Monitoring of water surface temperature of Eurasian large lakes using MODIS land surface temperature product

In this study, data from MODIS land surface temperature product level 3 (MOD11A2) were used to investigate the spatiotemporal variation of Eurasian lakes water surface temperature (LSWT) from 2001 to 2015, and to examine the most influencing factors of that variation. The temperature of most lakes in the dry climate zone and in the equatorial climatic zone varied from 17 to 31°C and from 23 to 27°C, respectively. LSWTs in the warm temperate and cold climatic zones were in the range of 20 to 27°C and −0.6 and 17°C, respectively. The average day time LSWT in the polar climate zone was −0.71°C in the summer. Lakes in high latitude and in the Tibetan Plateau displayed low LSWT, ranging from −11 to 26°C during the night time. Large spatial variations of diurnal temperature difference (DTD) were observed in lakes across Eurasia. However, variations in DTDs were small in lakes located in high latitude and in tropical rainforest regions. The shallow lakes showed a rapid response of LSWT to solar and atmospheric forcing, while in the large and deep lakes, that response was sluggish. Results of this study demonstrated the applicability of remote sensing and MODIS LST products to capture the spatial–temporal variability of LSWT across continental scales, in particular for the vast wilderness areas and protected environment in high latitude regions of the world. The approach can be used in future studies examining processes and factors controlling large scale variability of LSWT

Rainfall consistently enhanced around the Gezira Scheme in East Africa due to irrigation

Land-use and land-cover changes have significantly modified regional climate patterns around the world. In particular, the rapid development of large-scale cropland irrigation over the past century has been investigated in relation to possible modification of regional rainfall. In regional climate simulations of the West African Sahel, hypothetical large-scale irrigation schemes inhibit rainfall over irrigated areas but enhance rainfall remotely. However, the simulated influence of large-scale irrigation schemes on precipitation patterns cannot be substantiated without direct comparison to observations. Here we present two complementary analyses: numerical simulations using a regional climate model over an actual, large-scale irrigation scheme in the East African Sahel-the Gezira Scheme-and observational analyses over the same area. The simulations suggest that irrigation inhibits rainfall over the Gezira Scheme and enhances rainfall to the east. Observational analyses of rainfall, temperature and streamflow in the same region support the simulated results. The findings are consistent with a mechanistic framework in which irrigation decreases surface air temperature, causing atmospheric subsidence over the irrigated area and clockwise wind anomalies (in background southwesterly winds) that increase upward vertical motion to the east. We conclude that irrigation development can consistently modify rainfall patterns in and around irrigated areas, warranting further examination of potential agricultural, hydrologic and economic implications