High-resolution simulation of the Asian Monsoon for the mid-Holocene

Abstract

The change in the Asian monsoon during the mid-Holocene, 6000 years before present (6ka), is simulated by a high-resolution climate model at spectral truncations of T170, corresponding to grid cell sizes of roughly 75 km. The simulation was forced with observed temperatures and orbital forcing parameters for 6ka. With the 6ka conditions, the precipitation associated with the summer monsoon is enhanced over wider zonal band from the middle-east to southeast Asia, while in winter precipitation increases especially over India (Fig. 1). The monsoonal wind also increases over the Arabian Sea showing the enhanced southwest wind during the summer and the north east wind during the winter (Fig. 1). Overall, the high-resolution simulation captures detailed features of the Asian monsoon and it strength is enhanced during the mid-Holocene, consistent with other previous model simulations.