Analysis of the spatio-temporal propagation of drought over Eastern China using complex networks

Abstract

Understanding of the spatio-temporal propagation of drought is a challenging issue as the hydro-climatic processes are inter-connected. Recent developments in network theory offer new avenues to study the propagation of drought. Three metrics that quantify the strength, dominant orientation and distance of droughts are employed to investigate the spatio-temporal propagation. The results show that (1) the network approach based on the event synchronization is a useful tool to study the propagation of drought; (2) The drought events occurring in the south of the study area are more likely to spread outward, and the drought events occurring in the midwestern regions are more likely to be affected by drought events in other regions; (3) The dominant position of drought transmission in the study area has obvious regional characteristics. The midwestern regions are more susceptible to the influence of drought events in the western regions, while other regions are more likely to spread drought events to the inside world. The findings of this paper could help researchers to initially understand the propagation of spatio-temporal droughts over Eastern China.