Maghreb Research Articles

Are subsidies still relevant in West African artisanal small pelagic fishery? Insights from long run bioeconomic scenarios

Small pelagic fishes are the main fish resource in North West Africa. In senegal this resource is mainly represented by Sardinella aurita and S. maderensis and the fishery is mostly composed by artisanal fishing units using purse seines and encircling gill nets. It is of great importance for the Senegalese economy and food security. Since the 1970′s this fishery has been largely subsidized. For many reasons, fishery subsidies are subject to severe criticism in scientific literature and from international institutions and NGO’s. To assess fisheries subsidies impact, we use a bioeconomic model to simulate the dynamics of sardinella exploitation by testing different scenarios. The results show that the fishery is economically overexploited and that subsidies contribute to this poor economic performance. In the current situation, the total cut of subsidies would allow the State in the long term to save about 56 billion XOF and to increase the economic rent present value by 206 %. The main losers in this case are ship owners who will face a decrease of 30 % of profits. The suppression of subsidies could also contribute to a better regulation of artisanal fishing capacity. However, subsidies cuts lead to better long-term economic results if associated with fishing capacity control. Nevertheless, the implementation of such a measure will necessarily come up against the cultural nature of artisanal fishing in Senegal, mainly composed of family-type fishing units embedded in a community context where fishing plays an identity and subsistence role and the latter meaning that people prioritize short term gains.

Young magmatism and Si‐rich melts on Mars as documented in the enriched gabbroic shergottite NWA 6963

AbstractEnriched shergottites contain interstitial Si‐rich mesostasis; however, it is unclear whether such mesostasis is formed by impact or magmatic processes. We use laser ablation multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry U–Pb measurements of minerals within the interstitial Si‐rich mesostasis and of merrillite within the coarse‐grained groundmass of Martian‐enriched gabbroic shergottite Northwest Africa (NWA) 6963. The date derived of tranquillityite, Cl‐apatite, baddeleyite, and feldspar from the Si‐rich mesostasis is 172.4 ± 6.1 Ma, and the derived merrillite date is 178.3 ± 10.6 Ma. We conclude, based on textural observation, that merrillite is a late magmatic phase in NWA 6963, that it was not produced by shock, and that its U–Pb‐system was not reset by shock. The indistinguishable dates of the gabbroic merrillite and the minerals within the Si‐rich mesostasis in NWA 6963 indicate that the Si‐rich mesostasis represents a late‐stage differentiated melt produced in the final phase of the magmatic history of the gabbroic rock and not a shock melt. This can likely be transferred to similar Si‐rich mesostases in other enriched shergottites and opens the possibility for investigations of Si‐rich mesostasis in enriched shergottites to access their magmatic evolution. Our results also provide a crystallization age of 174 ± 6 Ma (weighted average) for NWA 6963.

Основные направления научного рыбохозяйственного сотрудничества России со странами Северо-Западной Африки

Coastal African countries, primarily Morocco and Mauritania, are partners of the Russian Federation in the field of marine fisheries and scientific cooperation plays a key role in this collaboration. It has more than half a century of history. Cooperation between Russian and African scientists makes it possible to improve the quality of monitoring of small pelagic fish stocks’ condition in the Central-Eastern Atlantic area and to manage them more reliably, including within the framework of annual meetings of the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish Stocks in North-West Africa. This paper presents a brief overview of scientific fishing and economic cooperation between Russia and the countries of North-West Africa.

An improved fusion method for detecting upwelling off the coast of northwest Africa from chlorophyll-a and sea surface temperature satellite images

ABSTRACT In this letter, a novel method is proposed for extracting upwelling along the Moroccan Atlantic coast using the fusion of satellite observations of biological and physical parameters during the time period 2000–2016. The developed approach first adopted a pre-processing step based on the interpolation to predict the missing values of pixels affected by clouds. Then, three fusion methods defined in the literature were applied to the corrected data to provide three different classifications to each satellite image. The majority voting method was investigated for combining the three classified images and therefore having one fused result more informative than the inputs and detecting well the productive, cold inshore waters. The performance of our procedure is compared to a popular fusion method used to identify upwelling and is evaluated by an index of validation over 769 weekly sea surface temperature ‘SST’ and 769 eight-day chlorophyll-a ‘chl-a’ images. The findings show the robustness of our proposed approach versus the latter method in terms of segmentation accuracy and computational efficiency. Developing on the proposed approach, the spatial and temporal variations of the main physical and biological upwelling patterns are studied.

Experimentally Induced Thermal Fatigue on Lunar and Eucrite Meteorites—Influence of the Mineralogy on Rock Breakdown

AbstractThermal fatigue has been proven to be of fundamental importance for the nature and evolution of surfaces of airless bodies in the solar system. It is a rock erosive process acting in conjunction with meteoroid bombardment. We set up an experiment to simulate the diurnal temperature variation at 1 AU of centimeter sized sample cubes using a liquid nitrogen cooled cryostat, allowing to study unexplored conditions, that is, high vacuum and temperatures of 200 K similar to those occurring on the Moon. The sample cubes are investigated using scanning electron microscopy and micro computed tomography scans before and after 10, 20, 50, 100, and 400 total cycles. Cycling of the lunar anorthosite Northwest Africa (NWA) 11273 and the eucrite NWA 11050 reveal different behaviors: Whereas NWA 11273 responds to the cycling with micro‐flaking of tenth‐of‐µm‐sized grains on its surface and only limited crack growth, the eucrite NWA 11050 is less affected by micro‐flaking but the growth of cracks is observed to occur throughout the whole experiment. The rate of crack formation and growth is lower when compared to previously reported results on ordinary and carbonaceous chondritic samples carried out under nitrogen atmosphere and above 250 K. We propose that the size of particles and their rate of production by thermal fatigue highly depends on the mineralogy of the exposed rock and areas with mature rocks are prone to produce fine‐grained soil, while primary rocks such as basalts are likely to produce blocky regolith in a first step.

Signs of renewal in contemporary Islamic thought according to the scholar Farid Al-Ansari - may God have mercy on him

The course of the renewal of the nation's religion lies in the renewal of its intellectual heritage. Therefore, we will get acquainted through this research with the most important features of intellectual renewal for one of the most prominent modern scholars in the Islamic Maghreb in the modern era, namely the scholar Farid Al-Ansari. The topic of the research revolves after the introduction; About an introductory introduction that includes a brief definition of the mark Farid Al-Ansari, and three demands: The first requirement includes the concept of Islamic thought and its characteristics, The second requirement deals with the concept of renewal and its fields in modern Islamic thought, The third requirement, in which we explain the most important features of intellectual renewal according to the scholar Farid Al-Ansari. It ends with a conclusion that includes the most important results and recommendationss

Ukraine Crisis and Shifting Sands in North Africa

Located in northwest Africa, Western Sahara was under Spanish occupation from 1884–1975. Some of the world’s richest fishing waters can be found in Western Sahara. It also holds one of the world’s most extensive phosphates reserves. Since 1975, Morocco has been de facto governing over 80% of the land known as the Moroccan Sahara. Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, has been fighting for the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Despite an UN-mediated ceasefire in 1991 for a referendum for self-determination and the presence of Mission for the Organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to oversee the process, the referendum never took place. In December 2020, President Trump recognized Moroccan claim over Western Sahara in exchange for a normalization deal between Morocco and Israel. While President Biden’s administration now appears to support Trump’s policy tacitly, the Ukraine crisis has provided Algeria with a fresh opportunity. Algeria is Europe’s biggest gas exporter in Africa. Moreover, it is also a strong ally of Russia. As Spain backed Morocco’s proposition to create an autonomous Western Sahara territory under Moroccan control, this change of position will undoubtedly disturb the North-African diplomatic equilibrium, and the implications could be dangerous.

Comparative Analysis of the Interlinks between Globalization, Governance and Development in African Economic Communities

This paper examines the complex causal relationship between globalization, governance and development in African countries using a comparative approach. The sample comprises 51 countries in five groups over the period 1996–2018. The cointegration analysis shows that there is a long-run relationship between globalization, governance and human development in Africa as a whole sample. However, at regional level, such a relationship does not exist in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) bloc. In the long run, globalization and governance affect positively human development in all samples. The findings indicate also that there was unidirectional causality from globalization and governance to development at the continental level. At the regional level, there is unidirectional causality from globalization to development in East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC). In these regions, there is also a bidirectional causality between governance and development. In the ECCAS, the causality runs from governance to development and from development to globalization in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The results support no evidence of causality between the variables in North Africa (Arab Maghreb Union, AMU). Finally, the overall globalization index does not Granger-cause governance. The main implication of our study is that improving governance and development is a very challenging issue, and the impact of globalization should not be neglected.

An Analytical Study of Development of Financial Inclusion Indicators in Some Countries of the Maghreb and the Arab Gulf during the Period (2004-2020)

This study aims to analyse the development of indicators of financial inclusion in a group of Gulf and Maghreb countries during the period from 2004-2020, as the goal behind this analysis is to investigate the reality of financial inclusion in the economies of Arab countries and also to highlight the most important challenges hindering the promotion of financial inclusion at the level of these Arab countries.. Besides, the study concluded that the rates of financial inclusion recorded within the partial indicators in the Arab Gulfcountries are relatively high and acceptable to the same extent, and some of the rates recorded even in some developed countries are commercial, this is in contrast to the rates recorded in the Arab Maghreb countries, including Algeria.

Detection of incipient aqueous alteration in carbonaceous chondrites

We discuss if the detection of aqueous alteration depends on the techniques that are used. We apply different methods to estimate the extent of aqueous alteration on four ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites showing limited aqueous alteration and thermal metamorphism: Chwichiya 002, El Médano (EM) 200, Northwest Africa (NWA) 12957 and NWA 11750, classified as C3 or C3.00-ung. The aim is to propose a reliable methodology to identify the most primitive chondrites. Chwichiya 002, NWA 11750 and NWA 12957 display very primitive matrices and could be amongst the most primitive chondrites currently known, similar to the least altered lithologies of the CM chondrites Paris (CM2.9) and Asuka (A) 12085 (CM2.8), A 12236 (CM2.9) and A 12169 (CM3.0). The structure of organic matter and Cr2O3 in ferroan olivines show that the four meteorites have been less heated than the least metamorphosed standard/reference type 3 chondrite, Semarkona (LL3.00), with Chwichiya 002, NWA 12957 and NWA 11750 similar to the CO3.0 s, Acfer 094 (C2-ung) and Paris meteorites. Chwichiya 002 and NWA 12957 show similar alteration phases and degree of alteration, with high abundances of amorphous material with embedded metal and sulfide, resembling Glass with Embedded Metal and Sulfide (GEMS)-like materials, and tochilinite-cronstedtite intergrowths (TCIs) as the major alteration phases. The matrix in NWA 11750 contains aggregates of nanoscale olivine crystals and abundant carbonates, observed as micrometer-sized carbonate veins surrounding chondrules, and as nanoscale carbonates mixed with the fine-grained materials. It also contains abundant grains of metal and a low abundance of phyllosilicates. El Medano 200 shows a high abundance of magnetite (∼10 vol%), nanoscale phyllosilicates, troilite, and organic matter. The variability of the secondary alteration phases in the meteorites suggests different alteration mechanisms, likely depending on both the starting composition of the meteorites and the composition of the fluids of alteration.Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) allow the identification of primitive phases and the composition and spatial distribution of the secondary phases. X-ray diffraction (XRD) can detect alteration products, including some amorphous phases, although this is limited by the small coherence domains of small TCIs and other phyllosilicates. Transmission infrared (IR) spectroscopy can detect phyllosilicate and carbonate, but is ineffective for the detection of amorphous phases, metal, or sulfide. Both matrix defocused electron microprobe analyses (EMPA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) allow detection of hydrated minerals, such as phyllosilicates and carbonates, but are strongly influenced by the presence of organic matter and do not reflect the overall alteration state of a meteorite. We conclude that the assessment of the primitivity of a chondrite is highly technique dependent. We propose a combination of XRD and the Cr2O3 in ferroan olivines or Raman spectroscopy for a rapid characterization of the alteration state of a chondrite and the detection of the most primitive meteorites. Finally, the combination of XRD and TEM allows for the detection of all primary and secondary phases and represents an ideal methodology for the characterization and detailed study of primitive chondrites and the different types of incipient aqueous alteration.

Soft-sediment deformation structures recognised in a reverse-drag associated with normal faulting (Lake Ifrah, Northwest Africa): Palaeoseismic assessment and neotectonic implications

Reverse-drags in extensional settings are emblematic structures that may provide imprints of (neo)tectonic pulses, and even evidence of palaeoseismic activity. The direct pieces of evidence of (neo)tectonic activity therein are mostly reported to be subsidiary grabens, synthetic and antithetic normal faults, and/or bed-parallel slips that brittlely deform newly deposited soft-sediments, therefor being classified as soft-sediment deformation structures (SSDSs). Liquidization-induced SSDSs are, reasonably, likely to occur in such tectonically active settings as well. Nonetheless, both SSDSs types have not gained enough interest from structural geologist and sedimentologist communities. We hereby address this gap by investigating brittle and liquidization-induced SSDSs from late Pleistocene-Holocene fluvio-lacustrine beds (Lake Ifrah, northern Morocco). Sedimentation and deformation occur upon a reverse-drag anticline connected to a master normal fault that borders a half-graben structure (Ifrah sub-basin) superimposed on a master basin (Ifrah Basin), itself connected to a major strike-slip fault (the Tizi n'Tretten Fault, TTF). Liquidization-induced SSDSs involve load structures and water-escape structures, whereas brittle deformations encompass shrinkage cracks, subsidiary grabens, neptunian dykes, and bed-parallel slip (BPS) and associated domino-style faults. The deformation mechanism for both SSDS types involves either loss of strength upon liquidization (load structures and water-escape structures) or an increase in applied (internal or external) shear (shrinkage cracks, faults). Facies analysis and conventional trigger assessment allowed deciphering endogenic from exogenic triggers for deformation. Liquidization has been inferred to be seismic-triggered whereby the deformed beds are considered seismites. While BPS deformed brittlely late Pleistocene deposits (probably Marine Isotope Stage 3, MIS-3) and subsidiary grabens and neptunian dykes involve Middle Holocene sediments, they are considered to be linked to two flexural-slip events of the reverse-drag during MIS-3? and the Middle Holocene, respectively.Scaling relationships between the structural entities of the hanging-wall-master fault-footwall system allowed estimation of the subsidence due to hanging-wall collapses, and thereby the initiation of the Ifrah sub-basin (at least since 260 kyr). The rhomboidal-shaped master basin was suggested to belong to a dilational quadrant of the associated strike-slip fault, the TTF, at a tip-damage region. Accordingly, we highlight structural isolation of a segment of the TTF that is synchronous with the Ifrah Basin initiation.

A petrologic and microstructural study of a compact type A calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusion from the Northwest Africa 5028 CR2 chondrite: Implications for nebular and parent‐body processes

AbstractCompact type A calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions (CTA CAIs) are believed to have experienced partial melting that erased all information on their original nebular condensation. To investigate this question, we report new microstructural data on a CTA CAI, composed primarily of melilite, spinel, and perovskite, in the Northwest Africa 5028 CR2 chondrite. The melilite grains contain low (5–10 mole%) åkermanite contents and are not compositionally zoned. Spinel and perovskite each occur as near endmember compositions MgAl2O4 and CaTiO3 and contain minor V and Al, respectively. A continuous rim composed of melilite, spinel, and perovskite, with minor hibonite grains occur around the CAI. We extracted two regions of interest from the interior CAI and two from the rim using focused ion beam techniques for detailed analysis using transmission electron microscopy. Evidence for thermal processing occurs as a perovskite–spinel–spinel triple junction in an interior section and a spinel inclusion within perovskite in a rim section. Evidence for parent‐body alteration occurs in the form of Fe‐rich sheet silicates in the rim, and localized amstallite in the interior of the CAI. While previous work suggested that many CTA CAIs experienced thermal processing in the solar nebula, including partial melting, our data show that signatures of primary condensation can be preserved in the form of more refractory phases contained within less refractory minerals, namely melilite and perovskite grains within spinel, and hibonite grains within perovskite, respectively. The inclusion we report on here has a complex history involving gas‐phase condensation, nebular thermal processing, and parent‐body alteration.

A new bee species of the genus Dasypoda Latreille (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from Northwest Africa with comparative remarks on the subgenus Microdasypoda Michez

North Africa, with its vast array of ecosystems and reliefs, constitutes a remarkable place to explore and describe the diversity of wild bees. In this paper, a new bee species of the genus Dasypoda Latreille (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Melittidae), D.schwarzi Radchenko et Michez sp. nov., is described from the Atlas Mountains area (Morocco and Tunisia). This species belongs to the subgenus Microdasypoda Michez and is phenotypically related to D. brevicornis Pérez, but differs from all other species of this subgenus by the structure of the male genitals, the metasomal sterna, and by its overall hair colour. A detailed comparative diagnosis of D.schwarzi with the other four species of this subgenus is provided, as well as a key to the males of Microdasypoda, and a correction to the diagnosis of the subgenus. This new species is the fortieth described Dasypoda species and should be looked for in other mountain regions of Northwest Africa, such as in the Algerian Atlas where it could be present.

Development of non‐destructive analytical strategies based on Raman spectroscopy and complementary techniques for Mars Sample Return tested on Northwest Africa 1950 Martian meteorite

AbstractThe Mars Sample Return (MSR) is a near future mission to return samples from the surface of Mars to the Earth. The field operations to carry out data collection, selection of the samples, and sampling procedure, mainly related to the CanMars MSR analog mission, are well‐studied and published. In contrast, studies related to the methodology implemented to characterize the mineralogy of the returned samples are scarcer and focused on biosignature detection. This work presents a non‐destructive analytical methodology based on Raman microscopy (single point and imaging), micro‐energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence imaging analysis, and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive spectroscopy that could be used as a first analytical characterization for the Martian samples that will be returned to the Earth in the upcoming MSR mission, before any destructive analysis. The analytical methodology has been tested on a fragment of the Northwest Africa 1950 Martian meteorite, which gives us a mineralogical characterization of the meteorite. This methodology also allowed to define several chemical reactions taking place in some of the mineral phases (olivines and ilmenite) of the meteorite. In addition to the geochemical characterization of the samples, the fact that this methodology allows to assess the chemical transformations in several minerals gives important clues for describing mineral processes and geological evolution that took place on Mars. This work also shows the advantages and disadvantages that each of the techniques employed has when performing a mineralogical characterization, the information that each one can provide and the importance of combining them.

Influence of teleconnection patterns on global moisture transport during peak precipitation month

AbstractTeleconnection patterns are an important feature influencing the variability of moisture transport. This study explores the influence of the Arctic, Antarctic, Pacific‐North American, and El Niño–Southern Oscillations on moisture transport from major oceanic and continental moisture sources during the peak precipitation month. The positive phase of the Pacific‐North American teleconnection pattern increases the influence of Pacific Ocean moisture on western North America, while the negative phase increases the influence of Atlantic Ocean moisture over eastern North America, with differences between phases higher than 1.5 mm·day−1 over most of the area when the sources are the preferred. The positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation increases the importance of the Mediterranean as a source of moisture for western Europe while the negative phase increases the importance of the North Atlantic as a source with contribution increased in more than 2 mm·day−1 over Europe. The positive phase of the Antarctic Oscillation favours the contribution from the western Indian basin over eastern Africa, while in the negative phase the contribution from the southern Pacific is increased over northwestern Africa. For El Niño–Southern Oscillation, the main influence occurs over South America during El Niño events, increasing the moisture contributions from the South Pacific Ocean over southern South America and from South Atlantic over southeastern Brazil. El Niño events also increase the moisture transport from the North Atlantic over western Europe and from the North Pacific over North America. In contrast, La Niña events increase moisture contributions from the Pacific over Central America and northern South America, being the latter the area when higher differences between phases are observed.

Oceanic thermal forcing of North Atlantic tropical cyclones

The relationship between North Atlantic tropical cyclone (TC) peak intensity and subsurface ocean temperature is investigated in this study using atmospheric and ocean reanalysis data. It is found that the peak intensity of basin-wide strong TCs (Categories 4 and 5) is positively correlated with subsurface ocean temperature in the extratropical North Atlantic. A possible physical mechanism is that subsurface ocean temperature in the extratropical North Atlantic can affect local sea surface temperature (SST); on the other hand, the moisture generated by the warming SST in the extratropical North Atlantic is transported to the main region of TC development in the tropics by a near-surface anticyclonic atmospheric circulation over the tropical North Atlantic, affecting TC peak intensity. Moreover, coastal upwelling off Northwest Africa and southern Europe can affect subsurface ocean temperature in the extratropical North Atlantic. Therefore, the peak intensity of strong TCs is also found to be directly correlated with the water temperature in these two upwelling regions on an interdecadal timescale.摘要利用大气与海洋再分析数据等相关资料, 本项研究发现, 北大西洋强台风 (Saffir–Simpson分类中的第4和第5类) 的最大强度与亚热带北大西洋的次表层海温呈正相关. 由于亚热带北大西洋的次表层海温会影响当地的海表温度, 该地区海面产生的水汽通过近地面的反气旋大气环流可被输送到位于热带的台风主要发展区域, 进而影响台风的最大强度. 与此同时, 位于西非北部和南欧的近岸涌升流会影响亚热带北大西洋的次表层海温. 因此, 强台风的最大强度也被发现与上述两个涌升流区域的海温具有相关性, 但是这种相关性主要体现在年代际时间尺度上.

Early Miocene Intensification of the North African Hydrological Cycle: Multi‐Proxy Evidence From the Shelf Carbonates of Malta

AbstractDuring the Miocene (23.0–5.3 Ma) North Africa experienced both humid and arid intervals, but the underlying cause of these transitions is unknown. Earth's climate was characterized by a unipolar icehouse with a dynamic Antarctic ice sheet, which may have influenced regional hydrology through atmospheric teleconnections. However, the Miocene also witnessed the restriction of the Mesopotamian Seaway, which may have had significant climatic impacts. The Maltese il‐Blata section (Central Mediterranean) comprises Late Oligocene to Early Miocene marine deposits previously used to constrain the timing of the Mesopotamian Seaway restriction using the εNd tracer. The location of this section also makes it sensitive to climatic changes in the North African region, and biogeochemical changes in the central Mediterranean. Here, we present lithological and geochemical records of the il‐Blata section. We find a marked shift in lithology and an increase in sedimentation rate coeval with the Early Miocene (∼19–20 Ma) restriction of the Mesopotamian Seaway. Concomitant changes in bulk sediment CaCO3, Sr/Ca, K/Al, Ti/Al, Zr/Al, and Si/Ti support a major humid climate transition and associated intensification of river systems over western North Africa. We propose that these changes in North African hydroclimate reflect either a tipping point effect in a gradually warming global climate, or are the result of the initial restriction of the Mesopotamian Seaway, perhaps through consequent changes in Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and the West African Monsoon. We also suggest the restriction of the Mesopotamian Seaway inhibited phosphorite deposition at low latitudes.

Aquaporin works with educational institutions for more sustainable water management in the Canary Islands

Aquaporin A/S is working with two educational institutions in the Canary Islands on a desalination and wastewater pilot project that is aiming to bring more sustainable water management to the Spanish archipelago that is located off the coast of north-western Africa.

Prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis among pregnant women in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a yeast infection of the vulva, which is caused by Candida species and affects women worldwide. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to VVC due to certain risks. Moreover, their offspring are also exposed to the risk of preterm birth. In this context, ascertaining the burden of VVC is of paramount importance and this meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the occurrence of VVC among pregnant women in Africa. Database search was carried out through PubMed, Scopus, Science-Direct, and Google Scholar from the date of inception until December 2020. All the studies on the prevalence of VVC among African pregnant women were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence was estimated based on the Random-effect model DerSimonian-Laird approach with Freeman- Tukey double arcsine transformed proportion. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 test and subsequently explored using subgroup and meta-regression analysis. A total of Sixteen records having a sample size 4,185 were included in this study. The overall prevalence of VVC was pooled at 29.2% (CI 95%: 23.4 - 33.0). Subgroup analysis revealed a higher prevalence in Eastern Africa, followed by Western Africa and North Africa (35%, 28%, and 15% respectively). Moderator analysis indicated that the studies that used advanced methods of detection had a higher prevalence (p = 0.048). In addition, the large sample size was associated with higher prevalence (p ≤ 0.001). No other moderators were found to be statistically significant. The overall prevalence of VVC among African pregnant women is comparable to other studies worldwide. However, appropriate identification techniques and larger sample size could likely be associated with an increased prevalence. Our findings necessitate the need for further investigations to determine the geographical distribution of VVC across African regions.

Investigating NUCAPS Skill in Profiling Saharan Dust for Near-Real-Time Forecasting

Dust outflows off Northwest Africa often propagate westward across the North Tropical Atlantic Basin (NTAB) into the greater Caribbean and US. From a health perspective, weather forecasters in these regions often monitor hazardous air quality associated with this dust. However, forecasters can be constrained by sparse data observations upwind over the Atlantic of the impacted populated areas. Global satellite sounding retrievals can potentially augment and enhance the operational forecasting toolkit for monitoring Saharan dust episodes. The focus of this paper was to examine the skill of the NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System (NUCAPS) temperature and water vapor profiles within the dust and non-dust conditions during the March 2019 NOAA Aerosols and Ocean Science Expedition (AEROSE). During this time, the NOAA Ron Brown research ship launched radiosondes to coincide with satellite overpasses that served as independent ground truth data for evaluating NUCAPS. Compared to RAOBs from the Ron Brown, the SNPP and NOAA-20 NUCAPS-derived soundings showed skill in profiling atmospheric conditions supporting Saharan dust monitoring. Outside of dust regions, the NOAA-20 NUCAPS surface temperature bias peaks at 2.0 K; the surface water vapor bias is minimal (~1000 hPa), with a small cold bias that peaks at −50% between 742 and 790 hPa. Corresponding temperature RMS values are less than 2.0 K; water vapor RMS values are generally below 70%. Within the dust regions, NOAA-20 NUCAPS temperature soundings show a cold bias peak of 2.6 K at 918 hPa and 113% of a moist bias peak at the same level. Corresponding temperature RMS values maximize at 3.5 K at 945 hPa; the water vapor RMS shows a peak value of 106% at the same level. Weather forecasters can apply NUCAPS across the NTAB in issuing timely and accurate hazardous air quality warnings and visibility alerts to health officials and the general public.