Contribution of relative humidity on aerosol optical depth role in influencing the regionalization pattern of precipitation over West Africa

Aerosols play a critical role in regional and global climate systems due to their influence on atmospheric processes and precipitation patterns. Understanding the complex interactions between aerosol optical depth (AOD), relative humidity, and precipitation is essential for improving climate and weather prediction models, particularly in regions like West Africa, which are vulnerable to climate variability. This study investigates these interactions to enhance knowledge of aerosol behavior and their implications for regional hydrological cycles. To achieve this, Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis was employed, a robust statistical technique used to identify dominant modes of variability in multivariate datasets. Satellite observational data were analyzed to examine the spatial and temporal fluctuations of AOD and its correlation with precipitation and relative humidity over West Africa. The results revealed that the dry season exhibited the highest variance in AOD at 86%, with the first three principal components explaining the majority of the variance. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between AOD, precipitation, and relative humidity, with significant variability along the West African coastline. The results also emphasize key regions where atmospheric conditions are particularly sensitive to changes in AOD and relative humidity, offering a foundation for targeted climate adaptation strategies and further research on aerosol-precipitation dynamics in the region.