El Nino, volcanism, and global climate
- Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States)
The June 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines produced one of the greatest volcanic aerosols in the last hundred years. The estimated net decrease of radiation may have peaked at 10% in the tropics. What was the impact of the Pinatubo aerosol on regional and global climate Besides the expected net cooling of the average global surface temperature, correlation studies indicate that other types of climate anomalies may also be expected. These include the appearance of an El Nino event, decreased Indian monsoon rainfall, fewer tropical storms in the north Atlantic Ocean in 1991-1993, and normal to above normal winter rainfall in California in 1991/92, all of which were observed. A proposed physical mechanism for the almost-simultaneous occurrence of this constellation of climate anomalies is presented. The results of correlation studies between low-latitude volcanic aerosols and the El Nino/Southern Oscillation are presented in some detail as one example. The correlation between Indian monsoon rainfall and tropical storms in the north Atlantic Ocean is also shown and is updated for the most recent 5 years.
- OSTI ID:
- 7035372
- Journal Information:
- Human Ecology; (United States), Vol. 22:1; ISSN 0300-7839
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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