The “river fly” offers most rainfall for the Amazon and South America, but their existence is threatened by climate change.

By National Geographic”River Airport” in South America is in fact a huge flow of gas with water vapor in the air. The steam flow is taken from the Amazon basin to the area to the south, including northern Argentina. Steam them create a shower of rain in most of Brazil.

Agricultural experts in Brazil has implemented a research project on the river many years flying. The purpose of the project - titled “Flying Rivers” - is to identify the source, amount and method of transporting water vapor in the river bay.

The huge flow of moist air with steam as water supplies for most shower of rain in Brazil. Photo: riosvoadores.com.

Engineer Gérard Moss, founder of the project “Flying Rivers”, with many scientists flew the river to collect air samples from steam in 2003. They then analyzed samples of water vapor in the Research Center of nuclear energy in agriculture in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The research team found that the river can fly release 200,000 m3 of water per second - not bad what the river’s largest planet. Besides transporting water that is equivalent to the Amazon River. They also discovered that a large tree in the Amazon could release up to 300 liters of water per day through the process of evaporation. (Trees with root absorbs water. Then one of the smoke tree will evaporate and return to the atmosphere). More than half of rainfall in the Amazon basin to from the trees. The rest of the rivers, lakes, sea supply.

However, the bay in the river basin Amazon will face the risk of disappearing due to global warming situation.

Increase of temperature in the Amazon basin - mainly due to climate change - are forming the arid savanna. We break the cycle of circulation of water causes the steam to provide the flight down river.

Deforestation is also a cause. Most river bay is created by water vapor escape from the trees. But the area of tropical forests of Brazil narrowed by trees and close status of agricultural activity, number of plants capable of liberating water vapor also decreases with.

Scientific status confirmed narrowing of the Amazon rainforest is one cause absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction of the earth. CO2 is the main culprit trigger global warming situation.

“Most of us as Amazon is the lungs of the earth or confine where CO2. But I want to recognize that humanity Amazon basin is a giant water pumps. Rain is one of the most valuable of man, “Moss said.

Amazon River basin received 15,400 cubic kilometers of fresh water from the shower of rain per year. This is where to get rainfall in the world (Russia is second with 7800 cubic km per year).

Moss said that the Brazilian economy can be staggering if the river fly away. For example, farmers in the state of Matto Grosso to the Amazon River basin from the Amazon rain water to crops. Agriculture in this state are developed because farmers are not investing much effort and money for irrigation.

“In addition, hydropower, 80% meet the needs of people in Brazil. If rainfall is reduced, Brazil will face many problems related to energy security, “Moss said.