Reconciling Land–Ocean Moisture Transport Variability in Reanalyses with P − ET in Observationally Driven Land Surface Models
Abstract Vertically integrated atmospheric moisture transport from ocean to land [vertically integrated atmospheric moisture flux convergence (VMFC)] is a dynamic component of the global climate system but remains problematic in atmospheric reanalyses, with current estimates having significant multidecadal global trends differing even in sign. Continual evolution of the global observing system, particularly stepwise improvements in satellite observations, has introduced discrete changes in the ability of data assimilation to correct systematic model biases, manifesting as nonphysical variability. Land surface models (LSMs) forced with observed precipitation P and near-surface meteorology and radiation provide estimates of evapotranspiration (ET). Since variability of atmospheric moisture storage is small on interannual and longer time scales, VMFC = P − ET is a good approximation and LSMs can provide an alternative estimate. However, heterogeneous density of rain gauge coverage, especially the sparse coverage over tropical continents, remains a serious concern. Rotated principal component analysis (RPCA) with prefiltering of VMFC to isolate the artificial variability is used to investigate artifacts in five reanalysis systems. This procedure, although ad hoc, enables useful VMFC corrections over global land. The P − ET estimates from seven different LSMs are evaluated and subsequently used to confirm the efficacy of the RPCA-based adjustments. Global VMFC trends over the period 1979–2012 ranging from 0.07 to −0.03 mm day−1 decade−1 are reduced by the adjustments to 0.016 mm day−1 decade−1, much closer to the LSM P − ET estimate (0.007 mm day−1 decade−1). Neither is significant at the 90% level. ENSO-related modulation of VMFC and P − ET remains the largest global interannual signal, with mean LSM and adjusted reanalysis time series correlating at 0.86.