Asian Monsoons Spreading Pollution Across Globe, Study Says

Industrial pollution associated with the surging Asian economy is drifting into the stratosphere during the region’s monsoon season, where it circulates around the planet for years, a new study finds. The powerful vertical patterns created by monsoons act as a pathway for black carbon, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and other pollutants that can drift 20 to 25 miles above the Earth’s surface and has the potential to affect the climate globally, according to the study led by the National Center for Atmosphere Research. “The monsoon is one of the most powerful atmospheric circulation systems on the planet, and it happens to form right over a heavily polluted region,” said William Randel, a NCAR scientist and lead author of the study published in the journal Science. “As a result, the monsoon provides a pathway for transporting pollutants up to the stratosphere.” The scientists say more research is necessary to determine the long-term effects on the Earth’s climate, including the extent to which the chemicals trap or block solar heat. It is known that sulfur in the Earth’s atmosphere can help create aerosols that affect the ozone layer. The scientists suggest the phenomenon could intensify with continued economic growth in China, India, and Indonesia.