Regional impacts of solar radiation modification on surface temperature and precipitation in Mainland Southeast Asia and the adjacent oceans

Abstract

Abstract Solar radiation modification (SRM) has been proposed to temporarily reduce anthropogenic warming. This study presents an assessment of the regional impacts of SRM via solar dimming and stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) on temperature and precipitation over 0°–30° N and 90° E–110° E, covering Mainland Southeast Asia and adjacent oceans. Using data from the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (GeoMIP6), we examine regional impacts of SRM using three SRM experiments: (1) G6Sulfur, which reduces radiative forcing from the high-emission SSP5–8.5 scenario to the moderate-emission SSP2–4.5 scenario by injecting sulfate aerosols; (2) G6Solar, which similarly reduces radiative forcing from the high-emission to moderate-emission scenarios but by uniformly reducing the solar constant; and (3) G1ext, which reduces radiative forcing from a quadrupled carbon dioxide concentration to pre-industrial levels by uniform solar constant reduction. Our findings show that higher greenhouse gas emissions increase overall precipitation, along with tendencies to have extreme rainfall events and more dry episodes in between. While SRM can partially cool down the surface temperature warming caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions, its effects on precipitation are complex: Solar dimming in G6Solar and G1ext tends to reduce overall precipitation, and tropical sulfate injection in G6Sulfur could lead to further drying in the tropics because of the stratospheric warming associated with the injected aerosols. Different SRM strategies might result in different responses on precipitation.

Keywords

• Solar radiation modification
• Precipitation
• Mainland Southeast Asia