Monsoons What Is a Monsoon? Term Paper

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They then separated the core, according to Science News, into 2-mm layers. Those 2-mm layers were carbon-dated (a very accurate way of telling how long a substance has been in the ground) and carefully examined for G. bulloides.

As a result of this research, the team was able to check the intensity of monsoons for as far back as 1,000 years. And what did they discover regarding monsoons over the past one thousand years? There was a "low in monsoon wind intensity" around the year 1,600, the article reports, but since then there has been "a steady increase." And moreover, the abundance of G. bulloides shows the scientists that there has been "a more marked increase in monsoon during the past 100 years.

Researchers attribute the rise in wind intensity from monsoons over the past 100 years to global warming. The reason scientists involved with this research feel sure that global warming is causing the more intense monsoon winds because in Asia, global warming may create "a greater summertime disparity between land and ocean temperatures," according to Anderson. As a result of this contrast in temperatures, monsoon intensity logically will rise. "This study provides additional evidence of anthropogenic climate change," said Meehi. But this is not all bad news, since higher intensity of monsoon winds "might mean fewer crop failures" in Asia. But along with that possible positive note, the increased intensity of monsoons (wind and rain) could also cause flooding and erosion that could negatively affect the livelihood "of millions."

Another interesting side note of monsoons in Asia - published in the New Scientist magazine - occurred in August 2007, as political leaders in Nepal blamed India for floods in Nepal's low-lying region called Terai. This low-lying area was under water following intense monsoon rains, because, according to the Nepalese foreign ministry, India has built dams along the border with Nepal.

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Those dams cause the water to back up dramatically when heavy rains fall, and some of the dams are not legal, according to the story in New Scientist. The rivers that are dammed up are tributaries of the main Indian River, Ganges, which has as its source the Himalayas.

Now, political leaders in Nepal are demanding that India demolish the dams, but politicians in India say that Nepal "...should instead build its own dams high in the Himalayan valleys to hold back heavy monsoon flows." Millions have been left homeless in Nepal, India, and in Bangladesh, the article explains. There is an argument going on between the two nations as to whether or not Global Warming is the cause of the heavy rains. This article doesn't say for certain as to whether the heavier rains from monsoons are due to Global Warming, but they do say in the article "in general, global warming is adding to river flows by melting the glaciers of the Himalayas."

Conclusion: If monsoons are becoming more intense and causing more flooding and wind damage than previous monsoons, and scientists believe that this growing strength of monsoons is caused by climate change, then the world's political leaders should come together and agree on possible solutions. This includes the United States, which some scientists say puts more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than any other nation, although China is a close second. Many scientists believe massive hurricanes like Katrina are also caused by global warming, although that subject is being debated and there are those who don't accept that judgment. So, in conclusion, while it is important to understand monsoons and hurricanes, it is also important for scientists to study why these storms are growing stronger and causing more damage to people and property.

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