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Call for Papers for open call N° 71, July 2026, semi-thematic

 

Global changes and their effects on the earth system: climate and the cryosphere

 

Deadline for paper submissions: April 15, 2026

 

 

 

 

The spatial distribution of the temporal fractality of precipitation in peninsular Spain and its relationship with the concentration index

Authors

  • Óliver Meseguer Ruiz Grupo de Climatología, Universidad de Barcelona
  • Javier Martín Vide Grupo de Climatología, Universidad de Barcelona
  • Jorge Olcina Cantos Instituto Interuniversitario de Geografía, Universidad de Alicante
  • Pablo Sarricolea Espinoza Grupo de Climatología, Universidad de Barcelona - Departamento de Geografía, Universidad de Chile
No. 48 (2014)
https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-5370.2014.36677
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Abstract

The fractal dimension of the temporal distribution of precipitation (D) is an indicator of the property of self-similarity in the distribution of rainfall at different time intervals. While its spatial meaning has been widely worked previously and is well defined, the interpretation of fractality applied to the temporal distribution is abstract. The values of D for 20 observatories with 10 minutes data in mainland Spain have been calculated for the period from 1997 to 2010. The spatial behavior of the Fractal Dimension presents maximum values in the northern region of the study area, being very similar to the south, and minimum values in the east. The Concentration Index (CI) expresses the relative weight of the rainiest days of a series on the total accumulated rainfall of that series, and is an indicator of rainfall that has been well studied and applied to many areas, and its climatic meaning is well known. CI values are minimal in the northern region of the Iberian Peninsula and maximal in the east. For the spatial behavior, it exists a good negative correlation between D and CI but that increases when calculated as a spatial correlation.

Keywords:

Temporal fractality , self-similarity , precipitation , concentration index , mainland Spain
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How to Cite
Meseguer Ruiz, Óliver, Martín Vide, J., Olcina Cantos, J., & Sarricolea Espinoza, P. (2015). The spatial distribution of the temporal fractality of precipitation in peninsular Spain and its relationship with the concentration index. Investigaciones Geográficas, (48), Pág. 73–84. https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-5370.2014.36677
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Investigaciones Geográficas
Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo
Universidad de Chile
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