EGS XXVI General Assembly, Nice, France, March 2001

PC2. Monsoon variability and global climate changes:

Event Information

The vast majority of the Earth's incoming solar energy arrives at tropical and subtropical latitudes after which it distributes to the poles through the atmosphere and oceans. The EarthÆs elliptical orbit and inclination of its rotational axis force the incoming solar energy to a seasonal cycle, thereby driving the monsoonal circulation in the tropics. On geological time scales, the amount of solar radiation and seasonal distribution vary according to orbital cycles. These cycles are held responsible for a significant part of the low frequency variability in long monsoon-related climatic records. Well-dated climate records dealing with the monsoon variability at the annual, decadal, century and millennial time scales are of increasing importance because they may give solutions for a globally working mechanism linking/causing abrupt climate changes. Papers dealing with the intercomparison of climatic reconstruction from marine and terrestrial environments of different geographical regions within the monsoonal belt (thus between ~40N and 40S) are of particular interest. The most critical points to be addressed are (1) the phase relation between events that appear to be synchronous at first sight, (2) the relationship between monsoon variability and astronomical to seasonal cycles, (3) the role of El Nino and the Warm Pool, and (4) the significance for global climate changes.

Preliminary List of Solicited Speakers

Co-Sponsorship