Projected changes in African easterly wave activity due to climate change
Abstract African easterly waves significantly influence regional hydroclimate, making it crucial to understand how global warming will impact their activity. Here, we investigate future changes in wave activity and assess the underlying mechanisms using an ensemble of Earth system models. We find a...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01981-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841559054588051456 |
|---|---|
| author | Akintomide A. Akinsanola Adeyemi A. Adebiyi Vishal Bobde Oluwafemi E. Adeyeri Alain T. Tamoffo Derrick K. Danso |
| author_facet | Akintomide A. Akinsanola Adeyemi A. Adebiyi Vishal Bobde Oluwafemi E. Adeyeri Alain T. Tamoffo Derrick K. Danso |
| author_sort | Akintomide A. Akinsanola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract African easterly waves significantly influence regional hydroclimate, making it crucial to understand how global warming will impact their activity. Here, we investigate future changes in wave activity and assess the underlying mechanisms using an ensemble of Earth system models. We find a robust increase in wave activity over the Sahel–Sahara region by the end of the 21st century under two emission scenarios. This intensification is linked to increased baroclinicity associated with a strengthening of the meridional temperature gradient between the Guinea Coast and the Sahara. Our results also indicate that low-level warming enhances the waves by reinforcing monsoon flow, leading to increased convergence and vertical motion along the intertropical discontinuity. These energetic alterations significantly modify the conditions that currently produce these waves. Overall, our findings suggest that changes in wave activity could impact the transport of Saharan dust and mesoscale convective activity over the Sahel. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3a874a21c69c4971920388af733a29a7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-3a874a21c69c4971920388af733a29a72025-01-05T12:47:39ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-01-016111310.1038/s43247-024-01981-9Projected changes in African easterly wave activity due to climate changeAkintomide A. Akinsanola0Adeyemi A. Adebiyi1Vishal Bobde2Oluwafemi E. Adeyeri3Alain T. Tamoffo4Derrick K. Danso5Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois ChicagoDepartment of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California–MercedDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois ChicagoLow-Carbon and Climate Impact Research Centre, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong KongClimate Service Center Germany (GERICS), Helmholtz-Zentrum HereonDepartment of the Earth, Atmosphere and Climate, Iowa State UniversityAbstract African easterly waves significantly influence regional hydroclimate, making it crucial to understand how global warming will impact their activity. Here, we investigate future changes in wave activity and assess the underlying mechanisms using an ensemble of Earth system models. We find a robust increase in wave activity over the Sahel–Sahara region by the end of the 21st century under two emission scenarios. This intensification is linked to increased baroclinicity associated with a strengthening of the meridional temperature gradient between the Guinea Coast and the Sahara. Our results also indicate that low-level warming enhances the waves by reinforcing monsoon flow, leading to increased convergence and vertical motion along the intertropical discontinuity. These energetic alterations significantly modify the conditions that currently produce these waves. Overall, our findings suggest that changes in wave activity could impact the transport of Saharan dust and mesoscale convective activity over the Sahel.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01981-9 |
| spellingShingle | Akintomide A. Akinsanola Adeyemi A. Adebiyi Vishal Bobde Oluwafemi E. Adeyeri Alain T. Tamoffo Derrick K. Danso Projected changes in African easterly wave activity due to climate change Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Projected changes in African easterly wave activity due to climate change |
| title_full | Projected changes in African easterly wave activity due to climate change |
| title_fullStr | Projected changes in African easterly wave activity due to climate change |
| title_full_unstemmed | Projected changes in African easterly wave activity due to climate change |
| title_short | Projected changes in African easterly wave activity due to climate change |
| title_sort | projected changes in african easterly wave activity due to climate change |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01981-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT akintomideaakinsanola projectedchangesinafricaneasterlywaveactivityduetoclimatechange AT adeyemiaadebiyi projectedchangesinafricaneasterlywaveactivityduetoclimatechange AT vishalbobde projectedchangesinafricaneasterlywaveactivityduetoclimatechange AT oluwafemieadeyeri projectedchangesinafricaneasterlywaveactivityduetoclimatechange AT alainttamoffo projectedchangesinafricaneasterlywaveactivityduetoclimatechange AT derrickkdanso projectedchangesinafricaneasterlywaveactivityduetoclimatechange |