Pollution has weakened Asian monsoon: Study

Hyderabad: According to a recent study published in the Geophysical Research Letters that shows how air pollution in the Asian region has been altering weather patterns, the presence of aerosols due to air pollution has weakened the monsoon.

The study, which was conducted using geological models and weather patterns, has found the that the monsoon to have weakened over the last 80 years and has predicted further damage if air pollution is not brought in check.

Anthropogenic aeros-ols include haze, particulate matter, air pollutants, and smoke. Nat-ural aerosols include fog, dust, geyser steam and forest exudates.

A senior environment expert in the Telangana state Pollution Control Board on condition of anonymity explained, “Natural aerosols aid in the formation of clouds and have been found to be good for the rain. Anthropogenic aerosols, on the other hand, have been found to cause black rain. Recent models show that the increasing concentration of anthropogenic aerosols in the air has been leading to disturbances in weather patterns, thereby causing thunderstorms and other sudden weather changes.”

Scientists who have been testing various models have found the Asian continent to be one of the most affected in terms of weather patterns, which plays a major role in the food security and agriculture in its countries.

With air pollution rising in the Asian region, its current impact on rainfall levels shows that we will see a further decline. A reconstruction or reconstru-cted model of weather patterns has shown precipitation to be decreasing. This decrease is being treated as a benchmark in the 448-year model taken up by the researchers involved in the study.

A senior officer of the Indian Meteorological Department in Hyderabad explained, “While aerosols indeed play a significant role in climate change, other factors like our declining forest cover and the increased pollution on land are also factors that accelerate the process. The phenomenon is multi-faceted and changes at the atmospheric level. However, the decline in rainfall has been duly noted, and that is why it has become very important to bring the city within safe air pollution levels.”