Observed positive vegetation-rainfall feedbacks in the Sahel dominated by a moisture recycling mechanism

Yu, Yan; Notaro, Michael; Wang, Fuyao; Mao, Jiafu; Shi, Xiaoying; Wei, Yaxing

doi:10.1038/s41467-017-02021-1

Title: Observed positive vegetation-rainfall feedbacks in the Sahel dominated by a moisture recycling mechanism

Journal Article · Thu Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02021-1· OSTI ID:1422593

^[1]; Notaro, Michael ^[2]; Wang, Fuyao ^[2];

^[3]; Shi, Xiaoying ^[3]; Wei, Yaxing ^[3]

Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Nelson Inst. Center for Climatic Research; California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Jet Propulsion Lab.
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Nelson Inst. Center for Climatic Research
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Division. Climate Change Science Inst.

Classic, model-based theory of land-atmosphere interactions across the Sahel promote positive vegetation-rainfall feedbacks dominated by surface albedo mechanism. However, neither the proposed positive vegetation-rainfall feedback nor its underlying albedo mechanism has been convincingly demonstrated using observational data. Here, we present observational evidence for the region’s proposed positive vegetation-rainfall feedback on the seasonal to interannual time scale, and find that it is associated with a moisture recycling mechanism, rather than the classic albedo-based mechanism. Positive anomalies of remotely sensed vegetation greenness across the Sahel during the late and post-monsoon periods favor enhanced evapotranspiration, precipitable water, convective activity and rainfall, indicative of amplified moisture recycling. The identified modest low-level cooling and anomalous atmospheric subsidence in response to positive vegetation greenness anomalies are counter to the responses expected through the classic vegetation-albedo feedback mechanism. The observational analysis further reveals enhanced dust emissions in response to diminished Sahel vegetation growth, potentially contributing to the positive vegetation-rainfall feedback.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1422593

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Vol. 8; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 33 works

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