African Easterly Waves and convective activity in wet and dry sequences of the West African Monsoon

Janicot and Sultan (Geophys Res Lett 28(3):523–526, 2001) and Sultan et al. (J Clim 16(21):3389–3406, 2003) showed evidence of an intraseasonal signal of Sahelian rainfall corresponding to wet and dry sequences of the West African Monsoon. Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, NOAA outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and observed daily rainfall over West Africa from 1968 to 1990, this paper investigates the variability of 3 to 5-day African Easterly Waves (AEWs), convection and their relationship with rainfall in these wet and dry sequences. The mean daily value rainfall during wet sequences is twice the mean value during dry sequences but the number of dry or wet sequences per year is not correlated with the annual rainfall. Wet sequences account for 39% of the annual accumulated rainfall while dry sequences account for 22%. The number of 3 to 5-day AEWs increases during wet years in wet sequences and the activity tends to be larger during wet years in both wet and dry sequences. These AEWs explain 40% of the accumulated rainfall during wet sequences whereas they contribute to 26% of the accumulated rainfall observed during dry sequences. Generally, they contribute to the increase of rainfall during these sequences. Mean convection is stronger and there are twice as many low OLR days (<225W/m²) during wet than dry sequences. The mean rainfall for days with high convective activity (convective days) is also twice as great during wet sequences. Rainfall that occurs during days without low OLR (weak convection with warm cloud tops or isolated deep convection) contributes to 69% of the total rainfall during dry sequences and 45% during wet sequences. A composite study was performed from day D ₀−10 to day D ₀+10 in each sequence. Wet (dry) sequences of the African monsoon start with a decrease (slight increase) of the negative meridional Ertel Potential Vorticity (PV) gradient at 700 hPa, associated with an increase (decrease) of the spectral density of AEWs. During the wet sequence, the African Easterly Jet (AEJ), detected by 700 hPa zonal wind, decreases and moves northward, whereas the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ), detected at 200 hPa, increases and shifts southward. Convective activity increases from D ₀−6 to D ₀−3 and remains high for 4 days in wet sequences. The daily rainfall increases (decreases) between D ₀−6 and D ₀ and returns to the mean value at D ₀+4 for wet (dry) sequences.     

Approximation of Sahelian rainfall fields with meta-Gaussian random functions

For the purpose of numerically studying sahelian storm rainfields, a family of random functions is described with a characterization of its finite dimensional law. Some problems appearing when fitting its functional parameters are put forward and two solutions to bypass those problems are provided, according to the regularity properties of the marginal cumulative distribution function. An illustration of this method is implemented on a set of sahelian rainfields of event accumulation displaying a strong spatial intermittency.     

IV: EPSAT-NIGER study of rainfall over the Sahel at small time steps using a dense network of recording raingauges

The high density, static memory raingauge network of the EPSAT-NIGER experiment was designed with the aim of: (1) studying the rainfall spatial variability in the Sahel, as may be seen from ground networks of varying density, and (2) providing reference values for the calibration of a C band radar system. A first subset of 37 raingauges was installed in 1988 and the remaining 43 in 1989, thus providing a network of 80 stations, spread over a 100 × 100 km square area. The data analysis is based on the indentification of the structural function for each rainfall event. This permits classification of the events into three main categories with respect to their spatial organization. Furthermore the differences between the shower body and the trail are important and it is shown that the analysis of the spatial organization at the event scale may not be applicable to the calibration of high temporal resolution radar data. Estimation of the areal rainfall over two reference areas is also carried out.     

Institutional design propositions for the governance of adaptation to climate change in the water sector

This paper provides an evidence-based contribution to understanding processes of climate change adaptation in water governance systems in the Netherlands, Australia and South Africa. It builds upon the work of Ostrom on institutional design principles for local common pool resources systems. We argue that for dealing with complexities and uncertainties related to climate change impacts (e.g. increased frequency and intensity of floods or droughts) additional or adjusted institutional design propositions are necessary that facilitate learning processes. This is especially the case for dealing with complex, cross-boundary and large-scale resource systems, such as river basins and delta areas in the Netherlands and South Africa or groundwater systems in Western Australia. In this paper we provide empirical support for a set of eight refined and extended institutional design propositions for the governance of adaptation to climate change in the water sector. Together they capture structural, agency and learning dimensions of the adaptation challenge and they provide a strong initial framework to explore key institutional issues in the governance of adaptation to climate change. These institutional design propositions support a “management as learning” approach to dealing with complexity and uncertainty. They do not specify blueprints, but encourage adaptation tuned to the specific features of local geography, ecology, economies and cultures.     

Contribution a l'etude chimique du materiel dissous et particulaire de l'estuaire de la riviere rimouski

Temperature, pH, total alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, silicate, nitrate, phosphate and the Mn, Fe and Al contents of suspended particulate matter (SPM) were measured in the Rimouski River estuary as functions of chlorinity during the period May—September 1980.At any given time, total alkalinity (TA) is conservative within the estuary with respect to chlorinity. However, the total alkalinity (TA) of the freshwater is related to river flow. This is attributed to dilution of the river water with bicarbonate-poor rainwater.Generally, pH follows the same pattern observed for TA in freshwater. Dissolved oxygen is usually more concentrated in freshwater and decreases linearly with increasing chlorinity. Freshwater is always saturated or supersaturated with respect to O₂. Seasonal fluctuations are attributed to temperature variations.There is no evidence for removal of soluble silicate from the freshwater entering the sea. The concentration of silicate in the freshwater is strongly influenced by rainfall. Soil leaching, conditioned by high rainfall increases the concentration of soluble silicate in freshwater. Nitrate behaves similarly whereas phosphate is complicated by the presence of sewage.Analysis of the Mn, Fe and Al contained in the SPM indicates dilution of river-borne particles rich in Mn by others less rich in this element. A decrease in Mn content with increasing chlorinity and SPM concentration as well as increasing concentrations of SPM with increasing chlorinity indicate that the composition is controlled primarily by physical mixing of material from two sources rather than by chemical processes. Within the analytical precision the Fe/Al ratio does not vary with the chlorinity.     

HAPEX-Sahel: a large-scale study of land-atmosphere interactions in the semi-arid tropics

The Hydrologic Atmospheric Pilot EXperiment in the Sahel (HAPEX-Sahel) was carried out in Niger, West Africa, during 1991 - 1992, with an intensive observation period (IOP) in August - October 1992. It aims at improving the parameterization of land surface atmosphere interactions at the Global Circulation Model (GCM) gridbox scale. The experiment combines remote sensing and ground based measurements with hydrological and meteorological modelling to develop aggregation techniques for use in large scale estimates of the hydrological and meteorological behaviour of large areas in the Sahel. The experimental strategy consisted of a period of intensive measurements during the transition period of the rainy to the dry season, backed up by a series of long term measurements in a 1^ by 1^ square in Niger. Three “supersites” were instrumented with a variety of hydrological and (micro) meteorological equipment to provide detailed information on the surface energy exchange at the local scale. Boundary layer measurements and aircraft measurements were used to provide information at scales of 100 - 500 km². All relevant remote sensing images were obtained for this period. This programme of measurements is now being analyzed and an extensive modelling programme is under way to aggregate the information at all scales up to the GCM grid box scale. The experimental strategy and some preliminary results of the IOP are described.     

A geostatistical approach for areal rainfall statistics assessment

Areal rainfall statistics are more relevant in flood hydrology and water resources management than point rainfall statistics when it comes to help designing dams or hydraulic structures. This paper presents a geostatistically based method to derive the areal statistics from point statistics. Assuming that the distribution models of point rainfall and areal belong to the same class of models and that the rainfall process is stationary, it is shown how the parameters of the areal distribution model can directly be computed from the parameters of the point distribution models in case of a non stationary process, an approximation is derived that yielded good results when applied to a mountainous region in Southern France. The method also allows the computation of the areal reduction factors in a very general form.     

A geostatistical approach for areal rainfall statistics assessment

Areal rainfall statistics are more relevant in flood hydrology and water resources management than point rainfall statistics when it comes to help designing dams or hydraulic structures. This paper presents a geostatistically based method to derive the areal statistics from point statistics. Assuming that the distribution models of point rainfall and areal belong to the same class of models and that the rainfall process is stationary, it is shown how the parameters of the areal distribution model can directly be computed from the parameters of the point distribution models in case of a non stationary process, an approximation is derived that yielded good results when applied to a mountainous region in Southern France. The method also allows the computation of the areal reduction factors in a very general form.     

A simplified automated chelometric method for the determination of sulfate in interstitial water and seawater

A method is described for the determination of sulfate in interstitial water and seawater. After BaSO₄ precipitation, the Ba²⁺ excess is titrated with EDTA using an amalgated silver electrode for end-point detection. An accuracy better than 0.5% is obtained using this method.