Fennec: The Saharan Climate System

Fennec is a NERC-funded international consortium (2010-2013) aimed at developing a new understanding of the Saharan climate system and its representation in weather and climate models.

In 2011, Fennec has deployed a network of ground-based climate monitoring stations in the western part of the Sahara desert; in Algeria and Mauritania. For two periods, in April and June 2011, intensive measurements with the UK and French research aircraft took place over the region. The measurements are now being used to test and improve models for the Saharan weather and climate.

The Fennec consortium is led by the University of Oxford, with Algerian, Mauritanian, Moroccan, French and German international partners. The University of Leeds is a major partner in Fennec, with responsibility for leading the research into atmospheric dynamics, and major contributions to the leadership and deployment of the field campaigns.

At Leeds, the core Fennec team consists of Doug Parker, Jim McQuaid, John Marsham, Matt Hobby, Luis Garcia-Carreras, Phil Rosenberg and Aaron O'Leary.

For more information on Fennec at Leeds, please contact Doug Parker.