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Extreme climate response to marine cloud brightening in the arid Sahara-Sahel-Arabian Peninsula zone

  • Yuanzhuo Zhu
    ,
  • Zhihua Zhang
    ,
  • M. James C. Crabbe
  • Shandong University
    ,
  • Beijing Normal University
    ,
  • University of Oxford
    ,
  • Shanxi University
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
    SDG 13 Climate Action
  • SDG 14 - Life Below Water
    SDG 14 Life Below Water

Abstract

Purpose Climatic extreme events are predicted to occur more frequently and intensely and will significantly threat the living of residents in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, this study aims to assess climatic extremes’ response to the emerging climate change mitigation strategy using a marine cloud brightening (MCB) scheme. Design/methodology/approach Based on Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model version 2-Earth System model simulations of a MCB scheme, this study used six climatic extreme indices [i.e. the hottest days (TXx), the coolest nights (TNn), the warm spell duration (WSDI), the cold spell duration (CSDI), the consecutive dry days (CDD) and wettest consecutive five days (RX5day)] to analyze spatiotemporal evolution of climate extreme events in the arid Sahara-Sahel-Arabian Peninsula Zone with and without MCB implementation. Findings Compared with a Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 scenario, from 2030 to 2059, implementation of MCB is predicted to decrease the mean annual TXx and TNn indices by 0.4–1.7 and 0.3–2.1°C, respectively, for most of the Sahara-Sahel-Arabian Peninsula zone. It would also shorten the mean annual WSDI index by 118–183 days and the mean annual CSDI index by only 1–3 days, especially in the southern Sahara-Sahel-Arabian Peninsula zone. In terms of extreme precipitation, MCB could also decrease the mean annual CDD index by 5–25 days in the whole Sahara and Sahel belt and increase the mean annual RX5day index by approximately 10 mm in the east part of the Sahel belt during 2030–2059. Originality/value The results provide the first insights into the impacts of MCB on extreme climate in the arid Sahara-Sahel-Arabian Peninsula zone.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 250-265 (16 pages)

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management (Volume 13, Issue 3)

Publication milestones

  • Accepted/In press - 10/12/2020
  • Published - 08/02/2021

Publication status

Published - 08/02/2021

ISSN

1756-8692

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/624827
  • Scopus: 85100640669

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