Team led by professor In Soo-Il at DGIST develops eco-friendly high-efficiency photocatalysts that convert atmospheric CO2 into fuel

Peer-Reviewed Publication

DGIST (DAEGU GYEONGBUK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

 

IMAGE: DGIST view more 

CREDIT: DGIST

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The team led by Professor In Soo-Il in the Department of Energy Engineering at DGIST has developed a high-efficiency photocatalyst capable of converting carbon dioxide (CO2), a major contributor to global warming, into the energy resource methane. The research team optimized the composition of nanoparticle co-catalysts and ruthenium doping to maximize the optical and electrical properties of the photocatalyst. Simultaneously, they improved the methane conversion efficiency by enhancing CO2 adsorption through hydroxy surface treatment. The research team expects this technology to be applicable to carbon capture and utilization, making it possible to control the steadily increasing concentration of atmospheric CO2 while converting it into methane resources.

 

□ In 2022, the global CO2 concentration surpassed 420ppm, the highest level in 4.1 million years. Unprecedented increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations have led to climate-related disasters worldwide, including 20 billion USD (approximately 25.4 trillion KRW) in economic losses due to droughts in Europe and record-breaking torrential rains on the Korean Peninsula.

 

□ To address this issue, the concentration of CO2, the cause of climate disasters, should be reduced. The World Economic Forum has identified “solar compounds” capable of converting CO2, a major contributor to global warming, into various fuels using solar energy as one of the top ten promising technologies of 2020. Among solar compound technologies, photocatalysts that convert highly stable CO2 into fuels such as methane using only sunlight and photocatalysts through gas-phase reactions are drawing attention as key technologies for the future chemical industry, with the aim to reduce atmospheric CO2 and produce fuel simultaneously.

 

□ However, currently commercialized photocatalysts like P25[1] have limitations, such as a large bandgap[2] that prevents the absorption of visible light and slow charge transfer. Several studies have attempted to solve these issues. However, challenges in achieving high-efficiency photocatalyst development have persisted due to inherent problems like low CO2 adsorption and conversion efficiency in gas-phase reactions.

 

□ The research team at DGIST led by Professor In Soo-Il developed a high-efficiency photocatalyst by attaching silver nanoparticle co-catalysts[3] to P25 made of titanium dioxide, and improving charge transfer performance with ruthenium doping. They also resolved the issue of a low CO2 concentration on the catalyst surface during gas-phase reactions by forming hydroxy groups on the surface of the photocatalyst through hydrogen peroxide treatment.

 

□ The research team demonstrated that electrons accumulate in an intermediate state of the P25 band structure through ruthenium doping. These accumulated electrons are then transferred to the silver nanoparticle co-catalyst, converting CO2 into methane. The team also identified the optimal composition[4] to efficiently produce methane from CO2 by analyzing the silver nanoparticle co-catalyst and ruthenium doping. Furthermore, by measuring the amount of adsorbed CO2, they proved that the photocatalyst surface adsorbed more acidic CO2 when it was alkalized with hydrogen peroxide.

 

 

□ Professor In Soo-Il from DGIST stated, “The newly developed photocatalyst improves visible light absorption, CO2 adsorption, and electron transfer capabilities simultaneously. It converts 135 times more methane with 95% selectivity compared to the currently commercialized P25 photocatalysts and maintains over 96% stability even after 24 hours of continuous operation. We will conduct follow-up research to improve the stability and selectivity of hydrocarbons for the practical application of this technology.”

 

□ This research was conducted as part of a medium-term research project sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the results were published online in July in Carbon Energy (IF 20.5), a prestigious international journal in the field of energy and the environment.

- Correspondence author e-mail : insuil@dgist.ac.kr

 

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[1] P25: A commercialized titanium dioxide photocatalyst.

[2] Bandgap: The energy difference between the lowest energy level of the conduction band and the highest energy level of the valence band.

[3] Co-catalyst: An additive that enhances the activity of a catalyst or regulates or modifies the reactions induced by a catalyst.

[4] Composition: Ratio of the various components that make up a system.

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JOURNAL

Carbon Energy

DOI

10.1002/cey2.386 

ARTICLE TITLE

Surface-modified Ag@Ru-P25 for photocatalytic CO2 conversion with high selectivity over CH4 formation at the solid–gas interface

 POSTMODERN MESMERISM

Team led by Professor Choi Hong-Soo at DGIST elucidates the rotational magnetic field mechanism for maximizing the therapeutic effects on cancer cells using magnetic nanotherapeutics

Peer-Reviewed Publication

DGIST (DAEGU GYEONGBUK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

 The team led by Professor Choi Hong-Soo in the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at DGIST has discovered a method to enhance the penetration of magnetic nanoparticles into cancer cells and their magnetic hyperthermia effects through research on chain disassembly and magnetic propulsion mechanisms using a rotational magnetic field. This study focused on the delivery of magnetic therapeutic agents using magnetic fields, an area receiving attention in the field of cancer treatment. It is expected to contribute significantly by improving drug delivery efficiency and therapeutic effects in targeted cancer treatments.

 

□ Recently, the development of targeted therapeutics that selectively treat cancer cells has been gaining attention in the field of cancer treatment. Among them, research on magnetic carriers that target cancer cells using magnetic fields is underway. However, a problem arises when magnetic nanoparticles are exposed to a uniform magnetic field[1] with a general form; they form long chains in the direction of the magnetic field, making penetration into cancer cells or tumors difficult and reducing the therapeutic efficacy.

 

□ In response, the team led by Professor Choi Hong-Soo at DGIST analyzed the interaction between the behavior of magnetic nanoparticles and fluidic viscosity resistance using a unique rotational magnetic field, conducting research on chain disassembly mechanisms that can selectively control magnetic nanoparticle chain lengths. The research team aimed to verify several factors using a 3D tumor model (tumor spheroids), such as adjusting the length of magnetic nanoparticle chains through a rotational magnetic field, enhanced cellular absorption, and improved magnetic hyperthermia treatment for cancer cells.

 

□ First, the team verified the chain disassembly mechanism of magnetic nanoparticles induced by a rotational magnetic field. Targeting cancer cells and tumor spheroids, they induced increased cellular absorption and penetration by driving magnetic nanoparticles with a rotational magnetic field. Using fluorescence microscopy for intracellular fluorescent magnetic nanoparticle imaging and transmission electron microscopy for cell and spheroid cross-section observation, they proved that the use of a rotational magnetic field led to the deepest penetration of cells and tumor spheroids compared to the comparison groups (those exposed to a uniform magnetic field and those not exposed to any magnetic field).

 

□ Moreover, they induced cancer cell destruction using alternating magnetic fields to confirm the magnetic hyperthermia effects of magnetic nanoparticles in each group. The group with the highest penetration rate due to the rotational magnetic field showed the most effective treatment results. This confirmed that the chain disassembly and magnetic propulsion of magnetic nanoparticles through rotational magnetic fields can enhance cellular absorption, penetration, and ultimately, the therapeutic effects of magnetic nanotherapeutics.

 

□ Professor Choi Hong-Soo of DGIST stated, "We have verified that magnetic propulsion through rotational magnetic fields aids in the absorption and penetration of magnetic nanoparticles into cancer cells and tumor spheroids, ultimately improving tumor treatment efficacy. We expect that the technology developed through this research can be widely utilized to enhance therapeutic effects in targeted cancer treatment using magnetic therapeutics."

 

□ This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the National Research Foundation's National Science Challenge Project and Global Research Lab Project, and the Institute for Basic Science. The results were published in the top-tier journal ACS NANO (JCR IF 17.1, top 5.7% in the field) in July.

- Correspondence author e-mail : mems@dgist.ac.kr 

 

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[1] Uniform magnetic field: A magnetic field that has the same magnitude and direction throughout a given area.

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JOURNAL

ACS Nano

DOI

10.1021/acsnano.3c03780 

ARTICLE TITLE

Magnetically Enhanced Intracellular Uptake of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Antitumor Therapy

SPAGYRIC HERBALISM

DGIST Core Protein Resources Center and Honam National Institute of Biological Resources, utilizing island wildlife to treat prostate cancer!

Peer-Reviewed Publication

DGIST (DAEGU GYEONGBUK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

The DGIST (President Kuk Yang) Core Protein Resources Center (Center Director Choi Seong-gyun) and Honam National Institute of Biological Resources (Director Ryu Tae-chul) announced on August 14th (Monday) that they have molecularly elucidated the mechanism by which veratramine, extracted from the wild island plant Veratrum japonicum, inhibits the proliferation of prostate cancer cells, through the “Advancing Island Wildlife Materials” (Research Director Choi Gyeong-min) project.

 

□ Prostate cancer ranks first in incidence among male cancers in Western countries including the United States, and it is also the fastest-growing male cancer in South Korea. In the early stages of onset, hormone suppression therapy can control proliferation; however, as the disease progresses, it becomes hormone-refractory, making treatment more difficult. Therefore, developing treatments using natural substances without side effects is considered an important area of research.

 

□ Veratramine extracted from Veratrum japonicum, a wild island plant, has been known to inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer and brain neuroglioma cells and is also effective for high blood pressure and inflammatory diseases. However, the effect of veratramine on prostate cancer had not been studied before.

 

□ The research team led by Choi Seong-gyun applied veratramine to prostate cancer cells and identified the concentration at which it inhibits the cells’ biological functions. They confirmed that veratramine significantly inhibits the proliferation of prostate cancer. Furthermore, the experiments revealed that veratramine significantly reduces the cancer cells’ survivability and mobility.

 

□ Through immunostaining, proteomics, and microarray analyses, the research team found that veratramine increases the expression of ATM/ATR, a DNA damage-related protein in prostate cancer cells, and suppresses the expression of the Akt protein involved in cancer cell proliferation. Additionally, when veratramine was administered to immunodeficient mice with prostate cancer, both the tumor size and the expression of tumorigenic proteins significantly decreased without any toxic lesions in the parenchymal organs.

 

□ This research was conducted as part of the “Advancing Island Wildlife Materials” project initiated last April. This project is a collaborative effort involving the Honam National Institute of Biological Resources (Ministry of Environment) and academia–industry collaborations, aimed at accelerating growth in the biosector by fostering bio-material infrastructure. Plans are underway to continue research on enhancing the utility of island-specific wildlife materials in collaboration with relevant organizations.

 

□ Choi Seong-gyun, Director of the DGIST Core Protein Resources Center, stated, “This research lays the groundwork for developing effective substances that can overcome the limitations of existing treatments using island wildlife extracts. We will take the lead in constructing a utility database for various effective substances from island wildlife extracts for different diseases through active joint research between DGIST and the Honam National Institute of Biological Resources.”

 

□ Choi Gyeong-min, the leader of the research group, expressed great satisfaction with the excellent results achieved based on inter-ministerial cooperation in the initial stage of the project, stating, “We will continue to meet the public’s expectations through fruitful outcomes from multi-ministerial collaborations.”

 

□ Kim Hee-yeon and Lee Seung-woo from the DGIST Core Protein Resources Center participated in the research as the first authors, with Choi Seong-gyun as the corresponding author. The research findings were published in the globally recognized natural products scientific journal The American Journal of Chinese Medicine on June 30.

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JOURNAL

The American Journal of Chinese Medicine

DOI

10.1142/S0192415X2350060X 

ARTICLE TITLE

Veratramine Inhibits the Cell Cycle Progression, Migration, and Invasion via ATM/ATR Pathway in Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer

 

Efficient next-generation solar panels on horizon following breakthrough

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF SURREY

A scientific breakthrough brings mass production of the next generation of cheaper and lighter perovskite solar cells one step closer thanks to researchers at the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI).  

A nanoscale ‘ink’ coating of aluminium oxide on metal halide perovskite improves the potential of this emerging photovoltaic technology and stabilises the drop in energy output which currently plagues perovskite technology.   

Hashini Perera, lead author of the study at the University of Surrey said: 

“In the past, metal oxides have been shown to either benefit or degrade the performance of perovskite solar cells. We’ve identified aluminium oxide which can improve performance and minimises the drop in efficiency during conditioning of perovskite solar cells. We show that this nano-oxide allows a uniform coating of perovskite material on highly promising organic molecules that self-assemble on a surface and improve device output.” 

Dr Imalka Jayawardena, from the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute said: 

“Performance limits of traditional solar cells are why researchers are switching to examining perovskite as the next-generation solar technology, especially as applications both terrestrial and in space are rapidly growing. Our key development in solar panel technology shows a cost-effective approach to scaling of perovskite solar cells, a development which could help countries around the world to reach their net zero targets faster.” 

Prof. Ravi Silva, corresponding author from the ATI, University of Surrey said: 

“Solar and wind energy costs are rapidly decreasing based on technology improvements, to the level where worldwide over 80% of all new additional power generation capacity is based on renewables. The levelised cost of solar electricity is now cheaper than most other power generating sources. With the maturing of perovskite solar modules, the levelised cost of electricity will significantly decrease further, and that is why this is such an exciting area to work.” 

The research was published in the journal RRL Solar. 

The University of Surrey is a leading research institution that focuses on sustainability to deliver impacts that benefit society and help deal with the many challenges of climate change. Surrey is also committed to improving its own resource efficiency on its campuses in Guildford and aspires to be a sector leader. It has set a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030. In April, it was ranked 55th in the world by the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings which assesses more than 1,400 universities' performance against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).    

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Notes to Editors 

• Dr Imalka Jayawardena and Hashini Perera are available for interview upon request 

• Contact the University press office via mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk 

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JOURNAL

Solar RRL

DOI

10.1002/solr.202300388 

ARTICLE TITLE

Modification of Hydrophobic Self-Assembled Monolayers with Nanoparticles for Improved Wettability and Enhanced Carrier Lifetimes Over Large Areas in Perovskite Solar Cells

 

Young children do better at school if their dads read and play with them

Reports and Proceedings

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

Fathers can give their children an educational advantage at primary school by reading, drawing and playing with them, according to a newly published report.

Research led by the University of Leeds has found that children do better at primary school if their fathers regularly spend time with them on interactive engagement activities like reading, playing, telling stories, drawing and singing. 

Analysing primary school test scores for five- and seven-year-olds, the researchers used a representative sample of nearly 5,000 mother-father households in England from the Millenium Cohort Study - which collected data on children born 2000-02 as they grew up.  

According to the research, dads who regularly drew, played and read with their three-year-olds helped their children do better at school by age five. Dads being involved at age five also helped improve scores in seven-year-olds' Key Stage Assessments. 

Dr Helen Norman, Research Fellow at Leeds University Business School, who led the research, said: “Mothers still tend to assume the primary carer role and therefore tend to do the most childcare, but if fathers actively engage in childcare too, it significantly increases the likelihood of children getting better grades in primary school. This is why encouraging and supporting fathers to share childcare with the mother, from an early stage in the child’s life, is critical.” 

Dads’ involvement impacted positively on their children’s school achievement regardless of the child’s gender, ethnicity, age in the school year and household income, according to the report. 

There were different effects when mums and dads took part in the same activities – the data showed that mums had more of an impact on young children’s emotional and social behaviours than educational achievement. 

The researchers recommend that dads carve out as much time as they can to engage in interactive activities with their children each week. For busy, working dads, even just ten minutes a day could potentially have educational benefits.  

They also recommend that schools and early years education providers routinely take both parents' contact details (where possible) and develop strategies to engage fathers – and that Ofsted take explicit account of father-engagement in inspections. 

This study shows that even small changes in what fathers do, and in how schools and early years settings engage with parents, can have a lasting impact on children's learning. It's absolutely crucial that that fathers aren't treated as an afterthought.

Andrew Gwynne MP, Chair of All-Parliamentary Party Group on Fatherhood

The research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and led by Dr Helen Norman, Research Fellow at Leeds University Business School, in collaboration with co-author Dr Jeremy Davies, Head of Impact and Communications at the Fatherhood Institute, and co-investigators at the University of Manchester. 

Dr Jeremy Davies, Head of Impact and Communications at the Fatherhood Institute, who co-authored the report, said: “Our analysis has shown that fathers have an important, direct impact on their children’s learning. We should be recognising this and actively finding ways to support dads to play their part, rather than engaging only with mothers, or taking a gender-neutral approach.” 

Andrew Gwynne MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fatherhood, said: "This study shows that even small changes in what fathers do, and in how schools and early years settings engage with parents, can have a lasting impact on children's learning. It's absolutely crucial that fathers aren't treated as an afterthought.” 

The final report was launched on Wednesday 20 September with an online webinar. Dr Norman and Dr Davies were joined by a panel of parental engagement experts and dads to talk about the study.  

Further Information 

The ‘Paternal Involvement & its Effects on Children’s Education (PIECE)’ Final Report, authored by Dr Helen Norman (Principal Investigator) and Dr Jeremy Davies (Co-Investigator) was published on the Leeds University Business School website on Wednesday 20 September.

The research project was also co-investigated by Professor Mark Elliot (Professor of Social Statistics at the University of Manchester) and Professor Colette Fagan (Vice-President for Research at the University of Manchester). 

For media enquiries, please contact Mia Saunders, External Communications and Campaigns Officer at the University of Leeds, via email on m.saunders@leeds.ac.uk.  

 

Realistic analysis of excavation damaged zone trends in an underground research lab in Japan

Peer-Reviewed Publication

KEAI COMMUNICATIONS CO., LTD.

 

IMAGE: EXTENT OF SIMULATED EDZ AND DISTRIBUTIONS OF DAMAGE MODES AROUND NICHE AT END OF EXCAVATION ANALYSIS. view more 

CREDIT: SHO OGATA, HIDEAKI YASUHARA

To ensure the effectiveness of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal facilities, the distribution of hydraulic and mechanical properties within the surrounding rock mass, acting as a natural barrier, should be evaluated. To achieve this, it is essential to predict the distribution of the excavation damaged zone (EDZ), which forms due to the creation of multiple fractures during the excavation of the radioactive waste disposal cavity. This is because such a zone is expected to cause an increase in permeability and a decrease in the stiffness and strength of the rock mass.

For precise prediction of the unknown EDZ distribution in specific underground conditions, a numerical analysis should be used. This analysis should have a proven track record of replicating EDZ trends observed in pre-in-situ tests conducted under similar conditions. To enhance reliable predictions for EDZ distribution in HLW disposal projects worldwide, it is advantageous to compile well-calibrated numerical analysis examples from representative underground research areas in each country, such as underground research laboratories (URLs). In the case of one of Japan's prominent research sites, the Horonobe URL, however, there have been limited attempts to replicate EDZ trends through numerical analysis.

In a recent study published in the KeAi journal Rock Mechanics Bulletin, Assistant Professor Sho Ogata of Osaka University and Professor Hideaki Yasuhara from Kyoto University introduced a novel numerical analysis. This analysis successfully replicates the observed EDZ trends resulting from niche excavation within the Horonobe URL gallery at a depth of 350 meters.

“Our findings indicate that the simulated results not only closely align with the measured EDZ data in terms of extent, but also accurately depict the fracture failure modes observed during in-situ examinations,” explained Ogata. “A key factor contributing to this high level of reproducibility compared to measured results is the advanced capability of their numerical analysis to concurrently solve rock deformation and fracturing.”

Their approach addresses the simultaneity of two way interaction between rock deformation and fracture generation, a vital aspect often overlooked in conventional numerical analyses dealing with rock fracture generation. Not solving this interaction completely simultaneously can result in deviations from the actual mechanical responses of rocks during excavation.

“Considering that sedimentary rocks, particularly mudstone, constitute a significant portion of Japan's geological landscape, this numerical investigation of the Horonobe URL, where mudstone prevails, holds substantial relevance and applicability in assessing the viability of geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in Japan,” added Yasuhara.

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Contact the author: Sho Ogata, Center for Future Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Japan, ogata@civil.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp

The publisher KeAi was established by Elsevier and China Science Publishing & Media Ltd to unfold quality research globally. In 2013, our focus shifted to open access publishing. We now proudly publish more than 100 world-class, open access, English language journals, spanning all scientific disciplines. Many of these are titles we publish in partnership with prestigious societies and academic institutions, such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).

 

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JOURNAL

Rock Mechanics Bulletin

DOI

10.1016/j.rockmb.2023.100063 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Case study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Numerical simulations for describing generation of excavation damaged zone: Important case study at Horonobe underground research laboratory

COI STATEMENT

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

 

The Tibetan Plateau bridge: Remote climate effects of extratropical and tropical forcing

Peer-Reviewed Publication

INSTITUTE OF ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

 

IMAGE: SNOWY MOUNTAINS OVER THE TIBETAN PLATEAU DURING SUMMER IN 2023 view more 

CREDIT: CREDIT BY JIANG JILAN

The Tibetan Plateau (TP), which is located in the subtropics of eastern Eurasia, could act as a bridge spanning from the mid-to-high-latitude forcing on the tropical climate, as well as from the tropical region to subtropical systems. Knowledge of the TP bridge and its role in climate variability has advanced over the past several years.

 

Recently, in a paper published in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters, scientists from the State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the School of Atmospheric Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University, reviewed recent advances in the bridging roles of the TP in terms of the remote influence of circulation anomalies over the North Atlantic Ocean on Asian monsoon and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, and in a clear link between the tropical oceans and Asian climate anomalies.

 

“The winter–spring North Atlantic tripole pattern of sea surface temperature anomalies significantly affects the seasonal transition of the South Asian monsoon and the triggering of ENSO events on the interannual timescale. A distinct negative sensible heating–baroclinic structure in May over the TP provides an intermediate bridging effect in this Atlantic–Asian-Pacific connection, as shown in the figure,” explains the second author of the study, Dr. YU Wei, who then adds: “The TP also plays an intermediate role in the process of the summer North Atlantic Oscillation affecting the East Asian summer monsoon.”

 

“The suppressed TP convection plays a crucial bridging role in the influence of Maritime Continent convection on extreme drought over Southeast China”, says JIANG Jilan, corresponding author of the study.

 

Another member of the team, Dr. MA Tingting, also says: “The tropical ocean or the midlatitude quasi-bicycle wave train affect the intraseasonal variation in extreme precipitation in East China through the intraseasonal variation of high potential vorticity systems and surface sensible heating over the TP.”

 

“The TP will continue to play unique roles in the warming of the global climate,” emphasizes Prof. LIU Yimin, the first author of the study. “However, collaborative efforts are still needed as we strive to move forwards with observing, simulating, and ultimately better understanding the climatic roles played by the TP and the underlying dynamic mechanisms involved.”

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JOURNAL

Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters

 

New research brings greater understanding of Asian winter monsoon

Scientists have discovered a new technique which will shed light on the phenomena of winter monsoons – the heavy autumn and winter rainfalls which can cause floods and landslides across southeast Asia

Peer-Reviewed Publication

NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: THE CAVE IN VIETNAM WHERE THE STALAGMITE WAS DISCOVERED view more 

CREDIT: ANNABEL WOLF

Scientists have discovered a new technique which will shed light on the phenomena of winter monsoons – the heavy autumn and winter rainfalls which can cause floods and landslides across southeast Asia.

While summer monsoons are well researched and understood, there is currently very limited understanding of winter monsoons – especially of how they have changed during periods when there has been no data available from weather stations.

It has therefore been difficult to make accurate, long-term predictions about the timing and intensity of winter rainfall in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia.

The Asian winter monsoon brings significant rainfall to some coastal areas of Vietnam, the Philippines, Southeast India, Sri Lanka and Japan, playing a critical role in agriculture and water resources, as well as natural hazard risks related to flooding and landslides.

These regions include some of the world’s largest food producers and exporters, causing not only the regional economy but also the already precarious global food trade to be vulnerable to changes in winter monsoon rainfall.

By examining an 8,000-year-old stalagmite from a cave in central Vietnam, researchers have been able to extract information about changes in seasonal rainfall patterns in Southeast Asia over thousands of years.

And, in a new research breakthrough, they have for the first time been able to distinguish between the rainfall caused by local weather conditions, and that which resulted from conditions across a much wider geographical area.

The investigations were led by Annabel Wolf, a PhD student at Northumbria University at the time of the research, supported by Dr Vasile Ersek, a palaeoclimatologist and geochemist working within Northumbria’s Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences.

A paper detailing their findings, entitled ‘Deciphering local and regional hydroclimate resolves contradicting evidence on the Asian monsoon evolution’, has been published by the journal Nature Communications.

Annabel Wolf, now a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Irvine’s Department of Earth System Science, said: “The past evolution of the winter and summer monsoons in Southeast Asia has been debated for decades.

"By examining this stalagmite from Vietnam, we were able to track autumn and winter rainfall over a significant period and, crucially, to differentiate between the rain which had fallen due to local weather systems, and the rain caused by wider regional systems.

"Our main conclusion was that the regional component of the monsoon, caused by atmospheric circulation, shows a contradictory relationship between winter and summer monsoons, driven by insolation in the northern hemisphere.

"However, the results from the local rainfall samples showed a strong connection between summer and winter monsoons.”

The findings of the research mean there is now potential to re-examine samples from other areas in Southeast Asia and extract the local and regional rainfall levels, leading to much greater understanding of how weather patterns have evolved over time and how they may continue to change in future.

In contrast to the very well-studied Southwest Summer Monsoon, there are no robust records documenting the long-term changes in Southeast Asian rainfall associated with the Northeast Winter Monsoon under pre-industrial conditions. This means changes to rainfall in this region over longer timescales are not well understood.

As a result, many climate models underestimate the winter monsoon rainfall by as much as 50%, leaving considerable uncertainty in future climate projections.

Speaking about the research Dr Ersek said: “By shedding light on potential discrepancies in paleoclimate reconstructions, scientists now have a critical tool to refine their understanding of historical climate patterns.

"Our findings have the potential to inform policies and strategies aimed at mitigating the impacts of intense rainfall in Southeast Asia, which becomes more imperative as climate change continues to exert its influence on global weather patterns.”

Read the full paper here.

Find out more about Northumbria University’s Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences

Read the full paper here.

 

Find out more about Northumbria University’s Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences.

 

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JOURNAL

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-023-41373-9 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Deciphering local and regional hydroclimate resolves contradicting evidence on the Asian monsoon evolution