Increased Asian aerosols drive a slowdown of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

Fukai Liu (), Xun Li, Yiyong Luo (), Wenju Cai, Jian Lu, Xiao-Tong Zheng, Sarah M. Kang, Hai Wang and Lei Zhou
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Fukai Liu: Ocean University of China
Xun Li: Ocean University of China
Yiyong Luo: Ocean University of China
Wenju Cai: Ocean University of China
Jian Lu: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Xiao-Tong Zheng: Ocean University of China
Sarah M. Kang: Max Planck Institute for Meteorology
Hai Wang: Ocean University of China
Lei Zhou: Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Observational evidence and climate model experiments suggest a slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) since the mid-1990s. Increased greenhouse gases and the declined anthropogenic aerosols (AAs) over North America and Europe are believed to contribute to the AMOC slowdown. Asian AAs continue to increase but the associated impact has been unclear. Using ensembles of climate simulations, here we show that the radiative cooling resulting from increased Asian AAs drives an AMOC reduction. The increased AAs over Asia generate circumglobal stationary Rossby waves in the northern midlatitudes, which shift the westerly jet stream southward and weaken the subpolar North Atlantic westerlies. Consequently, reduced transport of cold air from North America hinders water mass transformation in the Labrador Sea and thus contributes to the AMOC slowdown. The link between increased Asian AAs and an AMOC slowdown is supported by different models with different configurations. Thus, reducing emissions of Asian AAs will not only lower local air pollution, but also help stabilize the AMOC.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44597-x

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