Articles tagged with Monsoons
A new study reveals that Asia-Africa-Australia monsoon and arid regions evolved differently over time, influenced by continental drift and the Tibetan Plateau. The research found distinct formation patterns for different monsoons and arid regions in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
New research using tree ring records reveals a 80-year decline in Asian summer monsoon rainfall, resulting in regional droughts and hardships. The study attributes the decline to man-made atmospheric pollutants, specifically sulfate aerosols, which coincide with industrial development and emissions in China.
Researchers found an ocean heat-transporting mechanism controlling the monsoon's intensity. The mechanism strengthens the monsoon when winds drive south-flowing waters that cool the ocean.
A team of researchers analyzed oxygen isotopes in adult ostracode shells from Lake Nakaumi to understand the 3,000-year history of East Asian summer monsoons. They found that solar activity was a primary factor driving centennial-scale variations.
A new study from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution uses coral chemical data to reconstruct nearly three centuries of wind data, revealing that monsoon winds have indeed increased over the past centuries. This finding suggests that stronger winds may be becoming more common due to climate change.
A Vanderbilt University team found a link between winter rainfall in northeast India and the Pacific Ocean's climate conditions, aiding in predicting dry season rainfall amounts. The discovery uses stalagmite records from Mawmluh Cave to understand past variability in the global climate system.
Nir Krakauer's research enables forecasts of South Asia summer monsoon precipitation up to a year in advance, improving predictability for agriculture, industry, and hydropower.
Researchers tracked changes in river discharge, ocean stratification, and planktonic foraminifera oxygen isotopes to analyze past monsoon strength. Abnormally strong winter precipitation occurred around 4.5-4.3 thousand years ago, followed by a minimum at 4.1 thousand years ago.
Researchers found the Sahara desert's climate swung between lush and arid conditions every 20,000 years, synchronized with monsoon activity. The study used sediment cores to analyze dust deposits and rare isotopes of thorium, revealing a 20,000-year beat that contradicts previous ice age cycle explanations.
A recent study by HKU researchers found that ocean circulation in the North Atlantic is at its weakest since the past 1,500 years. The weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is attributed to global warming and associated melt of the Greenland Ice-Sheet, which has significant implications for climate change.
A new study found that climate change drove the Harappans to resettle in smaller villages in the Himalayan foothills. The research, led by Liviu Giosan, suggests that changing weather patterns made agriculture difficult near cities, leading to a massive migration.
A new study analyzing one million years of precipitation history has found that the South Asian Monsoon is more complex than previously thought. The research team discovered that warming in the southern hemisphere and moisture transport across the equator play a crucial role in the monsoon's wind and precipitation patterns.
Scientists have reconstructed the monsoon's precipitation history over the past 1 million years using sediment cores from the eastern Indian Ocean. The results show that the monsoon was weaker during peak ice ages and strongest during interglacial warm periods, with fluctuations in the Earth's axis inclination playing a subordinate role.
Researchers found the Mekong River's incision in the Middle Miocene was caused by an intensification of the Asian monsoon, rather than tectonic forces. The study used thermochronology and landscape models to confirm synchronous downcutting along the river at 15-17 million years ago.
Researchers reconstructed history of monsoon activity in northern Mexico using leaf wax compounds from deep sea sediments, settling a long-standing debate over its impact on ice age climates. The study helps predict regional climate responses to future conditions by understanding past variability.
Scientists found four pivotal strengthening events in the East Asian summer monsoon between 1250-1900 CE, with ocean sediments offering a more reliable record of past monsoon signals. The study provides insights into Asian monsoon dynamics and their impact on regional societies.
Severe monsoon floods affected Kerala state in India with extreme rainfall totals of up to 469 mm. Heavy rain bands brought intense precipitation to the southwest coast of India.
A study published in Nature Communications found that reducing global warming by half a degree Celsius could significantly decrease extreme precipitation events, resulting in lower exposure to flooding and landslides. The research suggests that limiting warming to 1.5°C could robustly benefit the populous global monsoon region.
Researchers found that nearly 25% of monsoon rainfall percolates into groundwater systems, recharging aquifers near their point of origin. The study used field instrumentation and hydrological modeling to demonstrate the importance of small stream beds in this process.
The study analyzed data from NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) to estimate rainfall accumulation during the week from July 9 to 13, 2018. Heavy monsoon rainfall was reported along India's Arabian Sea Coast and in large areas of north-central India, with at least 525 mm of rain recorded in Mumbai.
Summer monsoons in South Asia purify the air of certain pollutants by oxidizing them into less volatile products, which then exit the atmosphere through rain. However, these monsoons also disperse other pollutants globally through a massive anticyclone circulating above the region.
The research team aims to understand how the Irrawaddy-Salween Delta will respond to expected changes in sediment supply and coastal dynamics due to climate change and human development. They are using field studies and computer modeling to characterize where sediments accumulate and the mechanisms that move them.
Researchers used ancient dust records to develop a new understanding of the Earth's long-term climate. They found that the Asian summer monsoon drove global changes in wind and ocean currents, affecting polar ice cap growth or shrinkage over tens of thousands of years.
A study links North Atlantic iceberg discharge to increased South American monsoon precipitation, leading to higher global atmospheric methane levels. The research provides new insights into the tropical hydrologic cycle and its implications for climate change.
A study from Uppsala University reveals a link between ice volume, sea level changes and desertification in Eurasia. The research found that as ice volume decreased and sea levels rose, summer monsoon rainfalls intensified, while sandy deserts retreated.
A new study by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution researchers found that the Bay of Bengal's monsoon runoff generates a layer of fresh water on its surface, suppressing nutrient mixing and preventing upwelling. This phenomenon can lead to colder waters in winter, contrary to expectations.
A new study by Imperial College London and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur reveals that ancient Indus Civilization urban centers didn't need an active river system to thrive. The research found that a major Himalayan river, the Sutlej River, changed course eight thousand years ago, leaving behind an abandoned river valley occ...
A study reveals multidecadal variations in the relationship between East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The research used a coupled climate model to investigate the decadal changes, finding that ENSO-related circulation anomalies drive precipitation patterns over East Asia.
A new study by Princeton University researchers reveals that the North American monsoon is facing a dramatic reduction in precipitation, with significant implications for regional water resources and hazards. The study corrects for sea surface temperature biases and suggests that the region's famous thunderstorms may become less common.
A research project led by CityU aims to understand the relationship between the East Asian Winter Monsoon and blocking events, and how Arctic amplification may impact the region's climate. The study hopes to provide valuable insights for policymakers evaluating the risk of cold extremes in East Asia.
A recent paper revisits an idea proposed by Chinese meteorologist Duzheng Yeh in 1959 about abrupt seasonal changes in the general circulation. The study's authors successfully reproduce these transitions without lower-boundary inhomogeneities, sparking questions about their underlying causes.
Global warming is expected to impact subtropical anticyclones differently in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In the North, the subtropical anticyclone over the South Atlantic will weaken, while those over the North Pacific and South Pacific will strengthen.
A team of scientists flew a high-altitude research aircraft to altitudes up to 20 km above the Asian Monsoon, collecting data on air composition and its impact on global climate. The mission aims to better understand how the monsoon system responds to human emissions of pollutants and climate change.
Researchers found that North American monsoon storms are becoming more extreme, with heavier rain and stronger winds, while their frequency is decreasing. The study, led by the University of Arizona, used historical climate data to verify the findings.
The Sahel region could receive significantly more rainfall, potentially transforming from a dry to a wet area, as temperatures rise beyond the Paris Climate Agreement's limit. This sudden change poses a huge adaptation challenge for an already troubled region with over 100 million people affected.
A recent study reveals that the Asian summer monsoon significantly contributes to aerosol formation in the Northern Hemisphere's lower stratosphere, with a 15% annual contribution. The anticyclonic Asian monsoon serves as an efficient smokestack venting aerosols to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere.
Heavy rainfall in southeastern Bangladesh caused at least 156 deaths through landslides and floods. NASA's IMERG data analyzed by Goddard Space Flight Center shows extreme rainfall totals exceeding 510 mm.
The Afro-Asian summer monsoon is projected to intensify and shift northwards following the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) warm phase since the mid-1990s. Precipitation in the Huanghe-Huaihe River valley increased in the late 1990s, marking a significant change in the region's climate.
Heavy rainfall, over 434 mm, was measured over the Bay of Bengal to the northeast of Sri Lanka from May 23-26. The village of Bellana experienced a landslide killing 90 people and over 100 missing due to strong winds and rough seas.
Heavy rainfall was detected within a cluster of powerful storms east of Sri Lanka, with GPM's radar data showing storm tops reaching heights above 16 km. The analysis is important to understanding the economy of India and the amount and timing of monsoon rainfall.
Researchers have found a significant relationship between solar wind speed and North Atlantic Oscillation, suggesting a faster mechanism of solar influence on atmospheric systems. The team also developed a physical model to depict the interdecadal response of air-sea systems to solar activity.
Researchers found that the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation significantly modulates the Pacific SST-EAWM relationship, leading to warmer winters over East Asia when ENSO-like mode and AMO are in phase. The study suggests considering AMO phase in predicting EAWM-related climate based on ENSO variability.
A new study challenges the idea that changes in Earth's orbit triggered Sahara desertification. Human activities, such as pastoralism, are believed to have contributed to the region's ecological shift towards desert-like conditions. The findings highlight the importance of understanding human impact on environmental systems.
Researchers analyzed data from China's largest meteorological database and found a 50% decrease in hail storms, thunderstorms, and high wind events on average. The strength of the East Asian Summer Monsoon also decreased strongly correlated with severe weather.
Researchers found that the lake was six times larger and water levels were 60 meters higher than present during the early and middle Holocene period. The shifting monsoon likely altered the course of early human cultures in China, leading to changes in ecosystems and population dynamics.
A strong El Niño does not necessarily result in a higher predictability of extreme drought, according to researchers. However, combining low- and high-latitude precursors improves the forecast accuracy of the EU pattern, which favors anomalous northerly conditions over North China.
A recent study found that changing rainfall patterns are the key driver of changes in groundwater storage in India, rather than pumping. Groundwater withdrawals have increased tenfold since the 1950s, but variability in monsoons is the main factor driving changes in groundwater levels.
A recent review by Renguang Wu examines the relationship between Indian and East Asian summer monsoons, highlighting a weakening of historically strong correlations. The study focuses on two pathways connecting Indian summer monsoon anomalies to East Asian rainfall fluctuations.
Researchers detected high concentrations of ammonia in the upper troposphere over the Asian monsoon, suggesting a significant role in aerosol formation and potential cooling effect on the atmosphere. The findings provide new insights into the vertical distribution of atmospheric ammonia.
Researchers reconstructed the African dust plume over the last 23,000 years and observed a dramatic reduction in dust beginning around 11,000 years ago. This weakened plume may have allowed more sunlight to reach the ocean, increasing its temperature by 0.15 degrees Celsius, leading to an increase in monsoon rains over North Africa.
Research in southern China reveals a relationship between tropical cyclones and summer monsoons, impacting regional rainfall patterns. The study separates total rainfall into cyclone- and monsoon-induced components to better understand the variability of summer rainfall in the region.
Researchers studied SCSSM onset from 1997 to 2014, identifying normal, intermittent, and delayed onset types. Key factors in the normal onset type include positive SST gradients in the northern Indian Ocean and local SST warming in the SCS. The study found that zonal thermal contrast modulates monsoon onset in La Niña years.
A new study reveals the exact timing of the modern monsoon pattern in the Maldives 12.9 million years ago, linking it to past climate changes and coral reefs. The analysis of sediment cores provides direct physical evidence of environmental conditions that sparked the monsoon system still affecting the Indian subcontinent today.
A study by Tufts University researchers found that longer monsoon seasons and increased daily rainfall contribute to reduced tea yields in China. The new approach yields more accurate data on weather changes, enabling farmers to make informed decisions on harvesting strategies.
Research by the University of Tsukuba's Hiroaki Ueda and Youichi Kamae group reveals a connection between tropical seawater temperatures and changes in East Asian monsoon patterns. The study found that specific trends in tropical sea surface temperatures can explain recent changes in the region's summer rainfall.
A study analyzing fossil brachiopod shells from West Virginia and Ohio found minimal seasonal variation in temperature and rainfall during the latest Pennsylvanian (~300 million years ago). The findings may help resolve a paleoclimate debate about monsoonality and sea level, providing insights into ancient mega-continent climates.
A new study finds India's monsoonal rainfall is 12% below average due to El Niño and La Niña fluctuations. Asteroids cause fractures up to 25 kilometers below the moon's surface, according to a Geophysical Research Letters study. Scientists will use a community fleet of drones for Earth monitoring
Experts warn that the recent earthquake has created conditions ripe for a hepatitis E outbreak, which could be especially deadly to pregnant women. The researchers estimate that 500 pregnant women could die from the virus in the coming months if no action is taken.
The start of India's monsoon season was marked by increased rainfall in southern India, with data from NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission indicating above-average precipitation. Heavy showers dropped over 120 millimeters of rain in the week preceding June 8, 2015.
Scientists found that sediment size in Himalayan river is larger during summer monsoon, revealing relationship between landslides and erosion. The study suggests that coarse material may be lost en route to the ocean, raising questions about sediment origins.