Oceanic forcing of Sahel rainfall on interannual to interdecadal time scales

Publication Status is "Submitted" Or "In Press: 
LDEO Publication: 
Publication Type: 
Year of Publication: 
2003
Editor: 
Journal Title: 
Science
Journal Date: 
Nov 7
Place Published: 
Tertiary Title: 
Volume: 
302
Issue: 
5647
Pages: 
1027-1030
Section / Start page: 
Publisher: 
ISBN Number: 
0036-8075
ISSN Number: 
Edition: 
Short Title: 
Accession Number: 
ISI:000186396300042
LDEO Publication Number: 
Call Number: 
Abstract: 

We present evidence, based on an ensemble of integrations with NSIPP1 (version 1 of the atmospheric general circulation model developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in the framework of the Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project) forced only by the observed record of sea surface temperature from 1930 to 2000, to suggest that variability of rainfall in the Sahel results from the response of the African summer monsoon to oceanic forcing, amplified by land-atmosphere interaction. The recent drying trend in the semi-arid Sahel is attributed to warmer-than-average low-latitude waters around Africa, which, by favoring the establishment of deep convection over the ocean, weaken the continental convergence associated with the monsoon and engender widespread drought from Senegal to Ethiopia.

Notes: 

740HETimes Cited:107Cited References Count:36

DOI: 
DOI 10.1126/science.1089357