Abstract

This study analyzed latent heat flux from Amazon deforestation runoff above the Central/North American Boundary currents from 1988-2015. The purpose is to propose Atlantic hurricane intensification  from the heat flux via condensation. The author divided those currents into ten  areas of evaporation considering water budget data and regional and water-vapor-transport. A spreadsheet program consisting of two models had three inputs. Evaporation in each of the ten areas became the first input. For simplicity, each area’s evaporation decremented incoming runoff one time, and passed through less runoff, considering the currents’ average velocities and ocean condensation residency. Recent high-flow runoff data, limited from June 1 through November 30, a typical hurricane season, became the other inputs: all Amazon runoff (Model-A), only Amazon deforestation runoff (Model-O). The spreadsheet converted the condensation heat flux from each season (km3) into 10^17 J/day. This study compared those values to the 10^17 J/day wind energy of Category-1 or Category-3 hurricanes, finding order of magnitude similarity for such a crude comparison. The author then correlated hurricane Emily’s July 2005 daily path interface with the daily latent heat flux from the deforestation runoff. The analysis indicated that daily heat flux interfacing with Emily’s path measured 5.82% of a Category-3’s 10^17 J/day. When considering reuse runoff in deforested areas aggregate from 1970 to 2004, that 5.82% increases to  possibly 12.85%. This study’s simple analysis is by like terms (J/day) and similar order of magnitude (10^17) only, necessitating a more complex analysis.   

Key words: Deforestation, hurricanes, latent heat flux, modelling, runoff.