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Sahel drought: Change of climate or part of climate?

Die Sahel-Dürre: Klimaänderung oder Klimaschwankung?

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Summary

It is shown that the 1970–1972 Sahel drought is a result of a reversible climatic fluctuation and not an indication of climatic change. The long rainfall record at Dakar shows no trend but reflects repeated drought periods caused by large-scale shifts in the general global circulation. Analysis also shows two to three year pulsations and an apparent coincidence with solar rhythms. Future repetitions of the drougth within the present climatic regime can be expected and should be planned for.

Zusammenfassung

Es wird gezeigt, daß die Dürre in der Sahel in den Jahren 1970–1972 einer reversiblen Klimaschwankung und nicht einer Klimaänderung zuzuschreiben ist. Die lange Niederschlagsreihe in Dakar zeigt keinen Trend, weist aber eine Reihe von Dürreperioden auf, die auf Schwankungen in der allgemeinen globalen Zirkulation zurückzuführen sind. Das Varianzspektrum macht zwei- bis dreijährige Schwankungen und einen Zusammenhang mit solaren Rhythmen plausibel. Wiederholungen der Dürre sind auch in der Zukunft zu erwarten und müssen in alle Pläne einbezogen werden.

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  1. Helmut E. Landsberg

    Present address: University of Maryland, 2207 Space Science Building, 20742, College Park, MD, USA

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    1. Helmut E. Landsberg
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    Landsberg, H.E. Sahel drought: Change of climate or part of climate?. Arch. Met. Geoph. Biokl. B. 23, 193–200 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246775

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246775

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