Assessing Nonlinear Dynamics and Trends in Precipitation by Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) and Fractal Approach in Benin Republic (West Africa)

Climate dynamics and trends have significant environmental socioeconomic impacts; however, in the Benin Republic, they are generally studied with diverse statistical methods ignoring nonstationarity, nonlinearity, self-similarity characteristics contained precipitation time series. This can lead to erroneous conclusions an unclear understanding of climatic dynamics. Based on daily data observed six synoptic stations period from 1951 2010, we proposed (i) determining local precipitations, (ii) investigating nonlinear dynamics, (iii) assessing shift study by Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MFDFA) method. To overcome detrending issue standard MFDFA method, EEMD algorithm is embedded into MFDFA. The subdivided three subperiods: 1951–1970, 1971–1990, 1991–2010. Intrinsic Functions (IMFs) obtained according region which located. Results show that variation significantly governed five first IMFs, oscillation periods vary 1 25 days. trend curves decrease at all stations, their slope values accordingly subperiods. Referring multifractal spectrum parameters, α 0 , width id="M2"> w consistent changes regardless subperiods concerned stations. spatial temporal variability indicates properties good indicators for features could be explained global change than climate (climatic zones). Despite differences spectra subperiods, it not possible verify subdivision 1951–2010 as done previous studies West Africa. Our findings used validation regional models since a valid model should explain empirically detected scaling data.