{
  "id": 3051027,
  "title": "Climate scientists solve monsoon puzzle and warn of risks to fisheries",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/climate-scientists-solve-monsoon-puzzle-and-warn-of-risks-to-fisheries",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-24T15:20:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-climate-scientists-monsoon-puzzle-fisheries.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists have unraveled a longstanding puzzle surrounding the South Asian summer monsoon, an essential climate system that significantly impacts the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Sea. A new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals why geological records from land and sea have presented conflicting narratives about monsoons throughout history.\n\nThe research, conducted by a global team of scientists including experts from the University of Sussex, Nanjing University, and Ohio State University, has discovered that rising temperatures in Southern Africa are weakening marine upwelling in the Arabian Sea. This development could potentially threaten marine productivity and fisheries, causing serious risks to local livelihoods and fisheries.\n\nThe study reveals that monsoon rainfall over South Asia is primarily regulated by Northern Hemisphere insolation, while Arabian Sea upwelling is influenced by Southern Hemisphere insolation through warming over Southern Africa. This discovery not only resolves a major paleoclimate mystery but also highlights a modern-day risk, as increasing temperatures outside South Asia could alter the monsoon system, posing threats to fisheries and livelihoods.\n\nProfessor Felix Creutzig, co-author of the study and Bennett Chair at the University of Sussex, emphasizes that the monsoon is not a purely regional system but is instead coupled across hemispheres. Consequently, climate risks and climate interventions must be evaluated with a broader geographical perspective. The researchers combined proxy records from caves and marine sediments with climate simulations covering the past 150,000 years, demonstrating that the monsoon's pattern is influenced differently by solar insolation in both hemispheres, resulting in complex dynamics.\n\nUnderstanding these mechanisms in historical climates is crucial for future climate risk assessments. As Southern Africa warms faster than the global average, the effects on the South Asian monsoon and Arabian Sea upwelling may become increasingly significant. The research underscores the importance of considering the global implications of climate change when assessing the risks to the monsoon system and marine ecosystems.",
  "summary": "A new study has reconciled a long-standing paradox in the South Asian summer monsoon cycle. Climate scientists have discovered why geological records from land and sea have told opposite stories about monsoons throughout history and found that rising temperatures over Southern Africa reduce upwelling in the Arabian Sea, which could damage marine productivity and fisheries. The work is published…",
  "key_points": [
    "Scientists solved monsoon puzzle, revealing climate system impact",
    "Rising Southern Africa temperatures weaken Arabian Sea upwelling",
    "Monsoon regulation shifts from Northern to Southern Hemisphere insolation"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}