Mechanisms of hydrological responses to volcanic eruptions in the Asian monsoon and westerlies-dominated subregions

Explosive volcanic eruptions affect surface climate, especially in monsoon regions, but responses vary in different regions and to volcanic aerosol injection (VAI) in different hemispheres. Here, we use six ensemble members from the last-millennium experiment of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 to investigate the mechanisms of regional hydrological responses to different hemispheric VAIs in the Asian monsoon region (AMR). Northern hemispheric VAI (NHVAI) leads to an intensified aridity over the AMR after northern hemispheric VAI (NHVAI); spatially, a distinct inverse response pattern to the climatological conditions emerges, with an intensified aridity in the relatively wettest area (RWA) but a weakened aridity in the relatively driest area (RDA) of the AMR. Southern hemispheric VAI (SHVAI) shows a weakened aridity over the AMR, but the spatial response pattern is not that clear due to small aerosol magnitude. The mechanism of the hydrological impact relates to the indirect change of atmospheric circulation due to the direct radiative effect of volcanic aerosols. The decreased thermal contrast between the land and the ocean after NHVAI results in a weakened East Asian summer monsoon and South Asian summer monsoon. This changes the moisture transport and cloud formation in the monsoon and westerlies-dominated subregions. The subsequent radiative effect and physical feedbacks of local clouds lead to different hydrological effects in different areas. Results here indicate that future volcanic eruptions may temporarily alleviate the uneven distribution of precipitation in the AMR, which should be considered in the near-term climate predictions and future strategies of local adaptation to global warming. The local hydrological responses and mechanisms found here can also provide a reference for stratospheric aerosol engineering.

Automated summary

Explosive volcanic eruptions have a significant impact on surface climate, especially in monsoon regions. The hydrological responses to volcanic aerosol injection differ in different regions and hemispheres. This study investigates the mechanisms of regional hydrological responses to volcanic aerosol injection in the Asian monsoon region using climate models, and finds that both northern and southern hemisphere injections lead to changes in aridity in the region.