Fog is a widespread phenomenon in the coastal Atacama Desert. Within this region, three types of fog have been described: advective, orographic, and radiative. However, there remains a lack of quantification regarding their frequencies, the physical mechanisms responsible for their formation, and their contribution to fog water collection. Our research quantifies for the first time in the Atacama Desert the frequency of each fog type, the physical conditions conducive to their formation, and their potential for water collection. Using high temporal resolution (10 min) GOES satellite imagery, we define geographical criteria related to the regular area of presence of different types of fogs that allowed us to analyze their frequencies at multiple time scales. Our results reveal that advective fog accounts for ∼76 % of total fog events, with orographic fog ∼22 % and radiative fog ∼2 %. The main physical mechanisms driving advective and orographic fog formation are the sea surface temperature and the thermal inversion layer, whereas for radiative fog formation, it is mainly controlled by the marine boundary layer height. On a monthly scale, advective fog contributes to 60 % of water collection, while orographic fog accounts for 40 %. At the diurnal scale, orographic fog has a higher collection rate per hour. This inversion is influenced by local-scale variables such as wind speed, which plays a crucial role in water collection on a diurnal scale, enhancing orographic fog formation and its relative contribution during afternoon hours. Our research enhances the understanding of fog as a spatial-meteorological phenomenon and a potential water resource, offering a straightforward methodology for classifying fog types in coastal arid regions worldwide.

中文翻译：

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阿塔卡马沙漠中的雾类型、频率及其可收集的水潜力


雾是沿海阿塔卡马沙漠的普遍现象。在该区域内，已描述了三种类型的雾：平流、地形和辐射。然而，关于它们的频率、导致它们形成的物理机制以及它们对雾水收集的贡献，仍然缺乏量化。我们的研究首次在阿塔卡马沙漠量化了每种雾类型的频率、有利于其形成的物理条件以及它们收集水的潜力。使用高时间分辨率（10 分钟）GOES 卫星图像，我们定义了与不同类型雾的常规存在区域相关的地理标准，这使我们能够在多个时间尺度上分析它们的频率。我们的结果显示，平流雾占总雾事件的 ∼76 %，地形雾 ∼22 %，辐射雾 ∼2 %。驱动平流和地形雾形成的主要物理机制是海面温度和热逆温层，而辐射雾的形成主要受海洋边界层高度的控制。按月计算，平流雾占集水量的 60%，而地形雾占 40%。在昼夜尺度上，地形雾的每小时收集率更高。这种逆温受风速等局部尺度变量的影响，风速在昼夜尺度的水收集中起着至关重要的作用，增强了地形雾的形成及其在下午的相对贡献。我们的研究增强了对雾作为一种空间气象现象和潜在水资源的理解，为全球沿海干旱地区的雾类型分类提供了一种简单的方法。