Detection of Linkage Between Solar and Lunar Cycles and Runoff of the World's Large Rivers

Authors

Zhijun Dai, East China Normal University
Jinzhou Du, East China Normal University
Zhenghong Tang, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Suying Ou, Sun Yat‐sen University, Guangzhou, China
Samuel Brody, Texas A&M University, Galveston
Xuefei Mei, East China Normal University
Jietai Jing, East China Normal University
Shoubing Yu, Yellow River Conservancy Commission, Zhengzhou, China

ORCID IDs

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7682-0310 Zhijun Dai

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5704-1394 Jinzhou Du

Date of this Version

4-2019

Citation

Dai, Z., Du, J., Tang, Z., Ou, S., Brody, S., Mei, X., et al. (2019). Detection of linkage between solar and lunar cycles and runoff of the world's large rivers. Earth and Space Science, 6. https://doi. org/10.1029/2018EA000541

Comments

©2019. The Authors. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs License,

Abstract

It is an ongoing concern that global hydrological cycle can be likely intensified under context of climate change and anthropogenic actions. Here, our results show that the solar and lunar periodic motions (SLPMs) have substantial impact on the runoff of the world's large rivers. We estimate that SLPMs can produce a change of the world's large rivers runoff by as much as 6.7%. Although climate models suggest that the increased frequency of extreme events is attributed to anthropogenic activities, it is out of our expectation that as much as 73% and 85% of the extreme flood and drought events (based on runoff discharged to the ocean) appear in resonance with SLPMs, respectively. A reevaluation of impacts of SLPMs on changes in the world's river runoff is urgently needed, especially when extreme drought and flood events are on the rise.