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Statistical and geostatistical analysis related to geographical parameters for spatial and temporal representation of rainfall in semi-arid environments: the case of Algeria

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Abstract

The economic challenges related to the fields of agriculture and industry led us to adopt the best suited method to represent the rain on the spatial and temporal plan especially in areas characterized by heterogeneous rainfall distribution additionally to drought periods. The methods of analysis and estimation of rainfall, using a number of tools (statistics, geostatistics and digital mapping), provide the opportunity to represent the average inter-yearly rainfall fields in the eastern high plateaus region of Algeria. In this study, an approach was proposed for yearly rainfall characterization. Data series for the period 1986–2007 were collected from 65 rain-gauging stations. This approach is based on two combined methods (geostatistic and multiple linear regression) including direct relationship between rainfall and geographical parameters (longitude, latitude and altitude). Statistical analysis indicates that the annual rainfall values ranges from 127 to 752.2 mm and that their distribution is Platykurtic. Results show that yearly rainfall structure obeys mainly a north/south gradient, and latitude is the most influential geographical parameter with a coefficient of 261.25 contrary to the longitude (17.06) and altitude (0.04) which have a non-significant effect on precipitation. In addition, other factors such as vegetation, temperature and air mass movement affect negatively the rainfall structure. Moreover, the map of rainfall indicates that the rain bands ranging from 300 to 400 mm dominate 58 % of the total study area whereas rain bands greater than 400 mm occupy 37 % of the total study area.

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Acknowledgments

The authors extend special thanks to the following Algerian institutions: National Meteorological Office (O.N.M), National Agency for Water Resources (A.N.R.H) and National Institute of Maps and Remote Sensing (I.N.C.T), for providing climatic data and maps. The authors are thankful to the National Institute of Agronomic Research (I.N.R.A) and to the National Institute of Soil, Irrigation and Drainage (I.N.S.D) for the logistic support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hydraulics Department, Superior National School of Agronomics (ENSA-ES1603), Avenue Pasteur, Hassan Badi El Harrach, Algiers, Algeria

    Hakim Bachir

  2. Research Division in Bioclimatology and agricultural hydraulic, Algerian National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRAA), CRP, Mahdi Boualem, Baraki, Algiers, Algeria

    Hakim Bachir

  3. Laboratory of Applied Geology, Department of Soil Science, Superior National School of Agronomics (ENSA), Algiers, Algeria

    Ahcene Semar

  4. Research Division of Agri-food Technology, Algerian National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRAA), CRP, Mahdi Boualem, Baraki, Algiers, Algeria

    Azzedine Mazari

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  1. Hakim Bachir
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Correspondence to Hakim Bachir.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Water Resources in Arid Areas

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Bachir, H., Semar, A. & Mazari, A. Statistical and geostatistical analysis related to geographical parameters for spatial and temporal representation of rainfall in semi-arid environments: the case of Algeria. Arab J Geosci 9, 486 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2505-8

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