Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

The IASI Water Deficit Index to Monitor the Vegetation Stress and the Early Drying in Summer Because of Heatwaves: an Application to Southern Italy

Version 1 : Received: 27 July 2022 / Approved: 29 July 2022 / Online: 29 July 2022 (02:36:22 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Masiello, G.; Ripullone, F.; De Feis, I.; Rita, A.; Saulino, L.; Pasquariello, P.; Cersosimo, A.; Venafra, S.; Serio, C. The IASI Water Deficit Index to Monitor Vegetation Stress and Early Drying in Summer Heatwaves: An Application to Southern Italy. Land 2022, 11, 1366. Masiello, G.; Ripullone, F.; De Feis, I.; Rita, A.; Saulino, L.; Pasquariello, P.; Cersosimo, A.; Venafra, S.; Serio, C. The IASI Water Deficit Index to Monitor Vegetation Stress and Early Drying in Summer Heatwaves: An Application to Southern Italy. Land 2022, 11, 1366.

Abstract

The boreal Hemisphere has been experiencing increasing extreme hot and dry conditions over the past few decades, consistent with anthropogenic climate change expectations. The continental extension of the phenomenon calls for tools and techniques capable of monitoring the global to regional scales. In this context, the satellite is the only system that can satisfy the need for global coverage. The main objective we have addressed in the present paper is the capability of infrared satellite observations helping to monitor the vegetation stress due to increasing drought and heatwaves in summer. We have designed and implemented a new water deficit index (wdi) that exploits satellite observations in the infrared to retrieve humidity, air temperature, and surface temperature simultaneously. These three parameters are combined to provide the water deficit index. The index has been developed based on the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer or IASI, which covers the infrared spectral range 645 to 2760 cm-1 with a sampling of 0.25 cm-1. The index has been used to study the 2017 heatwave, which hit Continental Europe from May to October. In particular, we have examined Southern Italy, where Mediterranean forests suffer from climate change. We have computed the index's time series and show that it can be used to indicate the atmospheric background conditions associated with meteorological drought. We have also found a good agreement with soil moisture, which suggests that the persistence of anomalously high water deficit index was an essential driver of the rapid development and evolution of the exceptionally severe 2017 droughts.

Keywords

climate change; drought; water deficit index; infrared observations; satellite; remote sensing; surface temperature; air temperature; humidity; dew point temperature

Subject

Environmental and Earth Sciences, Environmental Science

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