Analysis of orographic rainfall in the center of the state of Rio Grande do Sul

Authors

  • Francisco Rossarolla Forgiarini Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Campus Silveira Martins
  • Daniel Secretti Vendrusculo
  • Elias Silveira Rizzi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5902/2179460X11244

Keywords:

Orographic rainfall, Statistical analysis, Satellite images

Abstract

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/2179460X11244

In the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) the rainfall is not homogeneous, showing spatial and temporal variability conditioned by interactions of different climatic mechanisms. Those features give rise to different behaviors of rainfall, including orographic rainfall. The aim of this paper is to analyze the probable existence of the orographic effect on rainfall in the central region of the RS. The study was conducted at Silveira Martins, situate on the edge of the Central Depression and Southern Plateau Riograndense. To achieve the goal was performed the rainfall monitoring with the installation of ten rain gauge stations. Stations were installed six upwind and four downwind of Silveira Martins, and statistically compared the average total at each position. In addition, we have characterized the events from satellite images of the digital database of the National Institute for Space Research. The monitoring totalized 30 events and, at the significance level of 5%, the statistical analysis suggests the occurrence of orographic effect. From the analysis of satellite images can be evidenced that the orographic effect of the region intensifies frontal rainfalls due to movements of the masses of polar air.

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Author Biography

Francisco Rossarolla Forgiarini, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Campus Silveira Martins

Possui graduação (2004) e mestrado (2006) em Engenharia Civil, pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, e doutorado (2010) em Recursos Hídricos e Saneamento Ambiental, pelo Instituto de Pesquisas Hidráulicas, da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Atualmente é professor da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Campus Silveira Martins. Tem experiência nas áreas de Geoprocessamento, Sensoriamento Remoto, Gestão de Recursos Hídricos e Drenagem Urbana, atuando, principalmente, nos seguintes temas: gestão de bacias hidrográficas, cobrança pelo uso da água e controle do escoamento das águas pluviais na fonte.

Published

2014-07-31

How to Cite

Forgiarini, F. R., Vendrusculo, D. S., & Rizzi, E. S. (2014). Analysis of orographic rainfall in the center of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Ciência E Natura, 36(2), 193–200. https://doi.org/10.5902/2179460X11244

Issue

Section

Geography

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