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Multi-year characterization of aerosol black carbon concentrations over a semiarid tropical site Udaipur

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Abstract

Continuous and multi-year (2008–2012) measurements of black carbon (BC) mass concentrations (MBC), carried out from the semiarid tropical site Udaipur (24.6° N, 74° E, 580 m a.s.l.) near the western Indian desert, are analyzed for their region-specific features. MBC varied over a wide range during the period of study, with the hourly mean values occurring as low as 0.09 to as high as 49.1 μg m−3, with the multi-year average ~ 4.5 ± 2.6 μg m−3. Annual variations showed the highest concentrations during November and December (winter seasonal mean = 7.4 ± 3.3 μg m−3) and the lowest in the monsoon months of July and August (monsoon seasonal mean = 2.5 ± 2.2 μg m−3). MBC showed significant inverse relationship with the planetary boundary layer height (ρ ~ − 0.50) as well as ventilation coefficient (ρ ~ − 0.72). Alike aforesaid atmospheric dynamic parameters, T, WS, and RH also possessed statistically significant negative correlations with monthly MBC. Enhancement in annual as well as diurnal amplitude in MBC during deficient monsoon years relative to excessive monsoon years have given marked indication of BC sink mechanism due to precipitation. Roles of long-range regional air pollutant transport also have been identified. Identical and consistent seasonal variation in percentage contribution of MBC with PM2.5 (varying from 2.6 to 9.1%) and absorption Angstrom exponent (αabs, monthly mean values varying from 0.77 ± 0.04 to 1.16 ± 0.08) gives evidence of substantial amount of enhanced anthropogenic source activities of fossil fuel incomplete combustion in post-monsoon and winter period.

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Data availability

Data and material are available upon request from Mukunda M Gogoi (dr_mukunda@vssc.gov.in).

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Acknowledgments

The authors are highly indebted to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), for providing full financial support for carrying out the present research work under Aerosol Radiative Forcing over India (ARFI) project of Geosphere Biosphere Program (ISRO-GBP). BMV is very much thankful to Dr. K Krishna Moorthy and Dr. S. Suresh Babu for their support in maintaining an aerosol observatory at Udaipur. Authors also acknowledge NOAA aerosol resource laboratory for providing Air mass backward wind trajectory data (http://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/hysplit4.html), meteorological data (http://ready.arl.noaa.gov/READYamet.php), and daily total accumulated rainfall values data from the Department of Water Resource, Government of Rajasthan (http://waterresources.rajasthan.gov.in/DailyRainfallData/Rainfall_Index.htm).

Funding

This work was carried out at part of the Aerosol Radiative Forcing over India project of ISRO-Geosphere Biosphere Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Pacific College of Basic & Applied Sciences, Pacific University, Udaipur, 313 024, India

    Brij Mohan Vyas

  2. Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Trivandrum, 695 022, India

    Mukunda M Gogoi & Subin Jose

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  1. Brij Mohan Vyas
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BMV carried out the scientific analysis of the experimental data and drafted the manuscript with contributions from SJ. MMG carried out the review and editing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mukunda M Gogoi.

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Vyas, B.M., Gogoi, M.M. & Jose, S. Multi-year characterization of aerosol black carbon concentrations over a semiarid tropical site Udaipur. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 22864–22877 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-12300-y

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