Increased Asian Sulfate Aerosol Emissions Remarkably Enhance Sahel Summer Precipitation

Abstract Observational evidence shows that Sahel summer precipitation has experienced a considerable increase since the 1980s, coinciding with significant diverging trends of increased sulfate emissions in Asia and decreased emissions in Europe (dipole pattern of aerosols between Asia and Europe). T...

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Main Authors: Jianing Guo, Xiaoning Xie, Gunnar Myhre, Drew Shindell, Alf Kirkevåg, Trond Iversen, Bjørn H. Samset, Zhengguo Shi, Xinzhou Li, Hui Sun, Xiaodong Liu, Yangang Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-11-01
Series:Earth's Future
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EF004745
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author Jianing Guo
Xiaoning Xie
Gunnar Myhre
Drew Shindell
Alf Kirkevåg
Trond Iversen
Bjørn H. Samset
Zhengguo Shi
Xinzhou Li
Hui Sun
Xiaodong Liu
Yangang Liu
author_facet Jianing Guo
Xiaoning Xie
Gunnar Myhre
Drew Shindell
Alf Kirkevåg
Trond Iversen
Bjørn H. Samset
Zhengguo Shi
Xinzhou Li
Hui Sun
Xiaodong Liu
Yangang Liu
author_sort Jianing Guo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Observational evidence shows that Sahel summer precipitation has experienced a considerable increase since the 1980s, coinciding with significant diverging trends of increased sulfate emissions in Asia and decreased emissions in Europe (dipole pattern of aerosols between Asia and Europe). The decrease in European sulfate aerosols has substantial effects on the Sahel summer precipitation increase, but the corresponding effect of increased Asian sulfate is unknown. Multi‐model simulations in the Precipitation Driver and Response Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP) show, compared to decreased European aerosols, that increased Asian aerosols similarly enhance the Sahel summer precipitation but with different large‐scale atmospheric circulation changes. Further analysis of the Sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) simulations under historical attribution and various emission scenarios reinforces the results about the climate impacts of anthropogenic aerosols and suggests that in future scenarios with strong international cooperation and rapid climate mitigations (SSP2‐45), the Sahel drought will be intensified likely due to the decline in Asian aerosol emissions. Our results suggest that Asian anthropogenic aerosols are likely a non‐negligible driver of the recent recovery in Sahel precipitation amounts.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2328-4277
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Wiley
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series Earth's Future
spelling doaj-art-c61098232b2940018c7b82ac20576c6d2025-08-20T01:59:22ZengWileyEarth's Future2328-42772024-11-011211n/an/a10.1029/2024EF004745Increased Asian Sulfate Aerosol Emissions Remarkably Enhance Sahel Summer PrecipitationJianing Guo0Xiaoning Xie1Gunnar Myhre2Drew Shindell3Alf Kirkevåg4Trond Iversen5Bjørn H. Samset6Zhengguo Shi7Xinzhou Li8Hui Sun9Xiaodong Liu10Yangang Liu11SKLLQG Institute of Earth Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an ChinaSKLLQG Institute of Earth Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an ChinaCICERO ‐ Center for International Climate Research Oslo NorwayNicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham NC USANorwegian Meteorological Institute Oslo NorwayNorwegian Meteorological Institute Oslo NorwayCICERO ‐ Center for International Climate Research Oslo NorwaySKLLQG Institute of Earth Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an ChinaSKLLQG Institute of Earth Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an ChinaSKLLQG Institute of Earth Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an ChinaSKLLQG Institute of Earth Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an ChinaEnvironmental and Climate Sciences Department Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton NY USAAbstract Observational evidence shows that Sahel summer precipitation has experienced a considerable increase since the 1980s, coinciding with significant diverging trends of increased sulfate emissions in Asia and decreased emissions in Europe (dipole pattern of aerosols between Asia and Europe). The decrease in European sulfate aerosols has substantial effects on the Sahel summer precipitation increase, but the corresponding effect of increased Asian sulfate is unknown. Multi‐model simulations in the Precipitation Driver and Response Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP) show, compared to decreased European aerosols, that increased Asian aerosols similarly enhance the Sahel summer precipitation but with different large‐scale atmospheric circulation changes. Further analysis of the Sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) simulations under historical attribution and various emission scenarios reinforces the results about the climate impacts of anthropogenic aerosols and suggests that in future scenarios with strong international cooperation and rapid climate mitigations (SSP2‐45), the Sahel drought will be intensified likely due to the decline in Asian aerosol emissions. Our results suggest that Asian anthropogenic aerosols are likely a non‐negligible driver of the recent recovery in Sahel precipitation amounts.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EF004745
spellingShingle Jianing Guo
Xiaoning Xie
Gunnar Myhre
Drew Shindell
Alf Kirkevåg
Trond Iversen
Bjørn H. Samset
Zhengguo Shi
Xinzhou Li
Hui Sun
Xiaodong Liu
Yangang Liu
Increased Asian Sulfate Aerosol Emissions Remarkably Enhance Sahel Summer Precipitation
Earth's Future
title Increased Asian Sulfate Aerosol Emissions Remarkably Enhance Sahel Summer Precipitation
title_full Increased Asian Sulfate Aerosol Emissions Remarkably Enhance Sahel Summer Precipitation
title_fullStr Increased Asian Sulfate Aerosol Emissions Remarkably Enhance Sahel Summer Precipitation
title_full_unstemmed Increased Asian Sulfate Aerosol Emissions Remarkably Enhance Sahel Summer Precipitation
title_short Increased Asian Sulfate Aerosol Emissions Remarkably Enhance Sahel Summer Precipitation
title_sort increased asian sulfate aerosol emissions remarkably enhance sahel summer precipitation
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EF004745
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