Topography and climate of Mount Karanfil (Pozantı/Adana)

Abstract

AbstractThe goal of this study is to investigate the impact of the topographic features of Mount Karanfil and its surroundings on the local climate. Mount Karanfil, located in the Mediterranean Basin, has a unique ecological position due to its topography. This study analyzed temperature, precipitation, and wind conditions at Mount Karanfil from 1980 to 2018 using data from the General Directorate of Meteorology (MGM). The temperature indices were calculated using the Clima data and the ArcGIS v10.5 software package. The temperature indices series was analyzed using cluster analysis in ArcGIS v10.5 before being used to calculate the maximum and minimum temperature and precipitation values for each month. The spatial estimation method IDW interpolation was then applied to these data. The initial analysis showed significant differences in temperature, precipitation, and wind conditions between this location and others. This may be due to the southern aspect of the landscape, which receives more precipitation than other slopes and is affected by south-oriented sectoral winds that bring abundant precipitation to the southern slopes. The results of the temperature indices analysis showed that evaporation tends to increase on hot days with high maximum temperatures compared to days with low minimum temperatures. The Emberger bioclimatic index also confirmed the typical Mediterranean climate of mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. In addition to the regional climate and geology, the geomorphologic conditions of the mountainous mass and the specific valley profiles of the Ecemis stream and Cakıt stream (such as the strait valley) were found to influence the local climate. These valley profiles, which are composed of narrow and deep dolomitic and limestone layers, showed differences in climate due to their slope, elevation, and aspect, as analyzed using digital elevation models with a resolution of 10–20 m. These topographic analyses revealed that elevation decreases and humidity increases in alluvial valley floors.