"Impact of Stratospheric Aerosol Geoengineering on tropical hydrology"
Speaker : Thejas K V
PhD Scholar, Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, IISc, Bengaluru
@ : thejask@iisc.ac.in
Chairperson : Prof. A. Chandrasekar
ISRO Chair Professor, School of Natural Sciences and Engineering, NIAS
@ : chandra@nias.res.in
Date : 28th October 2026
Time : 9.30 AM
Venue : Lecture Hall
Abstract: Stratospheric Aerosol Geoengineering (SAG) is a proposed climate intervention strategy that aims to counteract global warming by introducing reflective aerosols into the stratosphere, thereby reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. While SAG could help moderate global temperatures, its effects on the hydrological cycle are complex and spatially uneven, particularly in the tropics. The impact of SAG on surface cooling, atmospheric circulation, moisture availability, and energy distribution is strongly influenced by the strategy used for implementing SAG. This talk will focus on exploring the potential impacts of SAG on tropical hydrology through atmospheric energy budget framework. The physical mechanisms driving the changes in the position of Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the associated changes in tropical monsoon rainfalls in the context of SAG will be discussed. It will also discuss how different SAG implementation strategies could produce contrasting regional hydrological responses, underscoring the importance of looking beyond global mean temperature when evaluating climate intervention strategies.
About the speaker: Thejas is a PhD Scholar at Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Indian Institute of Science. He holds a B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering, and an M.Tech in Earth System Sciences. His doctoral research focuses on understanding the impacts of solar geoengineering methods on tropical precipitation and Indian summer monsoon using idealized climate model simulations.