Abstract
General-circulation-model simulations used to estimate the sensitivity of the Indian monsoon to changes in orbital parameters, the orography of Tibet—Himalaya, atmospheric C02 concentration and the extent of glacial-age surface boundary conditions show that increased elevations and increased summer solar radiation are most effective in strengthening the monsoon. Strong monsoons (similar to today's) can be induced by strong solar forcing only when the elevation is at least half that of today. These conditions may have been attained in the late Miocene.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hastenrath, S. Climate and the Circulation of the Tropics (Reidel, Boston, 1985).
Fein, J. S. & Stephens, P. L. (eds) Monsoons (Wiley, New York, 1987).
Kutzbach, J. E. & Guetter, P. J. J. atmos. Sci. 43, 1726–1759 (1986).
Prell, W. L. & Kutzbach, J. E. J. geophys. Res. 82, 8411–8425 (1987).
Kutzbach, J. E., Guetter, P. J., Ruddiman, W. F. & Prell, W. L. J. geophys. Res. 94, 18393–18407 (1989).
Kutzbach, J. E., Guetter, P. J., Behling, P. J. & Selin, R. in Global Climates for 9000 and 6000 Years Ago in the Perspective of Glacial/Interglacial Climatic Change (eds Wright, H. E., Kutzbach, J. E., Ruddiman, W. F., Street-Perrott, F. A. & Webb, T. Ill) (Univ. of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, in the press).
Oglesby, R. J. & Saltzman, B. Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 1089–1092 (1990).
Oglesby, R. J. & Saltzman, B. J. Clim. 5, 66–92 (1992).
Pitcher, E. J. et al. J. atmos. Sci. 40, 580–604 (1983).
Randel, W. J. & Williamson, D. L. J. Clim. 3, 608–633 (1990).
Covey, C. & Thompson, S. L. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 75, 331–341 (1989).
Prell, W. L. in Climatic Processes and Climate Sensitivity, Geophys. Monogr. Ser. 29 (eds Hansen, J. E. & Takahashi, T.) 48–57 (Am. geophys. Un., Washington DC, 1984).
Prell, W. L. in Milankovitch and Climate, Part 1 (eds Berger, A., Imbrie, J., Hays, J., Kukla, G. & Saltzman, B.) 349–366 (Reidel, Hingham, Massachusetts, 1984).
Clemens, S., Prell, W., Murray, D., Shimmield, G. & Weedon, G. Nature 353, 720–725 (1991).
COHMAP Members Science 241, 1043–1052 (1988).
CLIMAP Project Members Science 191, 1131–1137 (1976).
CLIMAP Project Members Geol. Soc. Am. Map and Chart Series No. 36, (1981).
Manabe, S. & Broccoli, A. J. J. geophys. Res. 90, 2167–2190 (1985).
Barnett, T. P., Dumenil, L., Schlese, U., Roeckner, E. & Latif, M. J. atmos. Sci. 46, 661–685 (1989).
Street-Perrott, F. A. & Harrison, S. P. in Climate Processes and Climate Sensitivity, Geophys. Monogr. Ser. 29 (eds Hansen, J. E. & Takahashi, T.) 118–129 (Am. geophys. Un., Washington DC, 1984).
van Campo, E., Duplessy, J. C. & Rossignol-Strick, M. Nature 296, 56–59 (1982).
Prell, W. L. & van Campo, E. Nature 323, 526–528 (1986).
Anderson, D. M. thesis, Brown Univ. (1990).
Clemens, S. C. & Prell, W. L. Paleoceanography 5, 109–145 (1990).
Ruddiman, W. F., Prell, W. L. & Raymo, M. E. J. geophys. Res. 94, 18379–18391 (1989).
Manabe, S. & Broccoli, A. J. Science 247, 192–195 (1990).
Ruddiman, W. F. & Kutzbach, J. E. J. geophys. Res. 94, 18409–18427 (1989).
Kutzbach, J. E., Prell, W. L. & Ruddiman, W. F. J. Geol. (in the press).
Arthur, M. A. in Advisory Panel Report on Earth System History 51–74 (NSF, Division of Ocean Studies, 1991).
Berger, A. L. Quat. Res. 9, 139–167 (1978).
Berger, A. & Loutre, M. F. Quat Sci. Rev. 10, 297–317 (1991).
Prentice, M. L. & Matthews, R. K. J. geophys. Res. 96, 6811–6827 (1991).
Molnar, P. & England, P. Nature 346, 29–34 (1990).
Raymo, M. & Molnar, P. in AGU 1991 Fall Mtg Prog. Abstr., Eos 257 Suppl. (Am. Geophys. Un., Washington DC, 1991).
Harrison, T. M., Copeland, P., Kidd, W. S. F. & An Yin. Science 255, 1663–1670 (1992).
Quade, J., Cerling, T. E. & Bowman, J. R. Nature 342, 163–166 (1989).
Raymo, M. E. & Ruddiman, W. F. Nature 359, 117–122 (1992)
Prell, W. L., Murray, D. W., Clemens, S. C. & Anderson, D. M. in The Indian Ocean: A Synthesis of Results from the Ocean Drilling Program Geophys. Monogr. 70 (eds Duncan, R. A., Rea, D. K., Kidd, R. B., von Rad, V. & Weissel, J. K.) (Am. geophys. Un., Washington DC, in the press).
Kroon, D., Steens, T. & Troelstra, S. R. in Proc. ODP Scient. Res. 117 (eds Prell, W. L. et al.) 257–263 (Ocean Drilling Project, College Station, Texas, 1991).
Nigrini, C. in Proc. ODP Scient. Res. 117 (eds Prell, W. L. et al.) 89–126 (Ocean Drilling Program, College Station, Texas, 1991).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prell, W., Kutzbach, J. Sensitivity of the Indian monsoon to forcing parameters and implications for its evolution. Nature 360, 647–652 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/360647a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/360647a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
