Climatology in Mauritius 1983-2005: potential solar radiation modulation by Quasi-Biennial oscillation and El Niño-Southern oscillation

• Published in: Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal
• Main Authors: Bessafi, Miloud, Lollchund, M.R., Chabriat, Jean-Pierre, Lan Sun Luk, Jean-Daniel, Jeanty, Patrick
• Other Authors: Laboratoire d'Energétique, d'Electronique et Procédés (LE2P), Université de La Réunion (UR), University of Mauritius
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2017
• Subjects: QBO; solar radiation; climate change; interannual; El Niño-Southern oscillation; ENSO; Quasi-Biennal oscillation; [SDU.STU.CL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Climatology; [PHYS]Physics [physics]; Antarctic; Indian; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01626579; https://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01626579/document; https://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01626579/file/PIE%2011%281%29%20Paper%208_hal.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1504/PIE.2017.086160

International audience The monthly variability of solar radiation over Mauritius is examined using monthly data from CMSAF (Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring) satellite during the period January 1983-December 2005. It is found that the series analysed have periodicities which can be related to two well-known oscillations (Quasi-Biennal Oscillation - QBO and El Niño Southern Oscillation - ENSO). The results highlight a significant modulation of solar radiation by QBO that indicate the possible modulation of convective activity and cloud cover by this oscillation. A temporal conjunction between El-Nino events and high solar radiation disturbances is shown. Nevertheless, it was difficult to assess a simple correlation between ENSO and solar radiation variability over the studied period. This paper focuses on interannual oscillation and omits the intra-seasonal tropical perturbations (Madden Julian Oscillation, Indian Ocean Dipole, Southern Antarctic Mode). This demonstrates a first approach on the interannual solar radiation variability over Mauritius.