Aerosol forcing of the position of the intertropical convergence zone since ad 1550
- Submitting institution
-
Teesside University
- Unit of assessment
- 12 - Engineering
- Output identifier
- 10037753
- Type
- D - Journal article
- DOI
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10.1038/ngeo2353
- Title of journal
- Nature Geoscience
- Article number
- -
- First page
- 195
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 3
- ISSN
- 1752-0894
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month of publication
- -
- Year of publication
- 2015
- URL
-
-
- Supplementary information
-
-
- Request cross-referral to
- 14 - Geography and Environmental Studies
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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17
- Research group(s)
-
-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- The ITCZ (rainfall belt) brings critical rainfall to the tropics. Instrumental records suggest drying of the tropics under global warming. This study produced a precisely-dated, monthly-scale stalagmite record of ITCZ-driven rainfall from Central America spanning several centuries which allowed for the first test of aerosol forcing as a mechanism for tropical drying. Dry episodes in the record were significantly correlated with northern hemisphere sulphate aerosol loading (volcanic and industrial). The study revealed the sensitivity of the ITCZ to both human and natural forcing and identified post WWII industrial activity as the likely cause of the 1980s Sahel drought and famine.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -