Australia is apparently tied to the far away Indian ocean than had been imagined so far. Irregular warming and cooling cycle in that part of the world could have caused the current prolonged drought .
Australia is apparently tied to the far away Indian ocean than had been imagined so far. Irregular warming and cooling cycle in that part of the world could have caused the current prolonged drought in the south east of the country.
A team of Australian scientists, led by Dr Caroline Ummenhofer and Professor Matthew England of the Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, has detailed for the first time how a phenomenon known as the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) – a variable and irregular cycle of warming and cooling of ocean water – dictates whether moisture-bearing winds are carried across the southern half of Australia.
Australia Reeling Under Severe Heat Wave, Normal Life Breaks Down
Normal life has been thrown off gear in Australia as the country reels under severe heat wave, temperatures reaching record high.
Normal life has been thrown off gear in Australia as the country reels under severe heat wave, temperatures reaching record high.
It also reveals the causes of other iconic extreme droughts in recorded history, notably the World War II Drought from 1937 to 1945 and the Federation Drought from 1895 to 1902, and challenges the accepted understanding of the key drivers of Australia's climate.
The findings will be published in the journal Geophysical Review Letters. The team included researchers from CSIRO Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research and the University of Tasmania.
"We have shown that the state of the Indian Ocean is highly important for rainfall and droughts in south-east Australia. More than the variability associated with the El Nino/La Nina cycle in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean Dipole is the key factor for driving major south-east Australian droughts over the past 120 years," says Dr Ummenhofer
"During this latest drought – the so-called 'Big Dry' - recent higher air temperatures across south-eastern Australia have exacerbated the problem.
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Lower Surface Temperatures Predicted in 2008 Due to La Nina Effect
UN meteorologists have determined that global temperatures this year will be lower than in 2007 due to the cooling effect of the La Nina current in the Pacific.
UN meteorologists have determined that global temperatures this year will be lower than in 2007 due to the cooling effect of the La Nina current in the Pacific.
Source-Medindia
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