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Drying in the low-latitude Atlantic Ocean contributed to terrestrial water storage depletion across Eurasia

Author

Listed:
  • Zexi Shen

    (Beijing Normal University
    Beijing Normal University)

  • Qiang Zhang

    (Beijing Normal University
    Beijing Normal University)

  • Vijay P. Singh

    (Texas A&M University
    UAE University)

  • Yadu Pokhrel

    (Michigan State University)

  • Jianping Li

    (Ocean University of China
    Pilot Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology)

  • Chong-Yu Xu

    (University of Oslo)

  • Wenhuan Wu

    (Beijing Normal University
    Beijing Normal University)

Abstract

Eurasia, home to ~70% of global population, is characterized by (semi-)arid climate. Water scarcity in the mid-latitude Eurasia (MLE) has been exacerbated by a consistent decline in terrestrial water storage (TWS), attributed primarily to human activities. However, the atmospheric mechanisms behind such TWS decline remain unclear. Here, we investigate teleconnections between drying in low-latitude North Atlantic Ocean (LNATO) and TWS depletions across MLE. We elucidate mechanistic linkages and detecte high correlations between decreased TWS in MLE and the decreased precipitation-minus-evapotranspiration (PME) in LNATO. TWS in MLE declines by ~257% during 2003-2017 due to northeastward propagation of PME deficit following two distinct seasonal landfalling routes during January-May and June-January. The same mechanism reduces TWS during 2031-2050 by ~107% and ~447% under scenarios SSP245 and SSP585, respectively. Our findings highlight the risk of increased future water scarcity across MLE caused by large-scale climatic drivers, compounding the impacts of human activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Zexi Shen & Qiang Zhang & Vijay P. Singh & Yadu Pokhrel & Jianping Li & Chong-Yu Xu & Wenhuan Wu, 2022. "Drying in the low-latitude Atlantic Ocean contributed to terrestrial water storage depletion across Eurasia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-29544-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29544-6
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