Abstract. Previous studies based on multiple paleoclimate archives suggested
a prominent intensification of the South Asian Monsoon (SAM) during the
mid-Holocene (MH, ∼6000 years before present). The main
forcing that contributed to this intensification is related to changes in
the Earth's orbital parameters. Nonetheless, other key factors likely played
important roles, including remote changes in vegetation cover and airborne
dust emission. In particular, northern Africa also experienced much wetter
conditions and a more mesic landscape than today during the MH (the
so-called African Humid Period), leading to a large decrease in airborne
dust globally. However, most modeling studies investigating the SAM changes
during the Holocene overlooked the potential impacts of the vegetation and
dust emission changes that took place over northern Africa. Here, we use a
set of simulations for the MH climate, in which vegetation over the Sahara
and reduced dust concentrations are considered. Our results show that SAM
rainfall is strongly affected by Saharan vegetation and dust concentrations,
with a large increase in particular over northwestern India and a
lengthening of the monsoon season. We propose that this remote influence is
mediated by anomalies in Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures and may have
shaped the evolution of the SAM during the termination of the African Humid
Period.