Extended Data Fig. 4: Precipitation difference (mm/day) of mean precipitation between 2000-2012 minus that of 1979-1999. | Nature

Extended Data Fig. 4: Precipitation difference (mm/day) of mean precipitation between 2000-2012 minus that of 1979-1999.

From: Indo-Pacific Walker circulation drove Pleistocene African aridification

Extended Data Fig. 4

The precipitation difference indicates systematically drier conditions in eastern Africa during the last decade17, which coincides with intensified Southern Equatorial Current (SEC)17 and Mozambique Channel Throughflow (MCT)70. Green triangles indicate the eastern African hominin sites (1. Afar, 2. Omo-Turkana Basin, 3. Baringo and Tugen Hills, 4. Kanjera, 5. Olorgesailie, 6. Laetoli and Olduvai), from which long-term carbon isotope records of soil carbonates are available serving as long-term proxy of eastern African aridity. The rainfall data is from Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) monthly precipitation analysis (1979–present; DOI 10.7289/V56971M6) and visualized with MATLAB and Mapping Toolbox, version 9.8.0.1323502 (R2020a, Natick, Massachusetts: The MathWorks Inc., United States).

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