The Aerosol-Monsoon Climate System of Asia： A New Paradigm

• Published in: Acta meteorologica Sinica Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Author: Lau, William K. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing The Chinese Meteorological Society 01.02.2016; Earth Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
• Subjects: Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Atmospheric Sciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geophysics and Environmental Physics; Meteorology; 亚洲; 北京师范大学; 大气动力学; 季风区; 气候系统; 气溶胶; 相互作用; 自然气候; Asia; China, People's Rep., Beijing; monsoon climate system; interaction; new paradigm; aerosol
• ISSN: 2095-6037; 0894-0525; 2198-0934; 2191-4788
• DOI: 10.1007/s13351-015-5999-1

This commentary is based on a series of recent lectures on aerosol-monsoon interactions I gave at the Beijing Normal University in August 2015. A main theme of the lectures is on a new paradigm of ＂An Aerosol-Monsoon-Climate-System＂, which posits that aerosol, like rainfall, cloud, and wind, is an integral component of the monsoon climate system, influencing monsoon weather and climate on M1 timescales. Here, salient issues discussed in my lectures and my personal perspective regarding interactions between atmospheric dynamics and aerosols from both natural and anthropogenic sources are summarized. My hope is that under this new paradigm, we can break down traditional disciplinary barriers, advance a deeper understanding of weather and climate in monsoon regions, as well as entrain a new generation of geoscientists to strive for a sustainable future for one of the most complex and challenging human-natural climate sub-system of the earth.