@article{fdi:010073059,
  title = {{R}ainfall intensification in tropical semi-arid regions : the {S}ahelian case},
  author = {{P}anthou, {G}. and {L}ebel, {T}hierry and {V}ischel, {T}. and {Q}uantin, {G}uillaume and {S}ane, {Y}. and {B}a, {A}. and {N}diaye, {O}. and {D}iongue-{N}iang, {A}. and {D}iopkane, {M}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A}n anticipated consequence of ongoing global warming is the intensification of the rainfall regimes meaning longer dry spells and heavier precipitation when it rains, with potentially high hydrological and socio-economic impacts. {T}he semi-arid regions of the intertropical band, such as the {S}ahel, are facing particularly serious challenges in this respect since their population is strongly vulnerable to extreme climatic events. {D}etecting long term trends in the {S}ahelian rainfall regime is thus of great societal importance, while being scientifically challenging because datasets allowing for such detection studies are rare in this region. {T}his study addresses this challenge by making use of a large set of daily rain gauge data covering the {S}ahel (defined in this study as extending from 20 degrees {W}-10 degrees {E} and from 11 degrees {N}-18 degrees {N}) since 1950, combined with an unparalleled 5 minute rainfall observations available since 1990 over the {AMMA}-{CATCH} {N}iger observatory. {T}he analysis of the daily data leads to the assertion that a hydro-climatic intensification is actually taking place in the {S}ahel, with an increasing mean intensity of rainy days associated with a higher frequency of heavy rainfall. {T}his leads in turn to highlight that the return to wetter annual rainfall conditions since the beginning of the 2000s-succeeding the 1970-2000 drought-is by no mean a recovery towards the much smoother regime that prevailed during the 1950s and 1960s. {I}t also provides a vision of the contrasts existing between the{W}est {S}ahel and the {E}ast {S}ahel, the {E}ast {S}ahel experiencing a stronger increase of extreme rainfall. {T}his regional vision is complemented by a local study at sub-daily timescales carried out thanks to the 5 minute rainfall series of the {AMMA}-{CATCH} {N}iger observatory (12000 km(2)). {T}he increasing intensity of extreme rainfall is also visible at sub-daily timescales, the annual maximum intensities have increased at an average rate of 2%-6% per decade since 1990 for timescales ranging from 5 min to 1 hour. {B}oth visions-regional/long term/daily on the one hand, and local/27/years/sub-daily, on the other-converge to the conclusion that, rather than a rainfall recovery, the {S}ahel is experiencing a new era of climate extremes that roughly started at the beginning of this century.},
  keywords = {{S}ahel ; hydrological cycle intensification ; extreme rainfall ; sub-daily ; rainfall trends ; {NIGER} ; {ZONE} {TROPICALE} ; {ZONE} {SAHELIENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{E}nvironmental {R}esearch {L}etters},
  volume = {13},
  numero = {6},
  pages = {art. 064013 [10 p.]},
  ISSN = {1748-9326},
  year = {2018},
  DOI = {10.1088/1748-9326/aac334},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010073059},
}