Past climate extreme events (e.g. European Heatwave 2023) have shown to have severe consequences on built and natural environments, posing a threat to human wellbeing and economic resilience. Land-atmosphere interactions have been identified as key drivers for heat waves, relying significantly on groundwater interactions through its effect on soil moisture, evaporation and thus surface heat fluxes (1). Variation of rainfall patterns in a changing climate and the increase in water demands are expected to influence groundwater dynamics that affect soil moisture-air temperature feedback processes and subsequently the occurrence of heatwaves. The current understanding of the relationship between shallow groundwater tables and heatwave events is often limited to regional studies or specific land covers, with a very few endeavors seeking to characterize global-scale trends and responses. 

This project aims to fill this gap by globally investigating groundwater table as one of the drivers for the onset of heatwaves across different land cover types and environmental variables. Our approach involves a comprehensive statistical analysis on a comprehensive dataset consisting a high resolution global-scale groundwater model, climate reanalysis data and remote sensing data. 

By examining a wide range of geographical and climatological parameters, we seek to identify potential link between groundwater dynamics and heatwave frequency within the broader context of the interactions between soil moisture and air temperature. This information will provide valuable information for broadening our understanding of key drivers on heatwave occurrences and to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.