Aerosol columnar characteristics and their heterogeneous nature over Varanasi, in the central Ganges valley.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int

Atmospheric Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.

Published: September 2018

The Indo-Gangetic Basin (IGB) experiences one of the highest aerosol loading over the globe with pronounced inter-/intra-seasonal variability. Four-year (January 2011-December 2014) continuous MICROTOPS-II sun-photometer measurements at Varanasi, central Ganges valley, provide an opportunity to investigate the aerosol physical and optical properties and their variability. A large variation in aerosol optical depth (AOD: from 0.23 to 1.89, mean of 0.82 ± 0.31) and Ångström exponent (AE: from 0.19 to 1.44, mean of 0.96 ± 0.27) is observed, indicating a highly turbid atmospheric environment with significant heterogeneity in aerosol sources, types and optical properties. The highest seasonal means of both AOD and AE are observed in the post-monsoon (October-November) season (0.95 ± 0.31 for AOD and 1.16 ± 0.14 for AE) followed by winter (December, January, February; 0.97 ± 0.34 for AOD and 1.09 ± 0.20 for AE) and are mainly attributed to the accumulation of aerosols from urban and biomass/crop residue burning emissions within a shallow boundary layer. In contrast, during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, the aerosols are mostly coming from natural origin (desert and mineral dust) mixed with pollution in several cases. The spectral dependence of AE, the aerosol "curvature" effect and other graphical techniques are used for the identification of the aerosol types and their mixing processes in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the aerosol source-apportionment assessment using the weighted potential source contribution function (WPSCF) analysis reveals the different aerosol types, emission sources and transport pathways.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2502-4DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

aerosol
9
varanasi central
8
central ganges
8
ganges valley
8
optical properties
8
aerosol types
8
aerosol columnar
4
columnar characteristics
4
characteristics heterogeneous
4
heterogeneous nature
4

Similar Publications

Thermogravimetry coupled with simultaneous evolved gas analysis by mass spectrometry was used for discerning organic compounds released during the thermal degradation of paint whose chemical compositions are not readily accessible. Thermogravimetric analyses up to 600°C revealed distinct degradation patterns under inert and oxidative conditions. Significant degradation of paint initiates at around 360°C and concludes at 500°C in a nitrogen atmosphere.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

With the emergence of COVID-19 variants and new viruses, it remains uncertain when the next pandemic will occur. A lockdown is considered the last resort to halt the spread of infection; however, it causes significant economic and social damage. Therefore, exploring less harmful alternatives during such scenarios is crucial.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Turbulence in the tropical stratosphere, equatorial Kelvin waves, and the quasi-biennial oscillation.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

January 2025

Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique/Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, École Normale Supérieure- Paris Sciences et Lettres Université, École Polytechnique- Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris 91128, France.

The tropical stratosphere is the gateway to the global stratosphere and a commonly proposed location for solar geoengineering. The dynamics of this remote and difficult to observe region are poorly understood, particularly at turbulent length scales. Existing observational estimates of turbulence frequency and strength vary widely.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Near Real-Time Measurement of Airborne Carbon Nanotubes with Metals Using Raman-Spark Emission Spectroscopy.

Appl Spectrosc

January 2025

Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Dust Control and Occupational Protection, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.

We present a near real-time measurement method that combines Raman and spark emission spectroscopy to quantitatively analyze the molecular structure of airborne single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), as well as detect toxic metals within CNTs. A corona-based aerosol microconcentrator was used for airborne CNTs sampling to enhance the measurement accuracy and sensitivity. The intensity of the characteristic Raman bands of CNTs and atomic emission lines of metals exhibited a linear relationship with the analyte mass, yielding high coefficient values.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pathogenic bioaerosols are critical for outbreaks of airborne disease; however, rapidly and accurately identifying pathogens directly from complex air environments remains highly challenging. We present an advanced method that combines open-set deep learning (OSDL) with single-cell Raman spectroscopy to identify pathogens in real-world air containing diverse unknown indigenous bacteria that cannot be fully included in training sets. To test and further enhance identification, we constructed the Raman datasets of aerosolized bacteria.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!