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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3062
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3062
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
02 Sep 2026
| 02 Sep 2026
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Geoscience Communication (GC).
GC Insights: On The Definition of Aridity in Geoscience Research
Abstract. Aridity is a fundamental concept used across geoscience to describe water-limited environments, yet the scientific community currently uses multiple contradictory approaches to communicate aridity science. Here, we present the scope of aridity definition divergence, showing that out of 1000+ assessed studies aridity, A, is commonly defined as both the ratio of precipitation, P, to evaporative potential, EP, as A = P/EP (32 % of papers) and as its mathematical reciprocal A = EP/P (23 % of papers), or is not defined at all (29 % of papers). Based on this split between opposing definitions, we suggest standardization of the meaning of aridity for more effective interdisciplinary communication, accurate modeling, and metanalyses pertaining to water scarce regions.
How to cite. Good, S., Haagsma, M., Avila, C., Bulter, Z., Barinas, G., Chen, H., and Huang, T.: GC Insights: On The Definition of Aridity in Geoscience Research, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3062, 2026.
Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
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Stephen Good
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Water Resources Graduate Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Marja Haagsma
Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Colton Avila
Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Zachariah Bulter
Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Water Resources Graduate Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Garbriel Barinas
Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Water Resources Graduate Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Han Chen
Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Tingting Huang
Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Water Resources Graduate Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR, USA
Short summary
Geoscience research exploring how study subjects are influenced by how much water is available on the earth’s surface often uses the word ‘aridity’. This work reviews the history of aridity and how geoscientist define it, including the two most common and opposite definitions. We advise researchers to use the more intuitive meaning of aridity, where a high aridity is used to describe a dry place, in order to clearly communicate research findings.
Geoscience research exploring how study subjects are influenced by how much water is available...