Iranian stalagmites suggest Middle East unlikely to get reprieve from drought.
July 10 (UPI) — New analysis of Iranian stalagmites have offered a detailed history of water resources in the region.
The findings suggest the Middle East is unlikely to enjoy a relief from its prolonged drought for at least another 10,000 years.
The findings suggest water in the Middle East is likely to remain scarce for some time.
"Local governments generally prefer the narrative that the region is only in a temporary dry spell and better prospects of water availability lay ahead," Sevag Mehterian, lead author of the new study and a doctoral student at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School, said in a news release.
"Our study has found evidence to the contrary, suggesting that in fact, the future long-term trend based on paleoclimate reconstructions is likely towards diminishing precipitation, with no relief in the form of increased Mediterranean storms, the primary source of annual precipitation to the region, in the foreseeable future."
Stalagmites are formed by calcium deposits on the cave’s floor, which build up as water drips from the cave’s ceiling.
Shifts in chemical composition with their layers, like an ice or sediment core, can reveal changes in climate.
Ice cores and sediment records confirmed the link between the climate patterns of the Middle East and Eurasia.
Climate models suggest solar insolation is unlikely to increase for another 10,000 years, which means reprieve from the Middle East’s prolonged drought isn’t likely to arrive any time soon.