NEW DELHI: While the health and economic impact of air pollution has been well documented over the last decade, a new research has thrown light on its possible repercussions on monsoon too.
An increase in anthropogenic aerosols could lead to a reduction in the mean monsoon rainfall by as much as 10% to 15% in the coming years.
According to a recent report, “Anthropogenic Aerosols and the Weakening of the South Asian Summer Monsoon”, monsoon rains are brought by large-scale wind patterns that transport heat between the northern and southern hemispheres.
As winds head northwards over the Indian Ocean during the northern hemisphere’s summer, they pick up moisture, which falls as rain over south and southeast Asia.