A Study of Heat Outputs in the Caatinga Biome and its Relationships with Meteorological Variables

Abstract

The Caatinga biome endemic to the Northeast of Brazil, with a dimension of 844.453 km², suffers annually with the incidence of fires, with damage to fauna, flora and economic and social losses and physical infrastructure. In this study, the relations of meteorological variables are investigated, such as: wind speed, temperature, air humidity and others as hot spots observed in the area Caatinga biome. Based on the 2002-2018 historical series, collected from the INPE database. The monthly and seasonal characteristics of hot spots in the Caatinga biome were analyzed for the composition of El Niño, La Niña and Neutral years in the Tropical Pacific and types of Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) Meridional Gradients in Tropical Atlantic and the relationships between these hot spots and meteorological variables. Using the quantitative methodology, a monthly fire hazard risk index (IRFI) was calculated. Through data analysis and achievement through the proposed methodology and enabling the achievement of results, a profile of the characteristics of the hot spots registered in the Caatinga biome in monthly and seasonal periods (seasons) and their interannual variability (2002-2018). In addition, it was identified the meteorological variables in the area of the biome that have more relationships with these observed hot spots.

Keywords
burned; meteorological variables; Caatinga