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The effect of Zagros Mountains on rainfall changes of Sudanese low pressure system in western Iran

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Abstract

Zagros Mountains, as the most important topography faces in western Iran, have an effect on the activity of rainfall systems. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the amplifier effect of the Sudanese precipitation system on the Zagros Mountains. For this purpose, using factor analysis method, daily precipitation pattern of December 2, 1999 was selected as a case study from the set of Sudanese 1-day precipitation in the time period 1996–2017. The method of studying the system in this research was by a synoptic analysis of atmospheric elements and precipitation interpolation model in GIS. This study has indicated that with the conveyance of warm and humid air of Sudanese into the Zagros western slopes, a vast field of positive vorticity and convergence is formed in the lower atmosphere of the region. As a result, suitable thermodynamic conditions have provided for the growth and strengthening of the convection clouds and severe precipitation on the surface of the region topography. Thus the conveyance of humidity and instabilities has occurrence inward the region. These conditions increased the intensity of the upward movement of the air, the growth of the cloud and the occurrence of heavy rainfall in the steep slopes and the southern and southeast slopes of Zagros. Also, it determined which rainfall variations on the Zagros steep slopes has been more than other levels.

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Correspondence to Mehrdad Kiani.

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Kiani, M., Lashkari, H. & Ghaemi, H. The effect of Zagros Mountains on rainfall changes of Sudanese low pressure system in western Iran. Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 5, 1769–1779 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-019-00631-w

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