Toward a better understanding of palaeoclimatic regimes that recharged the fossil aquifers in North Africa: Inferences from stable isotope and remote sensing data

► Isotopic compositions of modern precipitation over North Africa are enriched. ► Fossil groundwater across North Africa shows progressive west-to-east depletion. ► Few precipitation events showed isotopic depletions similar to fossil groundwater. ► Cloud propagation directions for depleted events were extracted from satellite data. ► Results support intensification of paleowesterlies in previous wet glacial periods.