Evidence of Anthropogenic Impacts on Global Drought Frequency, Duration, and Intensity

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2021 May 13

PMID 33980822

Citations 30

Authors

Felicia Chiang

Omid Mazdiyasni

Amir Aghakouchak

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Most climate change detection and attribution studies have focused on mean or extreme temperature or precipitation, neglecting to explore long-term changes in drought characteristics. Here we provide evidence that anthropogenic forcing has impacted interrelated meteorological drought characteristics. Using SPI and SPEI indices generated from an ensemble of 9 CMIP6 models (using 3 realizations per model), we show that the presence of anthropogenic forcing has increased the drought frequency, maximum drought duration, and maximum drought intensity experienced in large parts of the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Using individual greenhouse gas and anthropogenic aerosol forcings, we also highlight that regional balances between the two major forcings have contributed to the drying patterns detected in our results. Overall, we provide a comprehensive characterization of the influence of anthropogenic forcing on drought characteristics, providing important perspectives on the role of forcings in driving changes in drought events.

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