript. This work was supported by the Australian Research Council under Grant CE170100023. Y X L is supported by the National Science and Technology Council in Taiwan through Grant 112-2917-I-564-008. This research/project was undertaken with the assistance of resources and services from the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI), which is supported by the Australian Government. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.",

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doi = "10.1088/1748-9326/ad15b7",

language = "English",

volume = "19",

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AU - Bui, Hien X.

AU - Li, Yi Xian

AU - Sherwood, Steven C.

AU - Reid, Kimberley J.

AU - Dommenget, Dietmar

N1 - Funding Information: We thank two anonymous reviewers for insightful comments that helped improve the manuscript. This work was supported by the Australian Research Council under Grant CE170100023. Y X L is supported by the National Science and Technology Council in Taiwan through Grant 112-2917-I-564-008. This research/project was undertaken with the assistance of resources and services from the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI), which is supported by the Australian Government. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.

PY - 2024/1

Y1 - 2024/1

N2 - Previous modelling and case studies highlight the impacts of antecedent soil moisture on precipitation, showing the connection between the anomalous land surface and atmospheric conditions. However, observational evidence is lacking, especially on daily timescales, primarily due to the difficulty in assessing the interaction between soil moisture and atmospheric variability and dataset quality. Using satellite retrievals, this study investigates the relationship between soil moisture and next-day precipitation in Australia. Analysing the 5 year soil moisture data from the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, we find that soil moisture anomalies influence next-day precipitation probability where higher soil moisture is associated with a higher probability of precipitation, even allowing for precipitation persistence. We also find that this feedback is generally positive in northern Australia but slightly negative in the southern regions, suggesting regional dependence. Linkages between the persistence of dry/wet soil moisture days and the possibility of wildfires and floods are also discussed. These findings have direct implications for the management and predictions of extreme conditions.

AB - Previous modelling and case studies highlight the impacts of antecedent soil moisture on precipitation, showing the connection between the anomalous land surface and atmospheric conditions. However, observational evidence is lacking, especially on daily timescales, primarily due to the difficulty in assessing the interaction between soil moisture and atmospheric variability and dataset quality. Using satellite retrievals, this study investigates the relationship between soil moisture and next-day precipitation in Australia. Analysing the 5 year soil moisture data from the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, we find that soil moisture anomalies influence next-day precipitation probability where higher soil moisture is associated with a higher probability of precipitation, even allowing for precipitation persistence. We also find that this feedback is generally positive in northern Australia but slightly negative in the southern regions, suggesting regional dependence. Linkages between the persistence of dry/wet soil moisture days and the possibility of wildfires and floods are also discussed. These findings have direct implications for the management and predictions of extreme conditions.

KW - extreme events

KW - land-atmosphere interaction

KW - precipitation

KW - soil moisture

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DO - 10.1088/1748-9326/ad15b7

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SN - 1748-9326

VL - 19

JO - Environmental Research Letters

JF - Environmental Research Letters

IS - 1

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ER -

Assessing the soil moisture-precipitation feedback in Australia: CYGNSS observations

Abstract

UN SDGs

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ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes

Cite this

Assessing the soil moisture-precipitation feedback in Australia: CYGNSS observations

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Projects

ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes

Cite this