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Direct observations of shortwave aerosol radiative forcing at surface and its diurnal variation during the Asian dry season at southwest Indian peninsula

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Abstract

The Arabian Sea witnesses consistent occurrence of a large-scale aerosol plume transported by the northerlies from the Asian region during the dry season (December–April). This paper presents direct observations of the diurnal variation (and dependence on solar zenith angle, SZA) of instantaneous aerosol direct radiative forcing efficiency (IADRFE) and aerosol direct radiative forcing (ADRF) at surface during the period from December to March of 2010–2013 at Thiruvananthapuram (8.5°N, 77°E), an Indian peninsular station adjoining the Arabian Sea coast, which resides well within this aerosol plume. Magnitude of the IADRFE increases with SZA from −75 ± 20 W m−2 τ −1500 at SZA of ~80° to attain a peak value of −170 ± 30 W m−2 τ −1500 at SZA ~60° in March (~3 h before and after the local noon). Absolute magnitudes and SZA dependence of the observed seasonal mean IADRFE are in agreement (within 16 % of the absolute magnitudes) with those estimated using radiation transfer computations employing an aerosol model with visible band single-scattering albedo of ~0.90 ± 0.03. Observed values of the diurnal mean aerosol radiative forcing efficiency (ADRFE) averaged during the season (December–March) vary between −71 and −76.5 W m−2 τ −1500 , which is in agreement with the model estimate of −71 W m−2 τ −1500 . The present observations show that the seasonal mean ADRF at surface (−25 to −28 W m−2) is about 10 % of the diurnal mean downwelling shortwave flux reaching the surface (in the absence of aerosols) during dry season at this location, indicating the major role of aerosols in regulating surface energetics.

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Acknowledgments

This study is part of the IGBP-NOBLE project. MODIS AOD data used in this paper were obtained from the Giovanni online data system, developed and maintained by the NASA GES DISC (http://gdata1.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/daac-bin/G3/gui.cgi?instance_id=MODIS_DAILY_L3). MERRA data used in this study/project have been provided by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center through the NASA GES DISC online archive. Very useful suggestions given by the anonymous reviewers are thankfully acknowledged.

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  1. Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, 695022, India

    Manoj Kumar Mishra & K. Rajeev

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  1. Manoj Kumar Mishra
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Correspondence to Manoj Kumar Mishra.

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Mishra, M.K., Rajeev, K. Direct observations of shortwave aerosol radiative forcing at surface and its diurnal variation during the Asian dry season at southwest Indian peninsula. Meteorol Atmos Phys 128, 477–489 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-015-0427-8

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