RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES, VOL. 21, ES3001, doi:10.2205/2020ES000753, 2021
V. N. Malinin, S. M. Gordeeva, Yu. V. Mitina, A. V. Kuleshova
The article discusses the features of large-scale spatial and temporal variability of moistening (potential evapotranspiration, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration coefficient) in the European Russia (ER) for 1966–2017. Much attention is paid to abnormal moistening conditions (droughts and excessive moistening) resulting in significant ecological and economical damage. The All-Russia Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information archive has served as a source of initial information. The most physically based modified method of M. I. Budyko has been used to estimate the potential evapotranspiration. A series of original maps of components of moistening has been constructed, a number of maps for the ER being constructed for the first time. The presence of positive trends in the annual values of potential evapotranspiration and precipitation has been established, the distribution of which being patchy. The highest trends have been noted in the southern European Russia, the distribution of positive trends in potential evapotranspiration being patchy as well, with minimum estimates of 3.7 mm per year in the Syktyvkar area. Due to the similar trend character in potential evapotranspiration and precipitation there takes place the smoothening in potential evapotranspiration coefficients resulting in their trends being statistically insignificant over most of the ER. The interannual variation of components of moistening is characterized by the presence of powerful anomalies in the form of extreme droughts and excessive moistening. Their formation is due to the complete coincidence of significant positive potential evapotranspiration anomalies and negative precipitation anomalies in most of the ER, and vice versa. Unevenness has been revealed in the spatial distribution of severe droughts and excessive moistening of the territory: the most powerful droughts are concentrated mainly in the forest-steppe zone (with maximum in the Krasnoslobodsk and Elatma regions). Excessive moistening is predominantly patchy in nature, being practically absent in the northern regions of the ER. A decrease in potential evapotranspiration has appeared to be the predominant factor in the formation of excessive moistening, a decrease in precipitation being the one in the formation of droughts.
Received 5 November 2020; accepted 21 December 2020; published 13 May 2021.
Citation: Malinin, V. N., S. M. Gordeeva, Yu. V. Mitina, A. V. Kuleshova (2021), Interannual variability of moistening in the European Russia, Russ. J. Earth Sci., 21, ES3001, doi:10.2205/2020ES000753.
Copyright 2021 by the Geophysical Center RAS.