Recent warming trends inferred from borehole temperature data in Figuig area (Eastern Morocco)

• Reconstruction of ground surface temperature history in arid area.
• The use of geothermal profile for the past climate reconstruction in Eastern Morocco.
• The application of the functional space inversion in processing data.
• Detection of a recent warming in the last century in the Eastern Morocco.

Ground surface temperature history (GSTH) reflecting the past climate conditions in eastern Morocco was evaluated by analyzing the temperature–depth profiles measured in four boreholes at the Figuig Oasis. The temperature–depth data were inverted using the functional space inversion method in order to reconstruct the surface temperature past changes. The results reveal a recent warming in the last century with an amplitude of 1–3 °C for the four boreholes and a comparison with surface air temperature (SAT) variation from the Bouarfa and Bechar meteorological stations confirms this result. This warming trend is confirmed by other climate proxies.