Anthropogenic sulfate aerosol pollution in South and East Asia induces increased summer precipitation over arid Central Asia.

ABSTRACT: Precipitation has increased across the arid Central Asia region over recent decades. However, the underlying mechanisms of this trend are poorly understood. Here, we analyze multi-model simulations from the Precipitation Driver and Response Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP) to investigate potential drivers of the observed precipitation trend. We find that anthropogenic sulfate aerosols over remote polluted regions in South and East Asia lead to increased summer precipitation, especially convective and extreme precipitation, in arid Central Asia. Elevated concentrations of sulfate aerosols over remote polluted Asia cause an equatorward shift of the Asian Westerly Jet Stream through a fast response to cooling of the local atmosphere at mid-latitudes. This shift favours moisture supply f

SUBMITTER: Xie X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9792934 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature