Temperature variability over the Po Valley, Italy, according to radiosounding data

TL;DR

This study analyzes temperature variability over the Po Valley, Italy, from 1987 to 2010 using principal component analysis of radiosounding data, revealing dominant intra- and inter-annual oscillations linked to global climate patterns.

Contribution

It applies EOF analysis to radiosounding data to identify and interpret the main vertical oscillation patterns and their relation to known climate oscillations.

Findings

Intra-annual oscillations (30-120 days) and inter-annual variations (1-7 years) account for about 70% of temperature fluctuations.

Oscillations are linked to Madden-Julian, Arctic, Quasi-Biennial, El Nino, and North Atlantic climate patterns.

Vertical distribution of oscillations varies with altitude, affecting the phase of temperature fluctuations.

Abstract

Temperature variations registered above the southeast part of the Po Valley, Italy have been examined by applying the principal component analysis of radiosoung profiles recorded during the period from 1987 to 2010. Two data sets, considered to describe intra- and inter-annual oscillations, respectively were extracted from the measurements data and the results show that both types of fluctuations can be projected onto four empirical orthogonal functions (EOF), interpreted as vertical distributions of oscillation amplitudes and four uncorrelated time series that represent the evolution of corresponding EOFs. It was found that intra-annual oscillations composed of periods between 30 and 120 days, together with inter-annual variations of 1- to 7-year period contribute to the highest extent (about 70 percents) the temperature oscillations up to 20 km, changing in both cases the phase in the tropopausal region. The other three EOFs indicate prevailing weight of the oscillations in the upper troposphere-low stratosphere region and are characterized by longer periods in both types of fluctuations. The intra-annual variations can be accounted for an interaction between Madden-Julian and Arctic oscillations, while the spectral features of inter-annual fluctuations could be associated with those of Quasi Biennial, El Nino and North Atlantic global oscillations.