Drought in the sahara: a biogeophysical feedback mechanism.
Two integrations of a global general circulation model, differing only in the prescribed surface albedo in the Sahara, show that an increase in albedo resulting from a decrease in plant cover causes a decrease in rainfall. Thus any tendency for plant cover to decrease would be reinforced by a decrease in rainfall, and could initiate or perpetuate a drought.
Charney
J
J
Stone
P H
PH
Quirk
W J
WJ