Extreme air pollution in Asia affecting world's weather

Researchers including an Indian-origin have claimed that extreme air pollution in Asia is affecting the world’s weather and climate patterns.

Yuan Wang, a former doctoral student at Texas A and M, along with Texas A and M atmospheric sciences professors Renyi Zhang and R. Saravanan, used climate models and data collected about aerosols and meteorology over the past 30 years.

The researchers found that air pollution over Asia – much of it coming from China – is impacting global air circulations.

Zhang said that the pollution affects cloud formations, precipitation, storm intensity and other factors and eventually impacts climate, asserting that most likely, pollution from Asia can have important consequences on the weather pattern here over North America.

China’s booming economy during the last 30 years has led to the building of enormous manufacturing factories, industrial plants, power plants and other facilities that produce huge amounts of air pollutants.

Once emitted into the atmosphere, pollutant particles affect cloud formations and weather systems worldwide, the study shows.

Increases in coal burning and car emissions are major sources of pollution in China and other Asian countries

Zhang said that air pollution levels in some Chinese cities, like Beijing, are often more than 100 times higher than acceptable limits set by the World Health Organization standards.

The study has been published in the journal Nature Communications.