Lake Ohrid , between Albania and North Macedonia , is one of Europe ’s oldest and deepest lakes . Lakes like this usually only last a few hundred thousand twelvemonth before they become take with sediments , but this does n’t seem to be the character for Ohrid as it is much old . Now , its age has allowed researchers to open a window into the past of the Mediterranean Basin .
As reported inNature , scientist were able to gain an insight into what the clime was like over the past 1.36 million years in the mid - to - magnetic north Mediterranean . The investigator have demonstrate that during quick , interglacial periods , the wintertime rainfall in the Med has been in form with the occurrence of African summertime monsoons .
" We discover a teleconnection between the African monsoon and winter precipitation in the Mediterranean region , so between tropical mood systems and rain in the mid - latitudes M of kilometers away , " carbon monoxide - author Dr Alexander Francke , from the University of Wollongong , say in astatement .
" Whenever incoming solar actinotherapy from the Sun is enhanced in the Northern Hemisphere you have this northward migration of the tropical clime system of rules and we see increased rainfall in winter at Lake Ohrid . We see this chemical mechanism systematically over the past 1.3 million years . "
The team collect sediments in a place where the lake is 245 meters ( 804 feet ) deep . They drilled 568 meters ( 1863 foot ) into the sediment and were capable to redo the mood chronicle of the lake over its entire macrocosm .
By combining the datum with clime exemplar simulations , they were able-bodied to gain penetration into the clime in the central - northerly Mediterranean . The region is characterize by tight winters and dry summers and this is linked to its interaction with the tropical African mood , especially in condition of the warming of the sea ’s surface .
" This climate system would be fair stable during the summertime and autumn until the temperatures decrease in winter and cold air from the north causes the whole organisation to become unstable and this low - pressure arrangement moves eastwards towards the Balkan Peninsula and promotes rainfall in the winter months , " Dr Francke explained .
But it is not just about the past tense . Climate manikin have come across difficulties in predicting how the human being - made climate crisis will strike the Med in the coming years . Some full stop at wetter winters , others at dry ones . This fresh data point will be key to polish the models and ply cue to what the future nurse for the Mediterranean .
