Year: 2006
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country that has developed rapidly over the past \nthirty years. Future development is going to be hampered by the enormous shortage of \nfresh water in the country. It is critically important that a strategic management plan for \nwater resource management be developed to avoid a water crisis for the population and \nenvironment. The first step in managing water resources is to understand the sources and \nsinks of fresh water. \nClearly, one of the most important sources of water to any environment is precipitation \nand the atmospheric processes and characteristics that promote or diminish the likelihood \nof rainfall over an area. \nThe synoptic circulation of a region, as well as the thermodynamic structure of the \natmosphere, are important for both frontal and convectively activated rainfall. In the past \nlittle detailed research has been conducted over the UAE and surrounding regions to \nclassify and characterise atmospheric processes. This study represents the first attempt to \ndevelop a synoptic circulation climatology for the region. Synoptic circulation patterns \nhave been classified at both the surface and 500 hPa layer over a period of seven years \n(1995-2001). In addition, the UAE is located under the descending limb of the Hadley \ncirculation. As in other parts of the globe, this has severe implications for the vertical \nthermodynamic structure of the atmosphere. Atmospheric stability over the UAE has \nbeen evaluated for the period of seven years. The implications of descending air have \nbeen determined with respect to the thermodynamic structure of the atmosphere as a \nfunction of time and space. Vertical Radiosonde data collected over the same seven year \nperiod at the Abu Dhabi International Airport have been analysed to determine the \nfrequency of occurrence and nature of absolutely stable layers in the atmosphere. \nSix circulation patterns that dominate the flow at both the surface and in the upper \natmosphere at 500 hPa have been identified from the synoptic climatology. The \ndominant circulation pattern at the surface and upper atmosphere are the Siberian high \nand the Subtropical high, respectively. The Siberian high occurs at the surface \npredominantly during the winter season with a maximum frequency of occurrence in \nJanuary (48%). The Subtropical high occurs in the upper atmosphere throughout the \nyear, however, it is dominant during the summer months occurring 80 % of the time in \nAugust. \nAbsolute stable layers are a permanent feature of the atmosphere over the UAE. A \nmaximum of six layers have been identified in the atmosphere at a given time. Surface \ninversions occur throughout the year. Absolute stable layers have been identified at 850, \n700, 600, 500 and 400 hPa. The surface inversions as well as the layers at 850 and 700 \nhPa have a distinctly seasonal pattern of occurrence. The absolute stable layers at the \nremaining pressure layers do not vary significantly with season. The surface and 600 hPa \nlayers are by far the most dominant in the atmosphere and certainly have the most \nimportant control on vertical movement and accumulation of pollutants in the \natmosphere.
Author: Abdulla Al Mandoos
Language: English
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2234772541