In the past millennium, one of the wettest regions on Earth experienced decades-long droughts. The Indian region of Meghalaya receives an average of eleven meters of rain per year, which is twenty times the amount of rainfall in Vienna. The majority of this rain comes from the Indian summer monsoon, which is fed by moist air from the Indian Ocean and then rains down on the Himalayan Mountains. Without the summer monsoon, India would face famine and political upheaval. However, a recent study by the University of Innsbruck reveals that the Indian summer monsoon is more variable than previously thought.
Using historical weather data and the examination of stalagmites in the Mawmluh Cave, researchers from the Institute of Geology at the University of Innsbruck and the Xi’an Jiaotong University in China were able to reconstruct the paleoclimate of the Meghalaya region. They found that there were megadroughts that lasted for several decades, which coincided with recorded famines. The researchers were also able to examine weather records from 1871, which showed that the monsoon was relatively stable during that time. However, historical documents indicate that there were famines in Meghalaya before 1871 due to the absence of the monsoon.
The study’s findings suggest that the Indian summer monsoon is more variable than previously thought, and that there have been periods of megadroughts in the past that have led to famine. The researchers hope that their findings will help improve our understanding of the monsoon’s variability and its impact on the region’s agriculture and economy.
