Impacts of absorbing aerosols on interannual and intraseasonal variability of the South Asian monsoon

Abstract:

Aerosol-monsoon interactions on the interannual and intraseasonal variability of the South Asian monsoon are investigated from observations and modeling. On interannual time scales, we found from observations, and confirm with coupled ocean-atmosphere climate modeling, that absorbing aerosols (mainly desert dust and BC), can significantly amplifying the ENSO impact on the Indian monsoon, through precipitation and circulation feedback induced by the EHP effect. On intraseasonal time scales, modeling studies with the high-resolution WRF regional climate model demonstrated that EHP combined with the semi-direct and microphysics effects, associated with enhanced desert dust transported from the Middle East deserts across the Arabian Sea to the Indian subcontinent, may alter the moisture transport pathways, suppress the development of monsoon depression over northeastern India, resulting in development of intense convective cells, and extreme heavy rain along the Himalayan foothills in central and northwestern India. The implications of these feedback processes on climate change in the South Asian monsoon region will be discussed.