Remote sensing and past climatic changes in tropical deserts: Example of the Sahara

Abstract

In the last 20 ka, the tropical arid belt in the north of Africa underwent wide changes in its latitudinal range due to changes in atmospheric circulation fitting global changes. During the last glacial maximum, the desert extended down to 13°N. During the last climatic optimum, it was replaced by sahelian environments up to 22°-23°N., and numerous lakes or swamps were observed in the field throughout all extant reconstitution of these major paleoenvironmental changes and usefully supplements local field research.