How do monsoons really

Now a research paper has come up with an intriguing explanatory concept: atmospheric memory. The study was conducted by two scientists -- Anja Katzenberger & Anders Levermann -- from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Titled ‘Monsoon Hysteresis reveals Atmospheric Memory’, it was published recently in the scientific journal PNAS.

The study showed, for the first time, that the atmosphere can store moisture over extended periods, creating a physical memory effect.  In other words, the atmosphere can ‘remember’ its previous state by storing physical information in the form of water vapour.” The paper also talks about how there is a tipping point in the system that determines monsoon rainfall.

So, how does this discovery change our understanding of how

Guest: Anders Levermann, Professor of

Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.