View in EDS

Local and Remote Impacts of Regional Irrigation on Near‐Surface Temperature.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Local and Remote Impacts of Regional Irrigation on Near‐Surface Temperature.
Authors: Li, Huazhen1,2 (AUTHOR) huazhen.li@unsw.edu.au, Lo, Min‐Hui3 (AUTHOR), Peel, Murray C.2 (AUTHOR), Ryu, Dongryeol2 (AUTHOR), Thiery, Wim4 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Yongqiang5 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres. 6/16/2026, Vol. 131 Issue 11, p1-11. 11p.
Subject Terms: *Irrigation, *Climate change, *Humidity, *Infrared radiation, *Water shortages, Surface temperature, Evaporative cooling
Geographic Terms: North India
Abstract: Irrigation is a major human intervention in the global land‐atmosphere system. However, increasing climate variability and associated regional water scarcity may lead to abrupt reductions in irrigation. In this study, we use the Community Earth System Model to investigate the global near‐surface air temperature response to irrigation cessation over Northwest India. Our results indicate that evaporative cooling is the dominant local mechanism regulating temperature in response to irrigation in Northwest India. Following irrigation cessation, average near‐surface temperatures over Northwest India increased by ∼0.24°–0.38°C during November–February. Notably, irrigation cessation over Northwest India also induces temperature changes in remote regions. These remote responses are primarily associated with the advection of warm, moist air, enhanced atmospheric humidity, and increased downward longwave radiation. Our findings highlight that the temperature impacts of irrigation practices can extend beyond local regions and should be considered in assessments of climate and water management. Plain Language Summary: Irrigation plays a crucial role in supporting agriculture around the world. However, water supplies for irrigation are not sustainable in many regions, and water shortages are likely to become more common in the future. As a result, farmers in some areas may be forced to abruptly reduce or stop irrigation. In this study, we use a global climate model to examine how air temperatures might change if irrigation is stopped in Northwest India. We find that irrigation mainly cools the local environment through evaporation. When irrigation stops, near‐surface temperatures over Northwest India increase on average, although the warming is ∼0.2°–0.4°C. Importantly, stopping irrigation in Northwest India can also affect temperatures in distant regions. These remote temperature changes are linked to the movement of warm, moist air through the atmosphere. Our results highlight that the temperature effects of irrigation practices can extend beyond local areas and should be considered in climate and water management planning. Key Points: Evaporative cooling plays a dominant role in local climate responses to irrigation in Northwest IndiaAfter irrigation cessation, near‐surface temperatures over Northwest India increased on average but with limited magnitudeWarm, moist air advection likely plays an important role in irrigation‐induced temperature changes on a global scale [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: 8gh
DbLabel: GreenFILE
An: 194450535
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Local and Remote Impacts of Regional Irrigation on Near‐Surface Temperature.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Huazhen%22">Li, Huazhen</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> huazhen.li@unsw.edu.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lo%2C+Min‐Hui%22">Lo, Min‐Hui</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peel%2C+Murray+C%2E%22">Peel, Murray C.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ryu%2C+Dongryeol%22">Ryu, Dongryeol</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thiery%2C+Wim%22">Thiery, Wim</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Yongqiang%22">Zhang, Yongqiang</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%2E+Atmospheres%22">Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres</searchLink>. 6/16/2026, Vol. 131 Issue 11, p1-11. 11p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Irrigation%22">Irrigation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Climate+change%22">Climate change</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Humidity%22">Humidity</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infrared+radiation%22">Infrared radiation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Water+shortages%22">Water shortages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Surface+temperature%22">Surface temperature</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaporative+cooling%22">Evaporative cooling</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22North+India%22">North India</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Irrigation is a major human intervention in the global land‐atmosphere system. However, increasing climate variability and associated regional water scarcity may lead to abrupt reductions in irrigation. In this study, we use the Community Earth System Model to investigate the global near‐surface air temperature response to irrigation cessation over Northwest India. Our results indicate that evaporative cooling is the dominant local mechanism regulating temperature in response to irrigation in Northwest India. Following irrigation cessation, average near‐surface temperatures over Northwest India increased by ∼0.24°–0.38°C during November–February. Notably, irrigation cessation over Northwest India also induces temperature changes in remote regions. These remote responses are primarily associated with the advection of warm, moist air, enhanced atmospheric humidity, and increased downward longwave radiation. Our findings highlight that the temperature impacts of irrigation practices can extend beyond local regions and should be considered in assessments of climate and water management. Plain Language Summary: Irrigation plays a crucial role in supporting agriculture around the world. However, water supplies for irrigation are not sustainable in many regions, and water shortages are likely to become more common in the future. As a result, farmers in some areas may be forced to abruptly reduce or stop irrigation. In this study, we use a global climate model to examine how air temperatures might change if irrigation is stopped in Northwest India. We find that irrigation mainly cools the local environment through evaporation. When irrigation stops, near‐surface temperatures over Northwest India increase on average, although the warming is ∼0.2°–0.4°C. Importantly, stopping irrigation in Northwest India can also affect temperatures in distant regions. These remote temperature changes are linked to the movement of warm, moist air through the atmosphere. Our results highlight that the temperature effects of irrigation practices can extend beyond local areas and should be considered in climate and water management planning. Key Points: Evaporative cooling plays a dominant role in local climate responses to irrigation in Northwest IndiaAfter irrigation cessation, near‐surface temperatures over Northwest India increased on average but with limited magnitudeWarm, moist air advection likely plays an important role in irrigation‐induced temperature changes on a global scale [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=194450535
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1029/2026JD046366
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Irrigation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Climate change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Humidity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Infrared radiation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Water shortages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Surface temperature
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Evaporative cooling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: North India
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Local and Remote Impacts of Regional Irrigation on Near‐Surface Temperature.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Li, Huazhen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lo, Min‐Hui
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Peel, Murray C.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ryu, Dongryeol
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Thiery, Wim
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Zhang, Yongqiang
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 16
              M: 06
              Text: 6/16/2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 2169897X
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 131
            – Type: issue
              Value: 11
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres
              Type: main
ResultId 1