Using a convection-permitting model for precipitation recycling analysis: A study over South America

Convection-permitting models (CPMs) have demonstrated improved representation of precipitation compared to non-CPMs. Therefore, more accurate estimates of precipitation recycling and moisture contributions can reasonably be expected as well. Using a one-year WRF-WVT simulation over the Amazon Basin, we show that substantial differences arise between CPM and non-CPM recycling estimates. Notably, the CPM shows a recycling ratio over the Central Andes near 50 %, a feature not captured by the non-CPM. However, the high computational cost of CPMs makes them impractical for climate-scale recycling studies. To address this, we present a revised version of the 2L-DRM, which replicates the WRF-WVT's estimates at a fraction of the computational cost and can be applied to conventional CPM outputs, currently available for several continents. Using this model, we perform a simulation (2000-2021) over South America, considering 15 continental and 4 oceanic source regions, and estimate for each continental region the fraction of precipitation originating as evaporation from these sources.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Claros Chagua, Erick Kevin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dominguez, Francina
• Schmidt, Arthur R.

• Convection-permitting Models
• Precipitation Recycling
• South America

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Erick Kevin Claros Chagua

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129640

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129640