Dept. of Geophysics Colloquium: Weekly Rainfall Patterns and Wheat Yield Response to Climate Variability

Zoom: https://tau-ac-il.zoom.us/j/86769967727?pwd=25OfJE7Na6lWggNsBNRbl7H8bnW56x.1

Abstract:

In this seminar, I will explore two climate variability patterns in Israel. In the first part, I will discuss evidence +for a significant weekly cycle in rainfall derived from 70 years of observations across 60 in-situ stations. Generally, weekends exhibit lower precipitation levels, aligning with reduced anthropogenic activity. Comparisons with model simulations and shuffled-day tests suggest that this cycle is linked to human activity. Also, the study indicates a possible connection to observed weekly variations in regional sea-level pressure. In the second part, I will introduce ongoing work aimed at understanding the role of climate variability on dry-land wheat yield in Israel. Spring wheat, which is predominantly rain-fed, exhibits strong year-to-year yield variability driven by changes in precipitation and temperature. We examine the use of a high-resolution regional climate model (WRF) coupled with a dynamic crop model (Noah-MP-Crop), allowing feedbacks between the crop canopy and the lower atmosphere to be explicitly represented. Results from this study highlight the potential yield gains associated with targeted irrigation in the context of food security in Israel.

Event Organizer: Dr. Lior Rubanenko