Fog measurements at the site "Falda Verde" north of Chanaral compared with other fog stations of Chile

Fog collection data registered through a Standard Fog Collector (SFC) installed by a local fishermen's association at a height of 600 in at the "Falda Verde" site, north of the Chilean harbor Chanaral (26degrees17'S/70degrees36'W), from November 1998 to November 2000, are analyzed. Trying to give new lights on the dynamics of fog along the Chilean northern coast, this article compares, for the first time, the data obtained at Falda Verde with those obtained at five other Chilean fog stations. The total time period runs from 1987 to 2001. A mean of 1.46 l/m(2)/day was registered at the Falda Verde site after 2 years of measurements, one of the lowest yields along the north Chilean coast. After a brief historical recapitulation of fog researches in the study area, geographical explanations of the water yields obtained in different sites are discussed. The annual mean collection from Cerro Moreno and Paposo shows a clearly different behavior from all other sites, showing a greater stability throughout the year. Other stations have a marked difference between extreme seasons, Alto Patache yields, if not the best in Chile, are very high and offer unexpected possibilities for future applications in the coast. Stations located away from the seashore (Cerro Guatalaya) are clearly less productive. Ocean proximity, altitude, south and southwest orientations of the coastal ranges and local relief explain some of the differences noted. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.