TRMM‐TMI satellite observed soil moisture and vegetation density (1998–2005) show strong connection with El Niño in eastern Australia

Oscillation Index (SOI) in spring (r 2 = 0.90), and to a progressively lesser extent autumn, summer and winter. The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) index also explained part of the variation in spring q and t. Correlation analysis suggested that the regions most affected by El Nino are mainly located in eastern Australia. The results suggest that the drought conditions experienced in eastern Australia since 2000 and clearly expressed in these satellite observations have a strong connection with El Nino. Citation: Liu, Y., R. A. M. de Jeu, A. I. J. M. van Dijk, and M. Owe (2007), TRMM-TMI satellite observed soil moisture and vegetation density (1998 - 2005) show strong connection with El Nino in eastern Australia, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L15401, doi:10.1029/2007GL030311.

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