Research article
27 Nov 2014
Research article | 27 Nov 2014
Correlations between climate network and relief data
T. K. D. Peron1, C. H. Comin1, D. R. Amancio2, L. da F. Costa1, F. A. Rodrigues2, and J. Kurths3,4,5
T. K. D. Peron et al.
T. K. D. Peron1, C. H. Comin1, D. R. Amancio2, L. da F. Costa1, F. A. Rodrigues2, and J. Kurths3,4,5
- 1São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- 2Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- 3Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- 4Department of Physics, Humboldt University, 12489 Berlin, Germany
- 5Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK
- 1São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- 2Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- 3Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- 4Department of Physics, Humboldt University, 12489 Berlin, Germany
- 5Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK
Correspondence: T. K. D. Peron (thomaskaue@gmail.com)
Hide author details
Received: 19 Mar 2014 – Discussion started: 24 Apr 2014 – Revised: 05 Sep 2014 – Accepted: 22 Sep 2014 – Published: 27 Nov 2014
In the last few years, the scientific community has witnessed an ongoing trend of using ideas developed in the study of complex networks to analyze climate dynamics. This powerful combination, usually called climate networks, can be used to uncover non-trivial patterns of weather changes throughout the years. Here we investigate the temperature network of the North American region and show that two network characteristics, namely degree and clustering, have marked differences between the eastern and western regions. We show that such differences are a reflection of the presence of a large network community on the western side of the continent. Moreover, we provide evidence that this large community is a consequence of the peculiar characteristics of the western relief of North America.