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Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Rapid Arctic sea ice decline to increase rain events across south Asia: Study
New Delhi: A rapid and significant decline in Arctic sea ice will lead to an increase in intense precipitation events (IPEs) across south Asia, exposing people to disasters associated with extreme rain, a recent research paper published in IOP Science said. Climate scientists from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the ministry of earth sciences, and others investigated the tropical rainfall response to the declining Arctic sea ice using observations and climate model simulations. The Arctic sea ice decline has been accelerating with climate change, the research paper published on May 6 said. The paper suggested that intense rain events, like those recorded during the 2018 floods in Kerala or the 2013 floods in Uttarakhand, will increase in frequency. Both of these events were intense precipitation events. Rainfall events that exceed a threshold of 150 mm day−1 (in a grid point) are counted as extreme rainfall events. Scientists found an increase in IPEs, especially during the last two decades. Periods with higher IPEs are associated with a decline in June-July-August Arctic sea ice. The larger increase in IPEs in recent decades often co-occurs with larger Arctic sea ice loss, the paper said. Also Read: IITM launches joint research projects to revolutionise climate predictions using AI 'Observational evidence and idealised model experiments, in which the Arctic becomes seasonally ice free under greenhouse warming, reveal association between the Arctic sea-ice decline and intense precipitation events (IPEs) over South Asia,' the paper said. The enhanced Arctic sea ice melt increases mid-latitude waviness and intensifies the circumglobal teleconnection (CGT)-like pattern, while also strengthening the subtropical high over East Asia. This, together with a La Niña-like response in the Pacific, enhances mean summer monsoon rainfall over South Asia. 'The enhanced energy in the tropics and the anomalous mid-latitude intrusions due to the Arctic sea-ice melt provide a conducive environment for moisture convergence and intense summer monsoon precipitation events over South Asia. Our findings reveal that, in a future warming scenario, Arctic sea-ice melt is likely a contributing factor for the amplified mean and IPEs over the South Asian region,' it said. The June–July–August sea ice concentration in the Arctic is projected to decline under future warming scenarios. The intergovernmental panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report estimates that Arctic September sea ice may vanish by the mid-21st century. A sharp decline in the Arctic sea ice anomaly is evident in most emission scenarios, particularly from the mid-century onward. 'Given the observed link between Arctic sea-ice decline and South Asian IPEs, the potential impacts of projected sea-ice loss on IPEs were assessed changes in IPE intensity for various global warming levels, calculated relative to the 1850–1900 baseline,' the paper said. Also Read: No immediate relief in sight from climate crisis 'In summary, Arctic sea ice decline weakens the upper atmospheric circulation and alters energetics, providing a favourable environment for moisture convergence and intense monsoon precipitation. As Arctic warming accelerates under greenhouse gases (GHG), extreme precipitation events over South Asia are projected to increase,' the paper said. Percentage increase in the intensity of intense precipitation events is much higher over the South Asian region as compared to global IPE. 'For 1-degree warming level, global IPE intensity increases by about 7%, while IPE intensity over South Asian region increases by approximately 20%. Similarly higher increase in the IPEs over the South Asian region as compared to global can be seen with increasing warming level,' the paper said. Also Read:Climate crisis posing grave health, survival threats: Report HT reported on June 25 last year that India's summer monsoon is undergoing significant changes, influencing not just agriculture—for which the rains are a lifeblood—but also the length and intensity of the summer. Arctic sea ice reaches its minimum extent each September. September Arctic sea ice is now shrinking at a rate of 12.2% per decade compared to its average extent during the period from 1981 to 2010, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Your kitchen sink will smell fragrant and sparkle using one unusual ingredient
It's that time of year when we all want to get our homes looking and smelling fresh for summer. Many believe expensive, strong cleaning products are the way to do that, however a social media cleaner said she has found the perfect hack that will save you money this spring. Speaking on a video, Lily, whose name on TikTok is Clean with Lily, told viewers, that you don't need harsh chemicals to effectively clean your home, especially your kitchen sink . Instead Lily said you probably already have a product in your cupboard that will work just as well. Lily believes cinnamon, which costs less than £1 to buy, is able to get rid of unpleasant smells in your home. She said mixing cinnamon with a few other household items can make the perfect cleaning solution . The hack, which uses few ingredients, will leave your kitchen sink sparkling, reports the Express. Mix cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, adding in a few spritzes or drops of citric acid. Finally add some water. Place the solution into some ice cube moulds, popping them in the freezer to set. Once frozen, pop one cube into the kitchen sink plughole. Pour over boiling water so the cube dissolves. This will help get rid of bad smells - and can be used to clean the sink. Cinnamon can help clean due to its antibacterial content and its deodorising properties. It can help by neutralising bad and unwanted odours, and can even deter certain pests from your home, making it doubly effective. Its potent antibacterial and antifungal properties can also help kill or stop the growth of microbes, making it a natural disinfectant. When it comes to getting rid of unpleasant smells, cinnamon can help mask it with its aroma. According to science journals, something in cinnamon's antibacterial or antimicrobial properties make it an effective cleaning tool. IOP Science reported: "Cinnamon bark has been commonly used as spicy and traditional medicine. It contains several antibacterial compounds, such as flavonoids, saponins, and cinnamaldehyde. "Several studies have been done to know the antibacterial effect on bacteria such as Streptococcus in vitro." According to Lottomart, adding cinnamon to your hoover could help make your home smell fresh A sprinkling of cinnamon directly inside your hoover has two benefits: it spreads a sweet, fresh smell throughout the house every time you vac. It also has antibacterial properties, meaning nasty germs dwelling in your carpet will be killed off. A cleaning expert said: 'Before you splash out on pricey fresheners or replace parts, there's a simple, natural, and shockingly cheap solution hiding right in your spice cupboard: cinnamon! 'Cinnamon isn't just for cooking - it's a powerful, natural deodoriser with antibacterial properties."
