The scientists say high levels of aerosols in the atmosphere cause heat from the sun to be reflected back into space, lowering temperatures on the Earth’s surface and reducing rainfall. And, it adds that levels of aerosol emissions have increased considerably since the 1950s, with the most common sources being power stations and cars. The study, which has been published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal, warns that changes to global rainfall patterns can have consequences for human health and agriculture, as summer monsoons are “an integral component of Earth’s hydrological cycle and affect the lives of billions of people”, largely in the likes of India, Southeast Asia and parts of Africa.
— source downtoearth.org.in