A comprehensive analysis and comparison of SPI and SPEI for spatiotemporal drought evaluation


Abu Arra A., ŞİŞMAN E.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, vol.196, no.10, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 196 Issue: 10
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10661-024-13127-7
  • Journal Name: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, ABI/INFORM, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Compendex, EMBASE, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Geobase, Greenfile, Pollution Abstracts, Public Affairs Index, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Keywords: Comparison, Drought characteristics, Drought classification, Spatiotemporal drought, SPEI, SPI
  • Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Assessing drought is crucial for effective water resources management and the development of mitigation strategies. Drought indices serve as indispensable tools in this evaluation process, and choosing an appropriate index is vital for accurate drought assessment. The characteristics and classification of drought depend entirely on the chosen index. Based on the existing literature, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) are the most commonly and widely used indices, and there is a significant need for a comprehensive comparison between SPI and SPEI to understand their differences and implications for drought assessment. This research aims to compare SPI and SPEI based on drought indices, characteristics, and classifications using the innovative drought classification matrix (IDCM) for spatiotemporal drought evaluation, and the comparison process is done for events and monthly scales. Also, it aims to investigate the comparison between SPEI obtained from in situ meteorological stations and from the SPEI database. The application and the comparison are presented for Istanbul city between 1951 and 2020. The results show similar variations and high correlation (more than 0.65) between SPI and SPEI. For drought characteristics, there is no consistent relationship between SPI and SPEI at the drought event scale. The outcomes revealed that approximately 60% of the months exhibit consistent drought classifications between the two indices. Finally, it shows a significant difference between SPEI based on in situ meteorological stations and satellite data. The comparison between SPI and SPEI based on different aspects is necessary and essential for drought studies and water resources management.