SAT-EX WAVE: Analysis of global vegetation observations based on wavelet theory (SAT-EX WAVE)

SAT-EX Wave will quantify the increased sensitivity of global ecosystems to climatic conditions during the satellite era. The mother project, SAT-EX, revealed a strong control of  climate over global vegetation dynamics. However, during the course of this project, new scientific questions have emerged: (a) is that climatic control changing as climate changes?, (b) are ecosystems becoming more vulnerable?, (c) what will be the fate of rainforests like the Amazon as global warming continues?. These questions have also been identified as key scientific opportunities by the steering committee of SAT-EX. However, they demand sophisticated mathematical tools to be adressed: in SAT-EX wave, wavelet theory will be applied to provide new answers.

Specific objectives:

- to reveal spatial and temporal differences in the sensitivity of global vegetation properties to particular climatic variables.

- to uncover the climatic causes of the increased vulnerability of the Amazonian rainforest during the last three decades.