K. Narasimhulu

Wintertime spatial characteristics of boundary layer aerosols over peninsular India

During an intense field campaign for generating a spatial composite of aerosol characteristics over peninsular India, collocated measurements of the mass concentration and size distribution of near-surface aerosols were made onboard instrumented vehicles along the road network during the dry, winter season (February-March) of 2004. The study regions covered coastal, industrial, urban, village, remote, semiarid, and vegetated forestlands. The results showed (1) comparatively high aerosol (mass) concentrations (exceeding 50 μ g m(-3)), in general, along the coastal regions (east and west) and adjacent to urban locations, and (2) reduced mass concentration ( 50% of the total) of coarse-mode aerosols (>1 μ m). The spatial composite of accumulation-mode share to the total aerosol mass concentration agreed very well with the monthly mean spatial composite of aerosol fine-mode fraction for February 2004, deduced from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data for the study region, while a point by point comparison yielded a linear association with a slope of 1.09 and correlation coefficient of 0.79 for 76 independent data pairs. Pockets of enhanced aerosol concentration were observed around the industrialized and urban centers along the coast as well as inland. Aerosol size distributions were parameterized using a power law. Spatial variation of the retrieved aerosol size index shows relatively high values (>4) along the coast compared to interior continental regions except at a few locations. Urban locations showed steeper size spectra than the remote locations.

Temporal and spectral characteristics of aerosol optical depths in a semi-arid region of southern India.

The spectral and temporal variations of aerosol optical depths (AOD) observed over Anantapur (a semi-arid region) located in the Southern part of India are investigated by analyzing the data obtained from a Multiwavelength Solar Radiometer (MWR) during January 2005-December 2006 (a total of 404 clear-sky observations) using the Langley technique. In this paper, we highlighted the studies on monthly, seasonal and spectral variations of aerosol optical depth and their implications. The results showed seasonal variation with higher values during pre-monsoon (March-May) and lower in the monsoon (June-November) season at all wavelengths. The pre-monsoon increase is found to be due to the high wind speed producing larger amounts of wind-driven dust particles. The post-monsoon (December-February) AOD values decrease more at higher wavelengths, indicating a general reduction in the number of bigger particles. Also during the post-monsoon, direction of winds in association with high or low pressure weather systems and the air brings more aerosol content to the region which is surrounded by a number of cement plants, lime kilns, slab polishing and brick making units. The quantity of AOD values in pre-monsoon is higher (low during post-monsoon) for wavelength, such as shortwave infrared (SWIR) or near infrared (NIR), which shows that coarse particles contribute more compare with the sub-micron particles. The composite aerosols near the surface follow suit with the share of the accumulation mode to the total mass concentration decreasing from approximately 70% to 30% from post-monsoon to pre-monsoon. Coarse mode particle loading observed to be high during pre-monsoon and accumulation mode particles observed to be high during post-monsoon. The backward trajectories at three representative altitudes with source point at the observing site indicate a possible transport from the outflow regions into Bay of Bengal, southern peninsular India and Arabian Sea. The temporal variations of AOD, Angstrom wavelength exponent and precipitable water content over Anantapur have also been compared with those reported from selected locations in India.

Size segregated mass concentration and size distribution of near surface aerosols over a tropical Indian semi-arid station, Anantapur: Impact of long range transport.

Regular measurements of size segregated as well as total mass concentration and size distribution of near surface composite aerosols, made using a ten-channel Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) cascade impactor during the period of September 2007-May 2008 are used to study the aerosol characteristics in association with the synoptic meteorology. The total mass concentration varied from 59.70+/-1.48 to 41.40+/-1.72 microg m(-3), out of which accumulation mode dominated by approximately 50%. On a synoptic scale, aerosol mass concentration in the accumulation (submicron) mode gradually increased from an average low value of approximately 26.92+/-1.53 microg m(-3) during the post monsoon season (September-November) to approximately 34.95+/-1.32 microg m(-3) during winter (December-February) and reaching a peak value of approximately 43.56+/-1.42 microg m(-3) during the summer season (March-May). On the contrary, mass concentration of aerosols in the coarse (supermicron) mode increased from approximately 9.23+/-1.25 microg m(-3)during post monsoon season to reach a comparatively high value of approximately 25.89+/-1.95 microg m(-3) during dry winter months and a low value of approximately 8.07+/-0.76 microg m(-3) during the summer season. Effective radius, a parameter important in determining optical (scattering) properties of aerosol size distribution, varied between 0.104+/-0.08 microm and 0.167+/-0.06 microm with a mean value of 0.143+/-0.01 microm. The fine mode is highly reduced during the post monsoon period and the large and coarse modes continue to remain high (replenished) so that their relative dominance increases. It can be seen that among the two parameters measured, correlation of total mass concentration with air temperature is positive (R(2)=0.82) compared with relative humidity (RH) (R(2)=0.75).

Diurnal and seasonal variabilities in surface ozone and its precursor gases at a semi-arid site Anantapur (14.62°N, 77.65°E, 331 m asl) in India

Measurements of surface ozone and its precursor gases (NOx and CO) have been made at a semi‐arid site Anantapur (14.62°N, 77.65°E, 331 m asl) in tropical Indian region for the period, 2001–2003. NOx and CO levels were the highest during morning and late night hours at this site. Diurnal variations of ozone concentrations varied from 25 ppbv to 50 ppbv and were observed to increase gradually after sunrise, attaining a maximum value by the evening and decreasing gradually thereafter. During monsoon months, the diurnal amplitude of ozone was found to be small (20–25 ppbv). Seasonal variation in ozone showed a pronounced maximum (40–50 ppbv) in the winter and summer. Local pollutants were major contributors to the ozone levels during this period. Ozone shows a yearly mean mixing ratio of about 35.9 ± 8.8 ppbv. The daytime concentration of CO and NOx varied between 200 to 1200 ppbv and 3 to 20 ppbv respectively for the period studied. Annual average mixing ratios of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and CO were observed to be 3.9±0.6 ppbv and 436±64 ppbv, respectively.