Articles | Volume 17, issue 18
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11041-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11041-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
18 Sep 2017
Research article |
| 18 Sep 2017
Pre-monsoon air quality over Lumbini, a world heritage site along the Himalayan foothills
Dipesh Rupakheti
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land
Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049,
China
Bhupesh Adhikary
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
(ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal
Puppala Siva Praveen
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
(ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal
Maheswar Rupakheti
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS),
Potsdam 14467, Germany
Himalayan Sustainability Institute (HIMSI), Kathmandu,
Nepal
Shichang Kang
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049,
China
State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Cold and Arid
Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (CAREERI),
Lanzhou 730000, China
Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Khadak Singh Mahata
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS),
Potsdam 14467, Germany
Manish Naja
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences
(ARIES), Nainital, India
Qianggong Zhang
Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land
Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Arnico Kumar Panday
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
(ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal
Mark G. Lawrence
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS),
Potsdam 14467, Germany
Related authors
Xiufeng Yin, Dipesh Rupakheti, Guoshuai Zhang, Jiali Luo, Shichang Kang, Benjamin de Foy, Junhua Yang, Zhenming Ji, Zhiyuan Cong, Maheswar Rupakheti, Ping Li, Yuling Hu, and Qianggong Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10137–10143, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10137-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10137-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The monthly mean surface ozone concentrations peaked earlier in the south in April and May and later in the north in June and July over the Tibetan Plateau. The migration of monthly surface ozone peaks was coupled with the synchronous movement of tropopause folds and the westerly jet that created conditions conducive to stratospheric ozone intrusion. Stratospheric ozone intrusion significantly contributed to surface ozone across the Tibetan Plateau.
Mukesh Rai, Shichang Kang, Junhua Yang, Maheswar Rupakheti, Dipesh Rupakheti, Lekhendra Tripathee, Yuling Hu, and Xintong Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-199, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-199, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Our study revealed distinctive seasonality with the maximum and minimum aerosol concentrations during the winter and summer seasons respectively. However, interestingly summer high (AOD > 0.8) was observed over South Asia. The highest aerosols are laden over South Asia and East China within 1–2 km, however, aerosol overshooting found up to 10 km due to the deep convection process. Whereas, integrated aerosol transport for OC during spring was found to be 5 times higher than the annual mean.
Shichang Kang, Yulan Zhang, Pengfei Chen, Junming Guo, Qianggong Zhang, Zhiyuan Cong, Susan Kaspari, Lekhendra Tripathee, Tanguang Gao, Hewen Niu, Xinyue Zhong, Xintong Chen, Zhaofu Hu, Xiaofei Li, Yang Li, Bigyan Neupane, Fangping Yan, Dipesh Rupakheti, Chaman Gul, Wei Zhang, Guangming Wu, Ling Yang, Zhaoqing Wang, and Chaoliu Li
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 683–707, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-683-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-683-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Tibetan Plateau is important to the Earth’s climate. However, systematically observed data here are scarce. To perform more integrated and in-depth investigations of the origins and distributions of atmospheric pollutants and their impacts on cryospheric change, systematic data of black carbon and organic carbon from the atmosphere, glaciers, snow cover, precipitation, and lake sediment cores over the plateau based on the Atmospheric Pollution and Cryospheric Change program are provided.
Xin Wan, Shichang Kang, Maheswar Rupakheti, Qianggong Zhang, Lekhendra Tripathee, Junming Guo, Pengfei Chen, Dipesh Rupakheti, Arnico K. Panday, Mark G. Lawrence, Kimitaka Kawamura, and Zhiyuan Cong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 2725–2747, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2725-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2725-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The sources of primary and secondary aerosols in the Hindu Kush–Himalayan–Tibetan Plateau region are not well known. Organic molecular tracers are useful for aerosol source apportionment. The characterization of molecular tracers were first systemically investigated and the contribution from primary and secondary sources to carbonaceous aerosols was estimated in the Kathmandu Valley. Our results demonstrate that biomass burning contributed a significant fraction to OC in the Kathmandu Valley.
D. Rupakheti, S. Kang, Z. Cong, M. Rupakheti, L. Tripathee, A. K. Panday, and B. Holben
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-3, 1493–1497, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-1493-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-1493-2018, 2018
Chaeyoon Cho, Sang-Woo Kim, Maheswar Rupakheti, Jin-Soo Park, Arnico Panday, Soon-Chang Yoon, Ji-Hyoung Kim, Hyunjae Kim, Haeun Jeon, Minyoung Sung, Bong Mann Kim, Seungkyu K. Hong, Rokjin J. Park, Dipesh Rupakheti, Khadak Singh Mahata, Puppala Siva Praveen, Mark G. Lawrence, and Brent Holben
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 12617–12632, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12617-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12617-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the optical and chemical properties and direct radiative effects of aerosols in the Kathmandu Valley. We concluded that the ratio of light-absorbing to scattering aerosols as well as the concentration of light-absorbing aerosols is much higher at Kathmandu than other comparable regions, and it contributes to a great atmospheric absorption efficiency. This study provides unprecedented insights into aerosol optical properties and their radiative forcings in the Kathmandu Valley.
Xiufeng Yin, Shichang Kang, Benjamin de Foy, Zhiyuan Cong, Jiali Luo, Lang Zhang, Yaoming Ma, Guoshuai Zhang, Dipesh Rupakheti, and Qianggong Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 11293–11311, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11293-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11293-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We presented 5-year surface ozone measurements at Nam Co in the inland Tibetan Plateau and made a synthesis comparison of diurnal and seasonal patterns on regional and hemispheric scales. Surface ozone at Nam Co is mainly dominated by natural processes and is less influenced by stratospheric intrusions and human activities than on the rim of the Tibetan Plateau. Ozone at Nam Co is representative of background that is valuable for studying ozone-related effects on large scales.
Xin Wan, Shichang Kang, Quanlian Li, Dipesh Rupakheti, Qianggong Zhang, Junming Guo, Pengfei Chen, Lekhendra Tripathee, Maheswar Rupakheti, Arnico K. Panday, Wu Wang, Kimitaka Kawamura, Shaopeng Gao, Guangming Wu, and Zhiyuan Cong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 8867–8885, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8867-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8867-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Biomass burning (BB) tracers in the aerosols in Lumbini, northern IGP, were studied for the first time. The levoglucosan was the predominant tracer and BB significantly contributed to the air quality in Lumbini. Mixed crop residues and hardwood were main burning materials. BB emissions constituted large fraction of OC, especially during the post-monsoon season. The sources of BB aerosols in Lumbini varies seasonally due to the influence of local emissions and long-range transport.
Chinmoy Sarkar, Vinayak Sinha, Vinod Kumar, Maheswar Rupakheti, Arnico Panday, Khadak S. Mahata, Dipesh Rupakheti, Bhogendra Kathayat, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 3979–4003, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-3979-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-3979-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
First deployment of PTR-TOF-MS in South Asia. High acetaldehyde and biogenic isoprene concentrations detected even in winter in the Kathmandu Valley. Isocyanic acid, formamide, acetamide, naphthalene and nitromethane were detected for the first time in South Asian air. Oxygenated VOCs and isoprene-dominated OH reactivity and ozone production potentials (> 68 % OPP). Regulation of emissions from biomass co-fired brick kilns' by cleaner technology would improve air quality of the valley.
Peng Fei Chen, Chao Liu Li, Shi Chang Kang, Maheswar Rupakheti, Arnico K. Panday, Fang Ping Yan, Quan Lian Li, Qiang Gong Zhang, Jun Ming Guo, Dipesh Rupakheti, and Wei Luo
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2016-71, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2016-71, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
PAHs were measured at six sites along two south-north transects across the central Himalayas. The annual average PAHs and their dry deposition fluxes decreased noticeably from the south to north sides, however, a similar compostion pattern was found at three remote sites, suggesting the northern slope of the Himalayas may be affected by anthropogenic emissions form Indo-Gangetic Plain. PAHs showed a clear seasonal variation at Nepal and they were mainly form biomass and fossil combustion .
Vishnu Thilakan, Dhanyalekshmi Pillai, Jithin Sukumaran, Christoph Gerbig, Haseeb Hakkim, Vinayak Sinha, Yukio Terao, Manish Naja, and Monish Vijay Deshpande
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5315–5335, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5315-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5315-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates the usability of CO2 mixing ratio observations over India to infer regional carbon sources and sinks. We demonstrate that a high-resolution modelling system can represent the observed CO2 variations reasonably well by improving the transport and flux variations at a fine scale. Future carbon data assimilation systems can thus benefit from these recently available CO2 observations when fine-scale variations are adequately represented in the models.
Chaman Gul, Shichang Kang, Yuanjian Yang, Xinlei Ge, and Dong Guo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1144, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1144, 2024
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
Long-term variations in upper atmospheric temperature and water vapor in the selected domains of time and space are presented. The temperature during the past two decades showed a cooling trend and water vapor showed an increasing trend and had an inverse relation with temperature in selected domains of space and time. Seasonal temperature variations are distinct, with a summer minimum and a winter maximum. Our results can be an early warning indication for future climate change.
Jianzhong Xu, Xinghua Zhang, Wenhui Zhao, Lixiang Zhai, Miao Zhong, Jinsen Shi, Junying Sun, Yanmei Liu, Conghui Xie, Yulong Tan, Kemei Li, Xinlei Ge, Qi Zhang, and Shichang Kang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1875–1900, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1875-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1875-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A comprehensive aerosol observation project was carried out in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and its surroundings in recent years to investigate the properties and sources of atmospheric aerosols as well as their regional differences by performing multiple intensive field observations. The release of this dataset can provide basic and systematic data for related research in the atmospheric, cryospheric, and environmental sciences in this unique region.
Yuling Hu, Haipeng Yu, Shichang Kang, Junhua Yang, Mukesh Rai, Xiufeng Yin, Xintong Chen, and Pengfei Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 85–107, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-85-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-85-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Tibetan Plateau (TP) saw a record-breaking aerosol pollution event from April 20 to May 10, 2016. We studied the impact of aerosol–meteorology feedback on the transboundary transport flux of black carbon (BC) during this severe pollution event. It was found that the aerosol–meteorology feedback decreases the transboundary transport flux of BC from the central and western Himalayas towards the TP. This study is of great significance for the protection of the ecological environment of the TP.
Xiufeng Yin, Dipesh Rupakheti, Guoshuai Zhang, Jiali Luo, Shichang Kang, Benjamin de Foy, Junhua Yang, Zhenming Ji, Zhiyuan Cong, Maheswar Rupakheti, Ping Li, Yuling Hu, and Qianggong Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10137–10143, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10137-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10137-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The monthly mean surface ozone concentrations peaked earlier in the south in April and May and later in the north in June and July over the Tibetan Plateau. The migration of monthly surface ozone peaks was coupled with the synchronous movement of tropopause folds and the westerly jet that created conditions conducive to stratospheric ozone intrusion. Stratospheric ozone intrusion significantly contributed to surface ozone across the Tibetan Plateau.
Daniele Visioni, Ben Kravitz, Alan Robock, Simone Tilmes, Jim Haywood, Olivier Boucher, Mark Lawrence, Peter Irvine, Ulrike Niemeier, Lili Xia, Gabriel Chiodo, Chris Lennard, Shingo Watanabe, John C. Moore, and Helene Muri
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5149–5176, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5149-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5149-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Geoengineering indicates methods aiming to reduce the temperature of the planet by means of reflecting back a part of the incoming radiation before it reaches the surface or allowing more of the planetary radiation to escape into space. It aims to produce modelling experiments that are easy to reproduce and compare with different climate models, in order to understand the potential impacts of these techniques. Here we assess its past successes and failures and talk about its future.
Huiming Lin, Yindong Tong, Long Chen, Chenghao Yu, Zhaohan Chu, Qianru Zhang, Xiufeng Yin, Qianggong Zhang, Shichang Kang, Junfeng Liu, James Schauer, Benjamin de Foy, and Xuejun Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3937–3953, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3937-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3937-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Lhasa is the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau, and its atmospheric mercury concentrations represent the highest level of pollution in this region. Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species were found. Combined with the trajectory analysis, the high atmospheric mercury concentrations may have originated from external long-range transport. Local sources, especially special mercury-related sources, are important factors influencing the variability of atmospheric mercury.
Prajjwal Rawat, Manish Naja, Evan Fishbein, Pradeep K. Thapliyal, Rajesh Kumar, Piyush Bhardwaj, Aditya Jaiswal, Sugriva N. Tiwari, Sethuraman Venkataramani, and Shyam Lal
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 889–909, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-889-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-889-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Satellite-based ozone observations have gained importance due to their global coverage. However, satellite-retrieved products are indirect and need to be validated, particularly over mountains. Ozonesondes launched from a Himalayan site are used to assess the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) ozone retrieval. AIRS is shown to overestimate ozone in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, while the differences from ozonesondes are more minor in the middle troposphere and stratosphere.
Shaoyong Wang, Xiaobo He, Shichang Kang, Hui Fu, and Xiaofeng Hong
The Cryosphere, 16, 5023–5040, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5023-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5023-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study used the sine-wave exponential model and long-term water stable isotopic data to estimate water mean residence time (MRT) and its influencing factors in a high-altitude permafrost catchment (5300 m a.s.l.) in the central Tibetan Plateau (TP). MRT for stream and supra-permafrost water was estimated at 100 and 255 d, respectively. Climate and vegetation factors affected the MRT of stream and supra-permafrost water mainly by changing the thickness of the permafrost active layer.
Jizu Chen, Wentao Du, Shichang Kang, Xiang Qin, Weijun Sun, Yang Li, Yushuo Liu, Lihui Luo, and Youyan Jiang
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-179, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-179, 2022
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
This study developed a dynamic deposition model of light absorbing particles (LAPs), which coupled with a surface energy and mass balance model. Based on the coupled model, we assessed atmospheric deposited BC effect on glacier melting, and quantified global warming and increment of emitted black carbon respective contributions to current accelerated glacier melting.
Hossain Mohammed Syedul Hoque, Kengo Sudo, Hitoshi Irie, Alessandro Damiani, Manish Naja, and Al Mashroor Fatmi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12559–12589, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12559-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12559-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and formaldehyde (HCHO) are essential trace graces regulating tropospheric ozone chemistry. These trace constituents are measured using an optical passive remote sensing technique. In addition, NO2 and HCHO are simulated with a computer model and evaluated against the observations. Such evaluations are essential to assess model uncertainties and improve their predictability. The results yielded good agreement between the two datasets with some discrepancies.
Chaman Gul, Shichang Kang, Siva Praveen Puppala, Xiaokang Wu, Cenlin He, Yangyang Xu, Inka Koch, Sher Muhammad, Rajesh Kumar, and Getachew Dubache
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8725–8737, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8725-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8725-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This work aims to understand concentrations, spatial variability, and potential source regions of light-absorbing impurities (black carbon aerosols, dust particles, and organic carbon) in the surface snow of central and western Himalayan glaciers and their impact on snow albedo and radiative forcing.
Xinghua Zhang, Wenhui Zhao, Lixiang Zhai, Miao Zhong, Jinsen Shi, Junying Sun, Yanmei Liu, Conghui Xie, Yulong Tan, Kemei Li, Xinlei Ge, Qi Zhang, Shichang Kang, and Jianzhong Xu
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-211, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-211, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
A comprehensive aerosol observation project was carried out in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in recent years to investigate the properties and sources of atmospheric aerosols as well as their regional differences by performing multiple short-term intensive field observations. The real-time online high-time-resolution (hourly) data of aerosol properties in the different TP region are integrated in a new dataset and can provide supporting for related studies in in the TP.
Yongqin Liu, Pengcheng Fang, Bixi Guo, Mukan Ji, Pengfei Liu, Guannan Mao, Baiqing Xu, Shichang Kang, and Junzhi Liu
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 2303–2314, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2303-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2303-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers are an important pool of microorganisms, organic carbon, and nitrogen. This study constructed the first dataset of microbial abundance and total nitrogen in Tibetan Plateau (TP) glaciers and the first dataset of dissolved organic carbon in ice cores on the TP. These new data could provide valuable information for research on the glacier carbon and nitrogen cycle and help in assessing the potential impacts of glacier retreat due to global warming on downstream ecosystems.
Mukesh Rai, Shichang Kang, Junhua Yang, Maheswar Rupakheti, Dipesh Rupakheti, Lekhendra Tripathee, Yuling Hu, and Xintong Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-199, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-199, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Our study revealed distinctive seasonality with the maximum and minimum aerosol concentrations during the winter and summer seasons respectively. However, interestingly summer high (AOD > 0.8) was observed over South Asia. The highest aerosols are laden over South Asia and East China within 1–2 km, however, aerosol overshooting found up to 10 km due to the deep convection process. Whereas, integrated aerosol transport for OC during spring was found to be 5 times higher than the annual mean.
Huiming Lin, Yindong Tong, Chenghao Yu, Long Chen, Xiufeng Yin, Qianggong Zhang, Shichang Kang, Lun Luo, James Schauer, Benjamin de Foy, and Xuejun Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2651–2668, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2651-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2651-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Tibetan Plateau is known as
The Third Poleand is generally considered to be a clean area owing to its high altitude. However, it may receive be impacted by air pollutants transported from the Indian subcontinent. Pollutants generally enter the Tibetan Plateau in several ways. Among them is the Yarlung Zangbu–Brahmaputra Grand Canyon. In this study, we identified the influence of the Indian summer monsoon on the origin, transport, and behavior of mercury in this area.
Shichang Kang, Yulan Zhang, Pengfei Chen, Junming Guo, Qianggong Zhang, Zhiyuan Cong, Susan Kaspari, Lekhendra Tripathee, Tanguang Gao, Hewen Niu, Xinyue Zhong, Xintong Chen, Zhaofu Hu, Xiaofei Li, Yang Li, Bigyan Neupane, Fangping Yan, Dipesh Rupakheti, Chaman Gul, Wei Zhang, Guangming Wu, Ling Yang, Zhaoqing Wang, and Chaoliu Li
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 683–707, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-683-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-683-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Tibetan Plateau is important to the Earth’s climate. However, systematically observed data here are scarce. To perform more integrated and in-depth investigations of the origins and distributions of atmospheric pollutants and their impacts on cryospheric change, systematic data of black carbon and organic carbon from the atmosphere, glaciers, snow cover, precipitation, and lake sediment cores over the plateau based on the Atmospheric Pollution and Cryospheric Change program are provided.
Jinlei Chen, Shichang Kang, Wentao Du, Junming Guo, Min Xu, Yulan Zhang, Xinyue Zhong, Wei Zhang, and Jizu Chen
The Cryosphere, 15, 5473–5482, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5473-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5473-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Sea ice is retreating with rapid warming in the Arctic. It will continue and approach the worst predicted pathway released by the IPCC. The irreversible tipping point might show around 2060 when the oldest ice will have completely disappeared. It has a huge impact on human production. Ordinary merchant ships will be able to pass the Northeast Passage and Northwest Passage by the midcentury, and the opening time will advance to the next 10 years for icebreakers with moderate ice strengthening.
Shohei Nomura, Manish Naja, M. Kawser Ahmed, Hitoshi Mukai, Yukio Terao, Toshinobu Machida, Motoki Sasakawa, and Prabir K. Patra
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16427–16452, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16427-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16427-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Long-term measurements of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in India and Bangladesh unveiled specific characteristics in their variations in these regions. Plants including rice cultivated in winter and summer strongly affected seasonal variations and levels in CO2 and CH4. Long-term variability of GHGs showed quite different features in their growth rates from those in Mauna Loa. GHG trends in this region seemed to be hardly affected by El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
Yongkang Xue, Tandong Yao, Aaron A. Boone, Ismaila Diallo, Ye Liu, Xubin Zeng, William K. M. Lau, Shiori Sugimoto, Qi Tang, Xiaoduo Pan, Peter J. van Oevelen, Daniel Klocke, Myung-Seo Koo, Tomonori Sato, Zhaohui Lin, Yuhei Takaya, Constantin Ardilouze, Stefano Materia, Subodh K. Saha, Retish Senan, Tetsu Nakamura, Hailan Wang, Jing Yang, Hongliang Zhang, Mei Zhao, Xin-Zhong Liang, J. David Neelin, Frederic Vitart, Xin Li, Ping Zhao, Chunxiang Shi, Weidong Guo, Jianping Tang, Miao Yu, Yun Qian, Samuel S. P. Shen, Yang Zhang, Kun Yang, Ruby Leung, Yuan Qiu, Daniele Peano, Xin Qi, Yanling Zhan, Michael A. Brunke, Sin Chan Chou, Michael Ek, Tianyi Fan, Hong Guan, Hai Lin, Shunlin Liang, Helin Wei, Shaocheng Xie, Haoran Xu, Weiping Li, Xueli Shi, Paulo Nobre, Yan Pan, Yi Qin, Jeff Dozier, Craig R. Ferguson, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Qing Bao, Jinming Feng, Jinkyu Hong, Songyou Hong, Huilin Huang, Duoying Ji, Zhenming Ji, Shichang Kang, Yanluan Lin, Weiguang Liu, Ryan Muncaster, Patricia de Rosnay, Hiroshi G. Takahashi, Guiling Wang, Shuyu Wang, Weicai Wang, Xu Zhou, and Yuejian Zhu
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 4465–4494, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4465-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4465-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The subseasonal prediction of extreme hydroclimate events such as droughts/floods has remained stubbornly low for years. This paper presents a new international initiative which, for the first time, introduces spring land surface temperature anomalies over high mountains to improve precipitation prediction through remote effects of land–atmosphere interactions. More than 40 institutions worldwide are participating in this effort. The experimental protocol and preliminary results are presented.
Youwen Sun, Hao Yin, Yuan Cheng, Qianggong Zhang, Bo Zheng, Justus Notholt, Xiao Lu, Cheng Liu, Yuan Tian, and Jianguo Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9201–9222, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9201-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9201-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We quantified the variability, source, and transport of urban CO over the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau (HTP) by using measurement, model simulation, and the analysis of meteorological fields. Urban CO over the HTP is dominated by anthropogenic and biomass burning emissions from local, South Asia and East Asia, and oxidation sources. The decreasing trends in surface CO since 2015 in most cities over the HTP are attributed to the reduction in local and transported CO emissions in recent years.
Kun Wang, Shohei Hattori, Mang Lin, Sakiko Ishino, Becky Alexander, Kazuki Kamezaki, Naohiro Yoshida, and Shichang Kang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8357–8376, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8357-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8357-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Sulfate aerosols play an important climatic role and exert adverse effects on the ecological environment and human health. In this study, we present the triple oxygen isotopic composition of sulfate from the Mt. Everest region, southern Tibetan Plateau, and decipher the formation mechanisms of atmospheric sulfate in this pristine environment. The results indicate the important role of the S(IV) + O3 pathway in atmospheric sulfate formation promoted by conditions of high cloud water pH.
Teresa Jorge, Simone Brunamonti, Yann Poltera, Frank G. Wienhold, Bei P. Luo, Peter Oelsner, Sreeharsha Hanumanthu, Bhupendra B. Singh, Susanne Körner, Ruud Dirksen, Manish Naja, Suvarna Fadnavis, and Thomas Peter
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 239–268, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-239-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-239-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Balloon-borne frost point hygrometers are crucial for the monitoring of water vapour in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. We found that when traversing a mixed-phase cloud with big supercooled droplets, the intake tube of the instrument collects on its inner surface a high percentage of these droplets. The newly formed ice layer will sublimate at higher levels and contaminate the measurement. The balloon is also a source of contamination, but only at higher levels during the ascent.
Sreeharsha Hanumanthu, Bärbel Vogel, Rolf Müller, Simone Brunamonti, Suvarna Fadnavis, Dan Li, Peter Ölsner, Manish Naja, Bhupendra Bahadur Singh, Kunchala Ravi Kumar, Sunil Sonbawne, Hannu Jauhiainen, Holger Vömel, Beiping Luo, Teresa Jorge, Frank G. Wienhold, Ruud Dirkson, and Thomas Peter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14273–14302, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14273-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14273-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
During boreal summer, anthropogenic sources yield the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL), found in Asia between about 13 and 18 km altitude. Balloon-borne measurements of the ATAL conducted in northern India in 2016 show the strong variability of the ATAL. To explain its observed variability, model simulations are performed to deduce the origin of air masses on the Earth's surface, which is important to develop recommendations for regulations of anthropogenic surface emissions of the ATAL.
Shuang Yi, Chunqiao Song, Kosuke Heki, Shichang Kang, Qiuyu Wang, and Le Chang
The Cryosphere, 14, 2267–2281, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2267-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2267-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
High-Asia glaciers have been observed to be retreating the fastest in the southeastern Tibeten Plateau, where vast amounts of glacier and snow feed the streamflow of the Brahmaputra. Here, we provide the first monthly glacier and snow mass balance during 2002–2017 based on satellite gravimetry. The results confirm previous long-term decreases but reveal strong seasonal variations. This work helps resolve previous divergent model estimates and underlines the importance of meltwater.
Meixin Zhang, Chun Zhao, Zhiyuan Cong, Qiuyan Du, Mingyue Xu, Yu Chen, Ming Chen, Rui Li, Yunfei Fu, Lei Zhong, Shichang Kang, Delong Zhao, and Yan Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 5923–5943, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-5923-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-5923-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Analysis of multiple numerical experiments over the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau (TP) shows that the complex topography results in 50 % stronger overall cross-Himalayan transport during the pre-monsoon season primarily due to the strengthened efficiency of near-surface meridional transport towards the TP, enhanced wind speed in some valleys and deeper valley channels associated with larger transported BC mass volume, which leads to 30–50 % stronger BC radiative heating over the TP.
August Andersson, Elena N. Kirillova, Stefano Decesari, Langley DeWitt, Jimmy Gasore, Katherine E. Potter, Ronald G. Prinn, Maheswar Rupakheti, Jean de Dieu Ndikubwimana, Julius Nkusi, and Bonfils Safari
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 4561–4573, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-4561-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-4561-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Large-scale biomass burning events seasonally cover sub-Saharan Africa with air particles. In this study, we find that the concentrations of these particles at a remote mountain site in Rwanda may increase by a factor of 10 during such dry biomass burning periods, with strong implications for the regional climate and human health. These results provide quantitative constraints that could contribute to reducing the large uncertainties regarding the environmental impact of these fires.
Md. Robiul Islam, Thilina Jayarathne, Isobel J. Simpson, Benjamin Werden, John Maben, Ashley Gilbert, Puppala S. Praveen, Sagar Adhikari, Arnico K. Panday, Maheswar Rupakheti, Donald R. Blake, Robert J. Yokelson, Peter F. DeCarlo, William C. Keene, and Elizabeth A. Stone
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 2927–2951, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2927-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2927-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The Kathmandu Valley experiences high levels of air pollution. In this study, atmospheric gases and particulate matter were characterized by online and off-line measurements, with an emphasis on understanding their sources. The major sources of particulate matter and trace gases were identified as garbage burning, biomass burning, and vehicles. The majority of secondary organic aerosol was attributed to anthropogenic precursors, while a minority was attributed to biogenic gases.
Pankaj Sadavarte, Maheswar Rupakheti, Prakash Bhave, Kiran Shakya, and Mark Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 12953–12973, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-12953-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-12953-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Emission inventory studies are an important regulatory tool for quantifying the amount of pollutants released in the atmosphere using the fuel consumption and emission rates for different fuels. This study developed an emission inventory over Nepal for 2001–2016 that reveals the changing fuel consumption and subsequently the pollution across different sectors of industrial, transport, agricultural, commercial and residential uses with the use of spatial distribution of anthropogenic activities.
Min Zhong, Eri Saikawa, Alexander Avramov, Chen Chen, Boya Sun, Wenlu Ye, William C. Keene, Robert J. Yokelson, Thilina Jayarathne, Elizabeth A. Stone, Maheswar Rupakheti, and Arnico K. Panday
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 8209–8228, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8209-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8209-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Air pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues in the Kathmandu Valley, the capital city of Nepal. We estimated emissions from two of the major source types in the valley (vehicles and brick kilns) and found that they have significant impacts on air quality surrounding the valley. Our results highlight the importance of improving local emissions estimates for air quality modeling.
Xinghua Zhang, Jianzhong Xu, Shichang Kang, Qi Zhang, and Junying Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 7897–7911, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7897-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7897-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Highly time resolved chemistry and sources of PM1 were measured by an Aerodyne HR-ToF-AMS at Waliguan Baseline Observatory, a high-altitude background station at the northeastern edge of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), during summer 2017. Relatively higher mass concentration of PM1 and dominant sulfate contribution were observed in this site compared to those at other high-elevation sites in the southern or central QTP, indicating the different aerosol sources between them.
Xin Wan, Shichang Kang, Maheswar Rupakheti, Qianggong Zhang, Lekhendra Tripathee, Junming Guo, Pengfei Chen, Dipesh Rupakheti, Arnico K. Panday, Mark G. Lawrence, Kimitaka Kawamura, and Zhiyuan Cong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 2725–2747, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2725-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2725-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The sources of primary and secondary aerosols in the Hindu Kush–Himalayan–Tibetan Plateau region are not well known. Organic molecular tracers are useful for aerosol source apportionment. The characterization of molecular tracers were first systemically investigated and the contribution from primary and secondary sources to carbonaceous aerosols was estimated in the Kathmandu Valley. Our results demonstrate that biomass burning contributed a significant fraction to OC in the Kathmandu Valley.
H. Langley DeWitt, Jimmy Gasore, Maheswar Rupakheti, Katherine E. Potter, Ronald G. Prinn, Jean de Dieu Ndikubwimana, Julius Nkusi, and Bonfils Safari
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 2063–2078, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2063-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2063-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Air quality in rapidly developing East Africa is a growing but understudied concern. We analyzed long-term black carbon, carbon monoxide, and ozone measurements from the remote Rwanda Climate Observatory and found that seasonal regional biomass burning raised black carbon levels to above-urban concentrations 6 months out of the year. Additional local pollution could exacerbate this issue. More regional monitoring needs to be done to understand and reduce air pollution in this region.
Huiming Lin, Yindong Tong, Xiufeng Yin, Qianggong Zhang, Hui Zhang, Haoran Zhang, Long Chen, Shichang Kang, Wei Zhang, James Schauer, Benjamin de Foy, Xiaoge Bu, and Xuejun Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 1373–1391, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1373-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1373-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Located in the world's
third Poleand a remote region connecting the Indian and Eurasian plates, Qomolangma National Nature Preserve is an ideal region to study the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants. Covering both the pre-Indian summer monsoon and Indian summer monsoon periods, our measurement and modeling results have addressed the need for more specific identification of Hg sources in this area and the importance of international cooperation regarding global mercury controls.
Yanqing An, Jianzhong Xu, Lin Feng, Xinghua Zhang, Yanmei Liu, Shichang Kang, Bin Jiang, and Yuhong Liao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 1115–1128, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1115-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-1115-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Detailed molecular chemical composition of water-soluble organic matter in the Himalayas was characterized by positive electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry for the first time. Many products formed from biogenic volatile organic compounds and biomass-burning-emitted compounds were found in the organic compounds, suggesting the important contribution of these two sources in the Himalayas.
Ashish Singh, Khadak S. Mahata, Maheswar Rupakheti, Wolfgang Junkermann, Arnico K. Panday, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 245–258, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-245-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-245-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This paper reports the first airborne measurement campaign in the central Himalayan foothill region, one of the polluted but relatively poorly sampled regions of the world. The measurement campaign quantifies the vertical distribution of aerosols over a polluted mountain valley in the Himalayan foothills and investigates the extent of regional emission transport.
Zhiwen Dong, Shichang Kang, Dahe Qin, Yaping Shao, Sven Ulbrich, and Xiang Qin
The Cryosphere, 12, 3877–3890, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3877-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3877-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This study aimed to provide a first and unique record of physicochemical properties and mixing states of LAPs at the glacier and atmosphere interface over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau to determine the individual LAPs' structure aging and mixing state changes through the atmospheric deposition process from atmosphere to glacier–snowpack surface, thereby helping to characterize the LAPs' radiative forcing and climate effects in the cryosphere region.
Simone Brunamonti, Teresa Jorge, Peter Oelsner, Sreeharsha Hanumanthu, Bhupendra B. Singh, K. Ravi Kumar, Sunil Sonbawne, Susanne Meier, Deepak Singh, Frank G. Wienhold, Bei Ping Luo, Maxi Boettcher, Yann Poltera, Hannu Jauhiainen, Rijan Kayastha, Jagadishwor Karmacharya, Ruud Dirksen, Manish Naja, Markus Rex, Suvarna Fadnavis, and Thomas Peter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 15937–15957, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15937-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15937-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Based on balloon-borne measurements performed in India and Nepal in 2016–2017, we infer the vertical distributions of water vapor, ozone and aerosols in the atmosphere, from the surface to 30 km altitude. Our measurements show that the atmospheric dynamics of the Asian summer monsoon system over the polluted Indian subcontinent lead to increased concentrations of water vapor and aerosols in the high atmosphere (approximately 14–20 km altitude), which can have an important effect on climate.
J. Douglas Goetz, Michael R. Giordano, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Ted J. Christian, Rashmi Maharjan, Sagar Adhikari, Prakash V. Bhave, Puppala S. Praveen, Arnico K. Panday, Thilina Jayarathne, Elizabeth A. Stone, Robert J. Yokelson, and Peter F. DeCarlo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 14653–14679, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-14653-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-14653-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Size distributions and emission factors of submicron aerosol were quantified using online techniques for a variety of common but under-sampled combustion sources in South Asia: wood and dung cooking fires, groundwater pumps, brick kilns, trash burning, and open burning of crop residues. Optical properties (brown carbon light absorption and the absorption Ångström exponent, AAE) of the emissions were also investigated. Contextual comparisons to the literature and other NAMaSTE results were made.
Khadak Singh Mahata, Maheswar Rupakheti, Arnico Kumar Panday, Piyush Bhardwaj, Manish Naja, Ashish Singh, Andrea Mues, Paolo Cristofanelli, Deepak Pudasainee, Paolo Bonasoni, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 14113–14132, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-14113-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-14113-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents the first-time simultaneous measurement of CO and O3 at multiple sites in the Kathmandu Valley bottom, its mountain rim and a river outlet, providing their spatial, temporal and seasonal–diurnal variations. Our study reveals that high O3, especially during premonsoon, in observed sites is of high concern for human health and ecosystems in the region. We also estimated CO emission flux to be 2–14 times higher than widely used emission databases (EDGAR HTAP, REAS and INTEX-B).
Zhiyuan Cong, Shaopeng Gao, Wancang Zhao, Xin Wang, Guangming Wu, Yulan Zhang, Shichang Kang, Yongqin Liu, and Junfeng Ji
The Cryosphere, 12, 3177–3186, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3177-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3177-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Cryoconites from glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding area were studied for iron oxides. We found that goethite is the predominant iron oxide form. Using the abundance, speciation and optical properties of iron oxides, the total light absorption was quantitatively attributed to goethite, hematite, black carbon and organic matter. Such findings are essential to understand the relative significance of anthropogenic and natural impacts.
Xintong Chen, Shichang Kang, Zhiyuan Cong, Junhua Yang, and Yaoming Ma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 12859–12875, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12859-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12859-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
To understand the impact of transboundary atmospheric black carbon on the Mt. Everest region and depict the transport pathways in different spatiotemporal scales, we first investigated the concentration level, temporal variation, and sources of black carbon based on high-resolution (2-year) measurements at Qomolangma (Mt. Everest) Station (4276 m a.s.l.). Next, the WRF-Chem simulations were used to reveal the transport mechanisms of black carbon from southern Asia to the Mt. Everest region.
Piyush Bhardwaj, Manish Naja, Maheswar Rupakheti, Aurelia Lupascu, Andrea Mues, Arnico Kumar Panday, Rajesh Kumar, Khadak Singh Mahata, Shyam Lal, Harish C. Chandola, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 11949–11971, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11949-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11949-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This study provides information about the regional variabilities in some of the pollutants using observations in Nepal and India. It is shown that agricultural crop residue burning leads to a significant enhancement in ozone and CO over a wider region. Further, the wintertime higher ozone levels are shown to be largely due to local emissions, while regional transport could be important in spring and hence shows the role of regional sources versus local sources in the Kathmandu Valley.
Cenlin He, Mark G. Flanner, Fei Chen, Michael Barlage, Kuo-Nan Liou, Shichang Kang, Jing Ming, and Yun Qian
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 11507–11527, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11507-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11507-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Snow albedo plays a key role in the Earth and climate system. It can be affected by impurities and snow properties. This study implements new parameterizations into a widely used snow model to account for effects of snow shape and black carbon–snow mixing state on snow albedo reduction in the Tibetan Plateau. This study points toward an imperative need for extensive measurements and improved model characterization of snow grain shape and aerosol–snow mixing state in Tibet and elsewhere.
Xiufeng Yin, Shichang Kang, Benjamin de Foy, Yaoming Ma, Yindong Tong, Wei Zhang, Xuejun Wang, Guoshuai Zhang, and Qianggong Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 10557–10574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-10557-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-10557-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Total gaseous mercury concentrations were measured at Nam Co Station on the inland Tibetan Plateau for ~ 3 years. The mean concentration of TGM during the entire monitoring period was 1.33 ± 0.24 ngm-3, ranking it the lowest in China and indicating the pristine atmospheric environment of the inland Tibetan Plateau. Variation of TGM at Nam Co was affected by regional surface reemission, vertical mixing and long-range transported atmospheric mercury, which was associated with the Indian monsoon.
Erika von Schneidemesser, Boris Bonn, Tim M. Butler, Christian Ehlers, Holger Gerwig, Hannele Hakola, Heidi Hellén, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Dieter Klemp, Claudia Kofahl, Jürgen Kura, Anja Lüdecke, Rainer Nothard, Axel Pietsch, Jörn Quedenau, Klaus Schäfer, James J. Schauer, Ashish Singh, Ana-Maria Villalobos, Matthias Wiegner, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 8621–8645, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8621-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8621-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides an overview of the measurements done at an urban background site in Berlin from June-August of 2014. Results show that natural source contributions to ozone and particulate matter (PM) air pollutants are substantial. Large contributions of secondary aerosols formed in the atmosphere to PM10 concentrations were quantified. An analysis of the sources also identified contributions to PM from plant-based sources, vehicles, and a small contribution from wood burning.
Andrea Mues, Axel Lauer, Aurelia Lupascu, Maheswar Rupakheti, Friderike Kuik, and Mark G. Lawrence
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 2067–2091, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2067-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2067-2018, 2018
Hewen Niu, Shichang Kang, Hailong Wang, Rudong Zhang, Xixi Lu, Yun Qian, Rukumesh Paudyal, Shijin Wang, Xiaofei Shi, and Xingguo Yan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6441–6460, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6441-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6441-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Deposition of light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosol on the surface of glaciers can greatly alter the energy fluxes of glaciers. Two years of continuous observations of carbonaceous aerosols in a glacierized region are analyzed. We mainly studied the light absorption properties of carbonaceous aerosol and have employed a global aerosol–climate model to estimate source attributions of atmospheric black carbon.
D. Rupakheti, S. Kang, Z. Cong, M. Rupakheti, L. Tripathee, A. K. Panday, and B. Holben
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-3, 1493–1497, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-1493-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-1493-2018, 2018
Chaman Gul, Siva Praveen Puppala, Shichang Kang, Bhupesh Adhikary, Yulan Zhang, Shaukat Ali, Yang Li, and Xiaofei Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 4981–5000, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4981-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4981-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Snow and ice samples were collected from six glaciers and multiple mountain valleys from northern Pakistan. Samples were analyzed for black carbon and water-insoluble organic carbon. Relatively high concentrations of black carbon, organic carbon, and dust were reported. Snow albedo and radiative forcing were estimated for the snow samples. Possible source regions of pollutants were identified through various techniques.
Xinghua Zhang, Jianzhong Xu, Shichang Kang, Yanmei Liu, and Qi Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 4617–4638, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4617-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4617-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Highly time and chemically resolved submicron aerosol properties were characterized online for the first time in a high-altitude site (Qomolangma station, 4276 m a.s.l.) in the northern Himalayas by using the Aerodyne HR-ToF-AMS. Biomass burning plumes were frequently observed and the dynamic processes (emissions, transport, and chemical processing) were characterized. The source and chemical composition of organic aerosol were further elucidated using positive matrix factorization analysis.
Haipeng Wang, Jianhui Chen, Shengda Zhang, David D. Zhang, Zongli Wang, Qinghai Xu, Shengqian Chen, Shijin Wang, Shichang Kang, and Fahu Chen
Clim. Past, 14, 383–396, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-14-383-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-14-383-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The chironomid-inferred temperature record from Gonghai Lake exhibits a stepwise decreasing trend since 4 ka. A cold event in the Era of Disunity, the Sui-Tang Warm Period, the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age can all be recognized in our record, as well as in many other temperature reconstructions in China. Local wars in Shanxi Province, documented in the historical literature during the past 2700 years, are statistically significantly correlated with changes in temperature.
Thilina Jayarathne, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Prakash V. Bhave, Puppala S. Praveen, Chathurika M. Rathnayake, Md. Robiul Islam, Arnico K. Panday, Sagar Adhikari, Rashmi Maharjan, J. Douglas Goetz, Peter F. DeCarlo, Eri Saikawa, Robert J. Yokelson, and Elizabeth A. Stone
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 2259–2286, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-2259-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-2259-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Emissions of fine particulate matter and its constituents were quantified for a variety of under-sampled combustion sources in South Asia: wood and dung cooking fires, generators, groundwater pumps, brick kilns, trash burning, and open burning of biomasses. Garbage burning and three-stone cooking fires were among the highest emitters, while servicing of motor vehicles significantly reduced PM. These data may be used in source apportionment and to update regional and global emission inventories.
Yulan Zhang, Shichang Kang, Michael Sprenger, Zhiyuan Cong, Tanguang Gao, Chaoliu Li, Shu Tao, Xiaofei Li, Xinyue Zhong, Min Xu, Wenjun Meng, Bigyan Neupane, Xiang Qin, and Mika Sillanpää
The Cryosphere, 12, 413–431, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-413-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-413-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Light-absorbing impurities deposited on snow can reduce surface albedo and contribute to the near-worldwide melting of snowpack and ice. This study focused on the black carbon and mineral dust in snow cover on the Tibetan Plateau. We discussed their concentrations, distributions, possible sources, and albedo reduction and radiative forcing. Findings indicated that the impacts of black carbon and mineral dust need to be properly accounted for in future regional climate projections.
Shradda Dhungel, Bhogendra Kathayat, Khadak Mahata, and Arnico Panday
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 1203–1216, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-1203-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-1203-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We analyze seasonal and diurnal concentrations of black carbon (BC), ozone, and associated meteorological conditions within a remote trans-Himalayan valley in western Nepal. We observe elevated BC concentrations during non-monsoon seasons, frequent and persistent episodes of higher-than-average concentrations, and net up-valley fluxes throughout the year. The findings provide direct observational evidence of trans-Himalayan valleys serving as vital pollutant transport pathways.
Xinyue Zhong, Tingjun Zhang, Shichang Kang, Kang Wang, Lei Zheng, Yuantao Hu, and Huijuan Wang
The Cryosphere, 12, 227–245, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-227-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-227-2018, 2018
Jianzhong Xu, Qi Zhang, Jinsen Shi, Xinlei Ge, Conghui Xie, Junfeng Wang, Shichang Kang, Ruixiong Zhang, and Yuhang Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 427–443, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-427-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-427-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This manuscript presents results from a comprehensive field study using an HR-AMS coupled with a suite of other instruments in central Tibetan Plateau. The study discusses the chemical composition, sources, and processes of submicron aerosol during the transition from pre-monsoon to monsoon. Organic aerosol was overall highly oxidized during the entire study with higher O / C ratios during the pre-monsoon period. Sensitivity of air pollution transport with synoptic process was also evaluated.
Lin Feng, Yanqing An, Jianzhong Xu, Shichang Kang, Xiaofei Li, Yongqiang Zhou, Yunlin Zhang, Bin Jiang, and Yuhong Liao
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-507, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-507, 2017
Revised manuscript not accepted
Khadak Singh Mahata, Arnico Kumar Panday, Maheswar Rupakheti, Ashish Singh, Manish Naja, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 12573–12596, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12573-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12573-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The paper provides an overview of CH4, CO2, and CO mixing ratios, including diurnal and seasonal variation, and discusses the association of potential sources and meteorology with the observed temporal variation in the Kathmandu Valley. The study will provide an important dataset for a poorly studied region and will be useful for validating estimates from emission inventories, regional models, and satellite observations and assisting in the design of mitigation measures in the region.
Chaeyoon Cho, Sang-Woo Kim, Maheswar Rupakheti, Jin-Soo Park, Arnico Panday, Soon-Chang Yoon, Ji-Hyoung Kim, Hyunjae Kim, Haeun Jeon, Minyoung Sung, Bong Mann Kim, Seungkyu K. Hong, Rokjin J. Park, Dipesh Rupakheti, Khadak Singh Mahata, Puppala Siva Praveen, Mark G. Lawrence, and Brent Holben
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 12617–12632, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12617-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12617-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the optical and chemical properties and direct radiative effects of aerosols in the Kathmandu Valley. We concluded that the ratio of light-absorbing to scattering aerosols as well as the concentration of light-absorbing aerosols is much higher at Kathmandu than other comparable regions, and it contributes to a great atmospheric absorption efficiency. This study provides unprecedented insights into aerosol optical properties and their radiative forcings in the Kathmandu Valley.
Chaoliu Li, Fangping Yan, Shichang Kang, Pengfei Chen, Xiaowen Han, Zhaofu Hu, Guoshuai Zhang, Ye Hong, Shaopeng Gao, Bin Qu, Zhejing Zhu, Jiwei Li, Bing Chen, and Mika Sillanpää
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 11899–11912, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11899-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11899-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we found, due to contribution of carbonates, previously reported BC concentration in atmosphere of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau (HTP) were overestimated by around 39–52 %. Meanwhile, we found BC deposition of lake cores overestimated the atmospheric deposition of BC in the HTP; BC depositions of glacier region reflected actual values of 17.9 ± 5.3 mg m−2 a−1. The above results are critical for studying atmospheric distribution and chemical transport of BC in and around the HTP.
Xiufeng Yin, Shichang Kang, Benjamin de Foy, Zhiyuan Cong, Jiali Luo, Lang Zhang, Yaoming Ma, Guoshuai Zhang, Dipesh Rupakheti, and Qianggong Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 11293–11311, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11293-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11293-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We presented 5-year surface ozone measurements at Nam Co in the inland Tibetan Plateau and made a synthesis comparison of diurnal and seasonal patterns on regional and hemispheric scales. Surface ozone at Nam Co is mainly dominated by natural processes and is less influenced by stratospheric intrusions and human activities than on the rim of the Tibetan Plateau. Ozone at Nam Co is representative of background that is valuable for studying ozone-related effects on large scales.
Heiko Bozem, Tim M. Butler, Mark G. Lawrence, Hartwig Harder, Monica Martinez, Dagmar Kubistin, Jos Lelieveld, and Horst Fischer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 10565–10582, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-10565-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-10565-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We present airborne measurements and model simulations in the tropics and mid-latitudes during GABRIEL and HOOVER, respectively. Based only on in situ data net ozone formation/destruction tendencies (NOPR) are calculated and compared to a 3-D chemistry transport model. The NOPR is positive in the continental boundary layer and the upper troposphere above 6 km. In the marine boundary layer and the middle troposphere ozone destruction prevails. Fresh convection shows strong net ozone formation.
Xin Wan, Shichang Kang, Quanlian Li, Dipesh Rupakheti, Qianggong Zhang, Junming Guo, Pengfei Chen, Lekhendra Tripathee, Maheswar Rupakheti, Arnico K. Panday, Wu Wang, Kimitaka Kawamura, Shaopeng Gao, Guangming Wu, and Zhiyuan Cong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 8867–8885, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8867-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8867-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Biomass burning (BB) tracers in the aerosols in Lumbini, northern IGP, were studied for the first time. The levoglucosan was the predominant tracer and BB significantly contributed to the air quality in Lumbini. Mixed crop residues and hardwood were main burning materials. BB emissions constituted large fraction of OC, especially during the post-monsoon season. The sources of BB aerosols in Lumbini varies seasonally due to the influence of local emissions and long-range transport.
Andrea Mues, Maheswar Rupakheti, Christoph Münkel, Axel Lauer, Heiko Bozem, Peter Hoor, Tim Butler, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 8157–8176, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8157-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8157-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Ceilometer measurements taken in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, were used to study the temporal and spatial evolution of the mixing layer height in the valley. This provides important information on the vertical structure of the atmosphere and can thus also help to understand the mixing of air pollutants (e.g. black carbon) in the valley. The seasonal and diurnal cycles of the mixing layer were found to be highly dependent on meteorology and mainly anticorrelated to black carbon concentrations.
Chinmoy Sarkar, Vinayak Sinha, Baerbel Sinha, Arnico K. Panday, Maheswar Rupakheti, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 8129–8156, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8129-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8129-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
This study provides quantitative information regarding the source contributions of the major non-methane volatile organic compound sources in the Kathmandu Valley. Combining high-resolution in situ NMVOC data and model analyses, we show that REAS v2.1 and EDGAR v4.2 emission inventories underestimate the contribution of traffic and do not take the contribution of brick kilns into account. Furthermore, REAS v2.1 overestimates the contribution of residential biofuel use and industries.
Kabindra M. Shakya, Maheswar Rupakheti, Anima Shahi, Rejina Maskey, Bidya Pradhan, Arnico Panday, Siva P. Puppala, Mark Lawrence, and Richard E. Peltier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 6503–6516, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-6503-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-6503-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Particulate matter levels were monitored at six major roadway intersections in the Kathmandu Valley during two seasons in 2014. The study documented distinct seasonal (dry season versus wet season) and diel variations in particulate matter levels. This study suggests traffic-related emissions, and soil–dust–construction materials were found to be a major source of particulate matter at these locations.
Sujan Shrestha, Siva Praveen Puppala, Bhupesh Adhikary, Kundan Lal Shrestha, and Arnico K. Panday
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2017-287, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2017-287, 2017
Revised manuscript not accepted
Bin Liu, Zhiyuan Cong, Yuesi Wang, Jinyuan Xin, Xin Wan, Yuepeng Pan, Zirui Liu, Yonghong Wang, Guoshuai Zhang, Zhongyan Wang, Yongjie Wang, and Shichang Kang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 449–463, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-449-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-449-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The first observation net of background atmospheric aerosols of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau were conducted in 2011–2013, and the aerosol mass loadings were especially illustrated in this paper. Consequently, these terrestrial aerosol masses were strongly ecosystem-dependent, with various seasonality and diurnal cycles at these sites. These findings implicate that regional characteristics and fine-particle emissions need to be treated sensitively when assessing their climatic effects.
Jianzhong Xu, Jinsen Shi, Qi Zhang, Xinlei Ge, Francesco Canonaco, André S. H. Prévôt, Matthias Vonwiller, Sönke Szidat, Jinming Ge, Jianmin Ma, Yanqing An, Shichang Kang, and Dahe Qin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 14937–14957, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14937-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14937-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
This study deployed an AMS field study in Lanzhou, a city in northwestern China, evaluating the chemical composition, sources, and processes of urban aerosols during wintertime. In comparison with the results during summer in Lanzhou, the air pollution during winter was more severe and the sources were more complex. In addition, this paper estimates the contributions of fossil and non-fossil sources of organic carbon to primary and secondary organic carbon using the carbon isotopic method.
Fangping Yan, Shichang Kang, Chaoliu Li, Yulan Zhang, Xiang Qin, Yang Li, Xiaopeng Zhang, Zhaofu Hu, Pengfei Chen, Xiaofei Li, Bin Qu, and Mika Sillanpää
The Cryosphere, 10, 2611–2621, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2611-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2611-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
DOC release of Laohugou Glacier No. 12 was 192 kg km−2 yr−1, of which 43.2 % could be decomposed and return to atmosphere as CO2 within 28 days, producing positive feedback in the warming process and influencing downstream ecosystems. Radiative forcing of snow pit DOC was calculated to be 0.43 W m−2, accounting for about 10 % of the radiative forcing caused by BC. Therefore, DOC is also a light-absorbing agent in glacierized regions, influencing the albedo of glacier surface and glacier melting.
Chelsea E. Stockwell, Ted J. Christian, J. Douglas Goetz, Thilina Jayarathne, Prakash V. Bhave, Puppala S. Praveen, Sagar Adhikari, Rashmi Maharjan, Peter F. DeCarlo, Elizabeth A. Stone, Eri Saikawa, Donald R. Blake, Isobel J. Simpson, Robert J. Yokelson, and Arnico K. Panday
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 11043–11081, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-11043-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-11043-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first, or rare, field measurements in South Asia of emission factors for up to 80 gases (pollutants, greenhouse gases, and precursors) and black carbon and aerosol optical properties at 405 and 870 nm for many previously under-sampled sources that are important in developing countries such as cooking with dung and wood, garbage and crop residue burning, brick kilns, motorcycles, generators and pumps, etc. Brown carbon contributes significantly to total aerosol absorption.
Boris Bonn, Erika von Schneidemesser, Dorota Andrich, Jörn Quedenau, Holger Gerwig, Anja Lüdecke, Jürgen Kura, Axel Pietsch, Christian Ehlers, Dieter Klemp, Claudia Kofahl, Rainer Nothard, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Wolfgang Junkermann, Rüdiger Grote, Tobias Pohl, Konradin Weber, Birgit Lode, Philipp Schönberger, Galina Churkina, Tim M. Butler, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 7785–7811, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7785-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7785-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The distribution of air pollutants (gases and particles) have been investigated in different environments in Potsdam, Germany. Remarkable variations of the pollutants have been observed for distances of tens of meters by bicycles, vans and aircraft. Vegetated areas caused reductions depending on the pollutants, the vegetation type and dimensions. Our measurements show the pollutants to be of predominantly local origin, resulting in a huge challenge for common models to resolve.
Shengyun Chen, Wenjie Liu, Qian Zhao, Lin Zhao, Qingbai Wu, Xingjie Lu, Shichang Kang, Xiang Qin, Shilong Chen, Jiawen Ren, and Dahe Qin
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2016-80, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2016-80, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Experimental warming was manipulated using open top chambers in alpine grassland ecosystem in the permafrost regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results revealed variations of earlier thawing, later freezing and longer freezing-thawing periods in shallow soil. Further, the estimated permafrost table declined under the warming scenarios. The work will be helpful to evaluate the stability of Qinghai-Tibet Railway/Highway and estimate the release of carbon under the future climate warming.
Marje Prank, Mikhail Sofiev, Svetlana Tsyro, Carlijn Hendriks, Valiyaveetil Semeena, Xavier Vazhappilly Francis, Tim Butler, Hugo Denier van der Gon, Rainer Friedrich, Johannes Hendricks, Xin Kong, Mark Lawrence, Mattia Righi, Zissis Samaras, Robert Sausen, Jaakko Kukkonen, and Ranjeet Sokhi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 6041–6070, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-6041-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-6041-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol composition in Europe was simulated by four chemistry transport models and compared to observations to identify the most prominent areas for model improvement. Notable differences were found between the models' predictions, attributable to different treatment or omission of aerosol sources and processes. All models underestimated the observed concentrations by 10–60 %, mostly due to under-predicting the carbonaceous and mineral particles and omitting the aerosol-bound water.
Kristina Pistone, Puppala S. Praveen, Rick M. Thomas, Veerabhadran Ramanathan, Eric M. Wilcox, and Frida A.-M. Bender
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 5203–5227, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-5203-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-5203-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
A recent field campaign (CARDEX) in the northern Indian Ocean concurrently measured cloud and aerosol properties and atmospheric structure and dynamics from a ground-based observatory and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These new measurements show a correlation between highly polluted conditions and increased cloud water content, concurrent with higher atmospheric temperature and humidity. Such correlations may be of interest in future studies of the effects of pollution on cloud properties.
Yang Li, Jizu Chen, Shichang Kang, Chaoliu Li, Bin Qu, Lekhendra Tripathee, Fangping Yan, Yulan Zhang, Junmin Guo, Chaman Gul, and Xiang Qin
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2016-32, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2016-32, 2016
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
To our knowledge, this study constitutes the first quantitative dataset of the impacts of light absorbing particles (LAPs) on glacier ablation estimated directly from the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau (TP).The average concentrations of black carbon (BC) and mineral dust (MD) in surface snow and ice at Laohugou Glacier No. 12 (LHG) were much higher than those detected in snow pits and ice cores in TP and Tien Shan mountains.
Chinmoy Sarkar, Vinayak Sinha, Vinod Kumar, Maheswar Rupakheti, Arnico Panday, Khadak S. Mahata, Dipesh Rupakheti, Bhogendra Kathayat, and Mark G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 3979–4003, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-3979-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-3979-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
First deployment of PTR-TOF-MS in South Asia. High acetaldehyde and biogenic isoprene concentrations detected even in winter in the Kathmandu Valley. Isocyanic acid, formamide, acetamide, naphthalene and nitromethane were detected for the first time in South Asian air. Oxygenated VOCs and isoprene-dominated OH reactivity and ozone production potentials (> 68 % OPP). Regulation of emissions from biomass co-fired brick kilns' by cleaner technology would improve air quality of the valley.
Peng Fei Chen, Chao Liu Li, Shi Chang Kang, Maheswar Rupakheti, Arnico K. Panday, Fang Ping Yan, Quan Lian Li, Qiang Gong Zhang, Jun Ming Guo, Dipesh Rupakheti, and Wei Luo
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2016-71, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2016-71, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
PAHs were measured at six sites along two south-north transects across the central Himalayas. The annual average PAHs and their dry deposition fluxes decreased noticeably from the south to north sides, however, a similar compostion pattern was found at three remote sites, suggesting the northern slope of the Himalayas may be affected by anthropogenic emissions form Indo-Gangetic Plain. PAHs showed a clear seasonal variation at Nepal and they were mainly form biomass and fossil combustion .
F. Höpner, F. A.-M. Bender, A. M. L. Ekman, P. S. Praveen, C. Bosch, J. A. Ogren, A. Andersson, Ö. Gustafsson, and V. Ramanathan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 1045–1064, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-1045-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-1045-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The paper presents aerosol properties measured during the Cloud Aerosol Radiative Forcing Experiment (CARDEX) on the Maldives Islands in winter 2012. The vertical distribution of absorbing aerosol which is very relevant to the radiative forcing in that region, is investigated. A method for determining particle absorption and equivalent black carbon concentration from lidar extinction coefficients, characteristic single scattering albedo and mass absorption efficiency, is presented and evaluated.
E. W. Butt, A. Rap, A. Schmidt, C. E. Scott, K. J. Pringle, C. L. Reddington, N. A. D. Richards, M. T. Woodhouse, J. Ramirez-Villegas, H. Yang, V. Vakkari, E. A. Stone, M. Rupakheti, P. S. Praveen, P. G. van Zyl, J. P. Beukes, M. Josipovic, E. J. S. Mitchell, S. M. Sallu, P. M. Forster, and D. V. Spracklen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 873–905, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-873-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-873-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We estimate the impact of residential emissions (cooking and heating) on atmospheric aerosol, human health, and climate. We find large contributions to annual mean ambient PM2.5 in residential sources regions resulting in significant but uncertain global premature mortality when key uncertainties in emission flux are considered. We show that residential emissions exert an uncertain global radiative effect and suggest more work is needed to characterise residential emissions climate importance.
K. Niranjan Kumar, D. V. Phanikumar, T. B. M. J. Ouarda, M. Rajeevan, M. Naja, and K. K. Shukla
Ann. Geophys., 34, 123–132, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-123-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-123-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The link between upper-tropospheric planetary-scale Rossby waves and surface meteorological parameters is examined. The propagating Rossby waves along with undulations in the subtropical jet create convergence and divergence regions in the mid-troposphere. The surface relative humidity, wind speeds, and temperature are synchronized with the phase of the propagating Rossby waves. The present study finds important implications for medium-range forecasting through Rossby wave propagation.
D. Putero, P. Cristofanelli, A. Marinoni, B. Adhikary, R. Duchi, S. D. Shrestha, G. P. Verza, T. C. Landi, F. Calzolari, M. Busetto, G. Agrillo, F. Biancofiore, P. Di Carlo, A. K. Panday, M. Rupakheti, and P. Bonasoni
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 13957–13971, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-13957-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-13957-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The aim of this paper is to present a full-year analysis of simultaneous measurements of ozone, black carbon, and aerosol number concentration at Paknajol, in the Kathmandu Valley, one of the global “hot spots” in terms of air pollution. Results indicate persisting poor air quality conditions throughout the measurement period, and suggest that the pollutants' variability is mainly driven by local pollution source activity, local- and large-scale dynamics, photochemistry, and vegetation fires.
B. Kravitz, A. Robock, S. Tilmes, O. Boucher, J. M. English, P. J. Irvine, A. Jones, M. G. Lawrence, M. MacCracken, H. Muri, J. C. Moore, U. Niemeier, S. J. Phipps, J. Sillmann, T. Storelvmo, H. Wang, and S. Watanabe
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3379–3392, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3379-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3379-2015, 2015
M. Beekmann, A. S. H. Prévôt, F. Drewnick, J. Sciare, S. N. Pandis, H. A. C. Denier van der Gon, M. Crippa, F. Freutel, L. Poulain, V. Ghersi, E. Rodriguez, S. Beirle, P. Zotter, S.-L. von der Weiden-Reinmüller, M. Bressi, C. Fountoukis, H. Petetin, S. Szidat, J. Schneider, A. Rosso, I. El Haddad, A. Megaritis, Q. J. Zhang, V. Michoud, J. G. Slowik, S. Moukhtar, P. Kolmonen, A. Stohl, S. Eckhardt, A. Borbon, V. Gros, N. Marchand, J. L. Jaffrezo, A. Schwarzenboeck, A. Colomb, A. Wiedensohler, S. Borrmann, M. Lawrence, A. Baklanov, and U. Baltensperger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 9577–9591, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9577-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9577-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
A detailed characterization of air quality in the Paris (France) agglomeration, a megacity, during two summer and winter intensive campaigns and from additional 1-year observations, revealed that about 70% of the fine particulate matter (PM) at urban background is transported into the megacity from upwind regions. Unexpectedly, a major part of organic PM is of modern origin (woodburning and cooking activities, secondary formation from biogenic VOC).
S. Song, N. E. Selin, A. L. Soerensen, H. Angot, R. Artz, S. Brooks, E.-G. Brunke, G. Conley, A. Dommergue, R. Ebinghaus, T. M. Holsen, D. A. Jaffe, S. Kang, P. Kelley, W. T. Luke, O. Magand, K. Marumoto, K. A. Pfaffhuber, X. Ren, G.-R. Sheu, F. Slemr, T. Warneke, A. Weigelt, P. Weiss-Penzias, D. C. Wip, and Q. Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 7103–7125, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7103-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-7103-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
A better knowledge of mercury (Hg) emission fluxes into the global atmosphere is important for assessing its human health impacts and evaluating the effectiveness of corresponding policy actions. We for the first time apply a top-down approach at a global scale to quantitatively estimate present-day mercury emission sources as well as key parameters in a chemical transport model, in order to better constrain the global biogeochemical cycle of mercury.
S. Kang, F. Wang, U. Morgenstern, Y. Zhang, B. Grigholm, S. Kaspari, M. Schwikowski, J. Ren, T. Yao, D. Qin, and P. A. Mayewski
The Cryosphere, 9, 1213–1222, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1213-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1213-2015, 2015
Short summary
Z. L. Lüthi, B. Škerlak, S.-W. Kim, A. Lauer, A. Mues, M. Rupakheti, and S. Kang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 6007–6021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-6007-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-6007-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau region (HTP) is regularly exposed to polluted air masses that might influence glaciers as well as climate on regional to global scales. We found that atmospheric brown clouds from South Asia reach the HTP by crossing the Himalayas not only through the major north--south river valleys but rather over large areas by being lifted and advected at mid-troposheric levels. The transport is enabled by a combination of synoptic and local meteorological settings.
L. Drinovec, G. Močnik, P. Zotter, A. S. H. Prévôt, C. Ruckstuhl, E. Coz, M. Rupakheti, J. Sciare, T. Müller, A. Wiedensohler, and A. D. A. Hansen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 1965–1979, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1965-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1965-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new real-time algorithm for compensation of the filter-loading effect in filter photometers, based on a two parallel spot measurement of optical absorption. This algorithm has been incorporated into the new Aethalometer AE33. Intercomparison studies show excellent reproducibility of the AE33 measurements and very good agreement with post-processed data obtained using earlier aethalometer models and other filter-based absorption photometers.
R. Kumar, M. C. Barth, S. Madronich, M. Naja, G. R. Carmichael, G. G. Pfister, C. Knote, G. P. Brasseur, N. Ojha, and T. Sarangi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 6813–6834, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6813-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6813-2014, 2014
R. Kumar, M. C. Barth, G. G. Pfister, M. Naja, and G. P. Brasseur
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 2431–2446, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2431-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2431-2014, 2014
D. V. Phanikumar, K. Niranjan Kumar, K. K. Shukla, H. Joshi, M. Venkat Ratnam, M. Naja, and K. Reddy
Ann. Geophys., 32, 175–180, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-175-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-175-2014, 2014
C. Liu, S. Beirle, T. Butler, P. Hoor, C. Frankenberg, P. Jöckel, M. Penning de Vries, U. Platt, A. Pozzer, M. G. Lawrence, J. Lelieveld, H. Tost, and T. Wagner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 1717–1732, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-1717-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-1717-2014, 2014
Z. S. Stock, M. R. Russo, T. M. Butler, A. T. Archibald, M. G. Lawrence, P. J. Telford, N. L. Abraham, and J. A. Pyle
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 12215–12231, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-12215-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-12215-2013, 2013
S. M. Burrows, P. J. Rayner, T. Butler, and M. G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 5473–5488, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-5473-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-5473-2013, 2013
D. Kunkel, H. Tost, and M. G. Lawrence
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 4203–4222, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-4203-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-4203-2013, 2013
J. Lelieveld, M. G. Lawrence, and D. Kunkel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 31–34, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-31-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-31-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Aerosols | Research Activity: Field Measurements | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
Measurement report: In situ vertical profiles of below-cloud aerosol over the central Greenland Ice Sheet
Occurrence, abundance, and formation of atmospheric tarballs from a wide range of wildfires in the western US
Measurement report: Contribution of atmospheric new particle formation to ultrafine particle concentration, cloud condensation nuclei, and radiative forcing – results from 5-year observations in central Europe
Simulated contrail-processed aviation soot aerosols are poor ice-nucleating particles at cirrus temperatures
Biological and dust aerosols as sources of ice-nucleating particles in the eastern Mediterranean: source apportionment, atmospheric processing and parameterization
Quantifying the dust direct radiative effect in the southwestern United States: findings from multiyear measurements
How horizontal transport and turbulent mixing impact aerosol particle and precursor concentrations at a background site in the UAE
Markedly different impacts of primary emissions and secondary aerosol formation on aerosol mixing states revealed by simultaneous measurements of CCNC, H(/V)TDMA, and SP2
Vertically resolved aerosol variability at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory under wet-season conditions
Vertical structure of a springtime smoky and humid troposphere over the southeast Atlantic from aircraft and reanalysis
Multi-year gradient measurements of sea spray fluxes over the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean
Shipborne observations of black carbon aerosols in the western Arctic Ocean during summer and autumn 2016–2020: impact of boreal fires
High ice-nucleating particle concentrations associated with Arctic haze in springtime cold-air outbreaks
Attribution of aerosol particle number size distributions to main sources using an 11-year urban dataset
Contribution of fluorescent primary biological aerosol particles to low-level Arctic cloud residuals
Opinion: New directions in atmospheric research offered by research infrastructures combined with open and data-intensive science
Measurement report: A comparison of ground-level ice-nucleating-particle abundance and aerosol properties during autumn at contrasting marine and terrestrial locations
Vertical distribution of ice nucleating particles over the boreal forest of Hyytiälä, Finland
Efficient droplet activation of ambient black carbon particles in a suburban environment
Tropospheric sulfate from Cumbre Vieja (La Palma) observed over Cabo Verde contrasted with background conditions: a lidar case study of aerosol extinction, backscatter, depolarization and lidar ratio profiles at 355, 532 and 1064 nm
Measurements of particle emissions of an A350-941 burning 100 % sustainable aviation fuels in cruise
The radiative impact of biomass burning aerosols on dust emissions over Namibia and the long-range transport of smoke observed during the Aerosols, Radiation and Clouds in southern Africa (AEROCLO-sA) campaign
Ice-nucleating particles active below -24 °C in a Finnish boreal forest and their relationship to bioaerosols
Atmospheric Black Carbon in the metropolitan area of La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia: concentration levels and emission sources
Extending the wind profile beyond the surface layer by combining physical and machine learning approaches
Aerosol Size Distribution Properties Associated with Cold-Air Outbreaks in the Norwegian Arctic
Amazonian aerosol size distributions in a lognormal phase space: characteristics and trajectories
Long range transport of coarse mineral dust: an evaluation of the Met Office Unified Model against aircraft observations
Measurement report: Hygroscopicity of size-selected aerosol particles in the heavily polluted urban atmosphere of Delhi: impacts of chloride aerosol
An observation-constrained estimation of brown carbon aerosol direct radiative effects
The Puy de Dôme ICe Nucleation Intercomparison Campaign (PICNIC): comparison between online and offline methods in ambient air
Optical properties and simple forcing efficiency of the organic aerosols and black carbon emitted by residential wood burning in rural central Europe
Particle phase state and aerosol liquid water greatly impact secondary aerosol formation: insights into phase transition and its role in haze events
Emerging extreme Saharan-dust events expand northward over the Atlantic and Europe prompting record-breaking PM10 and PM2.5 episodes
Measurement report: Nocturnal subsidence behind the cold front enhances surface particulate matter in plains regions: observations from the mobile multi-lidar system
Increase in precipitation scavenging contributes to long-term reductions of light-absorbing aerosol in the Arctic
Sea spray emissions from the Baltic Sea: comparison of aerosol eddy covariance fluxes and chamber-simulated sea spray emissions
Higher absorption enhancement of black carbon in summer shown by 2-year measurements at the high-altitude mountain site of Pic du Midi Observatory in the French Pyrenees
Variations of the atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations, sources, and health risk and the direct medical costs of lung cancer around the Bohai Sea against a background of pollution prevention and control in China
Characterization of aerosol over the Eastern Mediterranean by polarization sensitive Raman lidar measurements during A-LIFE – aerosol type classification and type separation
Changing optical properties of Black Carbon and Brown Carbon aerosols during long-range transport from the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the equatorial Indian Ocean
Introducing the novel concept of cumulative concentration roses for studying the transport of ultrafine particles from an airport to adjacent residential areas
Significant spatial gradients in new particle formation frequency in Greece during summer
Impact of desert dust on new particle formation events and the cloud condensation nuclei budget in dust-influenced areas
Active thermokarst regions contain rich sources of ice-nucleating particles
Examining the vertical heterogeneity of aerosols over the Southern Great Plains
Drivers controlling black carbon temporal variability in the lower troposphere of the European Arctic
Opinion: The strength of long-term comprehensive observations to meet multiple grand challenges in different environments and in the atmosphere
Measurement report: Size-resolved mass concentration of equivalent black carbon-containing particles larger than 700 nm and their role in radiation
Aerosol absorption using in situ filter-based photometers and ground-based sun photometry in the Po Valley urban atmosphere
Heather Guy, Andrew S. Martin, Erik Olson, Ian M. Brooks, and Ryan R. Neely III
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11103–11114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11103-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles impact cloud properties which influence Greenland Ice Sheet melt. Understanding the aerosol population that interacts with clouds is important for constraining future melt. Measurements of aerosols at cloud height over Greenland are rare, and surface measurements are often used to investigate cloud–aerosol interactions. We use a tethered balloon to measure aerosols up to cloud base and show that surface measurements are often not equivalent to those just below the cloud.
Kouji Adachi, Jack E. Dibb, Joseph M. Katich, Joshua P. Schwarz, Hongyu Guo, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Jose L. Jimenez, Jeff Peischl, Christopher D. Holmes, and James Crawford
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10985–11004, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10985-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10985-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We examined aerosol particles from wildfires and identified tarballs (TBs) from the Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality (FIREX-AQ) campaign. This study reveals the compositions, abundance, sizes, and mixing states of TBs and shows that TBs formed as the smoke aged for up to 5 h. This study provides measurements of TBs from various biomass-burning events and ages, enhancing our knowledge of TB emissions and our understanding of their climate impact.
Jia Sun, Markus Hermann, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Wolfram Birmili, Yifan Yang, Thomas Tuch, Harald Flentje, Björn Briel, Ludwig Ries, Cedric Couret, Michael Elsasser, Ralf Sohmer, Klaus Wirtz, Frank Meinhardt, Maik Schütze, Olaf Bath, Bryan Hellack, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Nan Ma, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10667–10687, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10667-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10667-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the characteristics of new particle formation (NPF) for various environments from urban background to high Alpine and the impacts of NPF on cloud condensation nuclei and aerosol radiative forcing. NPF features differ between site categories, implying the crucial role of local environmental factors such as the degree of emissions and meteorological conditions. The results also underscore the importance of local environments when assessing the impact of NPF on climate in models.
Baptiste Testa, Lukas Durdina, Jacinta Edebeli, Curdin Spirig, and Zamin A. Kanji
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10409–10424, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10409-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10409-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aviation soot residuals released from contrails can become compacted upon sublimation of the ice crystals, generating new voids in the aggregates where ice nucleation can occur. Here we show that contrail-processed soot is highly compact but that it remains unable to form ice at a relative humidity different from that required for the formation of background cirrus from the more ubiquitous aqueous solution droplets, suggesting that it will not perturb cirrus cloud formation via ice nucleation.
Kunfeng Gao, Franziska Vogel, Romanos Foskinis, Stergios Vratolis, Maria I. Gini, Konstantinos Granakis, Anne-Claire Billault-Roux, Paraskevi Georgakaki, Olga Zografou, Prodromos Fetfatzis, Alexis Berne, Alexandros Papayannis, Konstantinos Eleftheridadis, Ottmar Möhler, and Athanasios Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9939–9974, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9939-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9939-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice nucleating particle (INP) concentrations are required for correct predictions of clouds and precipitation in a changing climate, but they are poorly constrained in climate models. We unravel source contributions to INPs in the eastern Mediterranean and find that biological particles are important, regardless of their origin. The parameterizations developed exhibit superior performance and enable models to consider biological-particle effects on INPs.
Alexandra Kuwano, Amato T. Evan, Blake Walkowiak, and Robert Frouin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9843–9868, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9843-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9843-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The dust direct radiative effect is highly uncertain. Here we used new measurements collected over 3 years and during dust storms at a field site in a desert region in the southwestern United States to estimate the regional dust direct radiative effect. We also used novel soil mineralogy retrieved from an airborne spectrometer to estimate this parameter with model output. We find that, in this region, dust has a minimal net cooling effect on this region's climate.
Jutta Kesti, Ewan J. O'Connor, Anne Hirsikko, John Backman, Maria Filioglou, Anu-Maija Sundström, Juha Tonttila, Heikki Lihavainen, Hannele Korhonen, and Eija Asmi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9369–9386, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9369-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9369-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The study combines aerosol particle measurements at the surface and vertical profiling of the atmosphere with a scanning Doppler lidar to investigate how particle transportation together with boundary layer evolution can affect particle and SO2 concentrations at the surface in the Arabian Peninsula region. The instrumentation enabled us to see elevated nucleation mode particle and SO2 concentrations at the surface when air masses transported from polluted areas are mixed in the boundary layer.
Jiangchuan Tao, Biao Luo, Weiqi Xu, Gang Zhao, Hanbin Xu, Biao Xue, Miaomiao Zhai, Wanyun Xu, Huarong Zhao, Sanxue Ren, Guangsheng Zhou, Li Liu, Ye Kuang, and Yele Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9131–9154, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9131-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9131-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Using simultaneous measurements of DMA–CCNC, H(/V)TDMA, and DMA–SP2, impacts of primary emissions and secondary aerosol formations on changes in aerosol physicochemical properties were comprehensively investigated. It was found that intercomparisons among aerosol mixing-state parameters derived from different techniques can help us gain more insight into aerosol physical properties which, in turn, will aid the investigation of emission characteristics and secondary aerosol formation pathways.
Marco A. Franco, Rafael Valiati, Bruna A. Holanda, Bruno B. Meller, Leslie A. Kremper, Luciana V. Rizzo, Samara Carbone, Fernando G. Morais, Janaína P. Nascimento, Meinrat O. Andreae, Micael A. Cecchini, Luiz A. T. Machado, Milena Ponczek, Ulrich Pöschl, David Walter, Christopher Pöhlker, and Paulo Artaxo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8751–8770, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8751-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8751-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Amazon wet-season atmosphere was studied at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory site, revealing vertical variations (between 60 and 325 m) in natural aerosols. Daytime mixing contrasted with nighttime stratification, with distinct rain-induced changes in aerosol populations. Notably, optical property recovery at higher levels was faster, while near-canopy aerosols showed higher scattering efficiency. These findings enhance our understanding of aerosol impacts on climate dynamics.
Kristina Pistone, Eric M. Wilcox, Paquita Zuidema, Marco Giordano, James Podolske, Samuel E. LeBlanc, Meloë Kacenelenbogen, Steven G. Howell, and Steffen Freitag
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7983–8005, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7983-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7983-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The springtime southeast Atlantic atmosphere contains lots of smoke from continental fires. This smoke travels with water vapor; more smoke means more humidity. We use aircraft observations and models to describe how the values change through the season and over the region. We sort the atmosphere into different types by vertical structure and amount of smoke and humidity. Since our work shows how frequently these components coincide, it helps to better quantify heating effects over this region.
Piotr Markuszewski, E. Douglas Nilsson, Julika Zinke, E. Monica Mårtensson, Matthew Salter, Przemysław Makuch, Małgorzata Kitowska, Iwona Niedźwiecka-Wróbel, Violetta Drozdowska, Dominik Lis, Tomasz Petelski, Luca Ferrero, and Jacek Piskozub
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1254, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1254, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Sea spray aerosol whipped up from the sea surface, is an important compound of the atmospheric boundary layer. Our research provides new insights into the study of sea spray emission in the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic. We investigated the impact of environmental factors on sea spray fluxes. We observed that in case of increased marine biological activity in the Baltic Sea, sea spray flux is suppressed. We also observed evidence of sea surface temperature influence on sea spray emission.
Yange Deng, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Kohei Ikeda, Sohiko Kameyama, Sachiko Okamoto, Jinyoung Jung, Young Jun Yoon, Eun Jin Yang, and Sung-Ho Kang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6339–6357, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6339-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6339-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Black carbon (BC) aerosols play important roles in Arctic climate change, yet they are not well understood because of limited observational data. We observed BC mass concentrations (mBC) in the western Arctic Ocean during summer and early autumn 2016–2020. The mean mBC in 2019 was much higher than in other years. Biomass burning was likely the dominant BC source. Boreal fire BC transport occurring near the surface and/or in the mid-troposphere contributed to high-BC events in the Arctic Ocean.
Erin N. Raif, Sarah L. Barr, Mark D. Tarn, James B. McQuaid, Martin I. Daily, Steven J. Abel, Paul A. Barrett, Keith N. Bower, Paul R. Field, Kenneth S. Carslaw, and Benjamin J. Murray
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1502, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1502, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) allow ice to form in clouds at temperatures warmer than -35°C. We measured INP concentrations over the Norwegian and Barents seas in weather events where cold air is ejected from the Arctic. These concentrations were among the highest measured in the Arctic and it is likely that the INPs were transported to the Arctic from distant regions. These results show it is important to consider hemispheric-scale INP processes to understand INP concentrations in the Arctic.
Máté Vörösmarty, Philip K. Hopke, and Imre Salma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5695–5712, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5695-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5695-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The World Health Organization identified ultrafine particles, which make up most of the particle number concentrations, as a potential risk factor for humans. The sources of particle numbers are very different from those of the particulate matter mass. We performed source apportionment of size-segregated particle number concentrations over the diameter range of 6–1000 nm in Budapest for 11 full years. Six source types were identified, characterized and quantified.
Gabriel Pereira Freitas, Ben Kopec, Kouji Adachi, Radovan Krejci, Dominic Heslin-Rees, Karl Espen Yttri, Alun Hubbard, Jeffrey M. Welker, and Paul Zieger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5479–5494, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5479-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5479-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Bioaerosols can participate in ice formation within clouds. In the Arctic, where global warming manifests most, they may become more important as their sources prevail for longer periods of the year. We have directly measured bioaerosols within clouds for a full year at an Arctic mountain site using a novel combination of cloud particle sampling and single-particle techniques. We show that bioaerosols act as cloud seeds and may influence the presence of ice within clouds.
Andreas Petzold, Ulrich Bundke, Anca Hienola, Paolo Laj, Cathrine Lund Myhre, Alex Vermeulen, Angeliki Adamaki, Werner Kutsch, Valerie Thouret, Damien Boulanger, Markus Fiebig, Markus Stocker, Zhiming Zhao, and Ari Asmi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5369–5388, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5369-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5369-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Easy and fast access to long-term and high-quality observational data is recognised as fundamental to environmental research and the development of climate forecasting and assessment services. We discuss the potential new directions in atmospheric sciences offered by the atmosphere-centric European research infrastructures ACTRIS, IAGOS, and ICOS, building on their capabilities for standardised provision of data through open access combined with tools and methods of data-intensive science.
Elise K. Wilbourn, Larissa Lacher, Carlos Guerrero, Hemanth S. K. Vepuri, Kristina Höhler, Jens Nadolny, Aidan D. Pantoya, Ottmar Möhler, and Naruki Hiranuma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5433–5456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5433-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5433-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ambient ice particles were measured at terrestrial and temperate marine sites. Ice particles were more abundant in the former site, while the fraction of ice particles relative to total ambient particles, representing atmospheric ice nucleation efficiency, was higher in the latter site. Ice nucleation parameterizations were developed as a function of examined freezing temperatures from two sites for our study periods (autumn).
Zoé Brasseur, Julia Schneider, Janne Lampilahti, Ville Vakkari, Victoria A. Sinclair, Christina J. Williamson, Carlton Xavier, Dmitri Moisseev, Markus Hartmann, Pyry Poutanen, Markus Lampimäki, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Erik S. Thomson, Kristina Höhler, Ottmar Möhler, and Jonathan Duplissy
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1272, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1272, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice nucleating particles (INPs) strongly influence the formation of clouds by initiating the formation of ice crystals. However, very little is known concerning the vertical distribution of INPs in the atmosphere. Here, we present aircraft measurements of INP concentrations above the Finnish boreal forest. Results show that near-surface INPs are efficiently transported and mixed within the boundary layer, and occasionally reach the free troposphere.
Ping Tian, Dantong Liu, Kang Hu, Yangzhou Wu, Mengyu Huang, Hui He, Jiujiang Sheng, Chenjie Yu, Dawei Hu, and Deping Ding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5149–5164, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5149-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5149-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The results provide direct evidence of efficient droplet activation of black carbon (BC). The cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation fraction of BC was higher than for all particles, suggesting higher CCN activity of BC, even though its hygroscopicity is lower. Our research reveals that the evolution of BC's hygroscopicity and its CCN activation properties through atmospheric aging can be effectively characterized by the photochemical age.
Henriette Gebauer, Athena Augusta Floutsi, Moritz Haarig, Martin Radenz, Ronny Engelmann, Dietrich Althausen, Annett Skupin, Albert Ansmann, Cordula Zenk, and Holger Baars
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5047–5067, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5047-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5047-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Sulfate aerosol from the volcanic eruption at La Palma in 2021 was observed over Cabo Verde. We characterized the aerosol burden based on a case study of lidar and sun photometer observations. We compared the volcanic case to the typical background conditions (reference case) to quantify the volcanic pollution. We show the first ever measurements of the extinction coefficient, lidar ratio and depolarization ratio at 1064 nm for volcanic sulfate.
Rebecca Katharina Dischl, Daniel Sauer, Christiane Voigt, Theresa Harlaß, Felicitas Sakellariou, Raphael Satoru Märkl, Ulrich Schumann, Monika Scheibe, Stefan Kaufmann, Anke Roiger, Andreas Dörnbrack, Charles Renard, Maxime Gauthier, Peter Swann, Paul Madden, Darren Luff, Mark Johnson, Denise Ahrens, Reetu Sallinen, Tobias Schripp, Georg Eckel, Uwe Bauder, and Patrick Le Clercq
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1224, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1224, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In-flight measurements of aircraft emissions burning 100 % sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) show reduced particle number concentrations up to 41 % compared to conventional jet fuel. Particle emissions are dependent on engine power setting, flight altitude and fuel composition. Engine models show a good correlation with measurement results. Future increased prevalence of SAF can positively influence the climate impact of aviation.
Cyrille Flamant, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Marco Gaetani, Kerstin Schepanski, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4265–4288, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In the austral dry season, the atmospheric composition over southern Africa is dominated by biomass burning aerosols and terrigenous aerosols (so-called mineral dust). This study suggests that the radiative effect of biomass burning aerosols needs to be taken into account to properly forecast dust emissions in Namibia.
Franziska Vogel, Michael P. Adams, Larissa Lacher, Polly Foster, Grace C. E. Porter, Barbara Bertozzi, Kristina Höhler, Julia Schneider, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi S. Umo, Jens Nadolny, Zoé Brasseur, Paavo Heikkilä, Erik S. Thomson, Nicole Büttner, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Alexander D. Harrison, Jorma Keskinen, Ulrike Proske, Jonathan Duplissy, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Benjamin J. Murray
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-853, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-853, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Primary ice formation in clouds strongly influences their properties, hence it is important to understand the sources of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) and their variability. We present 2 months INP measurements in a Finnish boreal forest using a new semi-autonomous INP counting device based on gas expansion. These results show strong variability in INP concentrations, and we present a case that the INP we observe are, at least some of the time, of biological origin.
Valeria Mardoñez-Balderrama, Griša Močnik, Marco Pandolfi, Robin Modini, Fernando Velarde, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Isabel Moreno R., Diego Aliaga, Federico Bianchi, Claudia Mohr, Martin Gysel-Beer, Patrick Ginot, Radovan Krejci, Alfred Widensohler, Gaëlle Uzu, Marcos Andrade, and Paolo Laj
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-770, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-770, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Levels of black carbon (BC) are scarcely reported in the southern hemisphere, especially in high-altitude conditions. This study provides insight on the concentration level, variability, and optical properties of BC in the cities of La Paz and El Alto, and at the station GAW Chacaltaya Mountain station. Two methods of source apportionment of absorption were tested and compared showing traffic as the main contributor to absorption in the urban area, additionally to biomass and open waste burning.
Boming Liu, Xin Ma, Jianping Guo, Renqiang Wen, Hui Li, Shikuan Jin, Yingying Ma, Xiaoran Guo, and Wei Gong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4047–4063, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4047-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4047-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate wind profile estimation, especially for the lowest few hundred meters of the atmosphere, is of great significance for the weather, climate, and renewable energy sector. We propose a novel method that combines the power-law method with the random forest algorithm to extend wind profiles beyond the surface layer. Compared with the traditional algorithm, this method has better stability and spatial applicability and can be used to obtain the wind profiles on different land cover types.
Abigail S. Williams, Jeramy L. Dedrick, Lynn M. Russell, Florian Tornow, Israel Silber, Ann M. Fridlind, Benjamin Swanson, Paul J. DeMott, Paul Zieger, and Radovan Krejci
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-584, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-584, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The measured aerosol size distribution modes reveal distinct properties characteristic of cold-air outbreaks in the Norwegian Arctic. We find higher sea spray number concentration, smaller Hoppel minima, lower effective supersaturations, and accumulation mode particle scavenging during cold-air outbreaks. These results advance our understanding of cold-air outbreak aerosol-cloud interactions in order to improve their accurate representation in models.
Gabriela R. Unfer, Luiz A. T. Machado, Paulo Artaxo, Marco A. Franco, Leslie A. Kremper, Mira L. Pöhlker, Ulrich Pöschl, and Christopher Pöhlker
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 3869–3882, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3869-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3869-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Amazonian aerosols and their interactions with precipitation were studied by understanding them in a 3D space based on three parameters that characterize the concentration and size distribution of aerosols. The results showed characteristic arrangements regarding seasonal and diurnal cycles, as well as when interacting with precipitation. The use of this 3D space appears to be a promising tool for aerosol population analysis and for model validation and parameterization.
Natalie Georgina Ratcliffe, Claire Louise Ryder, Nicolas Bellouin, Stephanie Woodward, Anthony Jones, Ben Johnson, Bernadett Weinzierl, Lisa-Maria Wieland, and Josef Gasteiger
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-806, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-806, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Large mineral dust particles are more abundant in the atmosphere than expected and have different impacts on the environment than small particles, which are better represented in climate models. We use aircraft measurements to assess a climate model representation of large dust transport. We find that the model underestimates the amount of large dust at all stages of transport and that fast removal of the large particles increases this underestimation with distance from the Sahara.
Anil Kumar Mandariya, Ajit Ahlawat, Mohammed Haneef, Nisar Ali Baig, Kanan Patel, Joshua Apte, Lea Hildebrandt Ruiz, Alfred Wiedensohler, and Gazala Habib
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 3627–3647, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3627-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3627-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The current study explores the temporal variation of size-selected particle hygroscopicity in Delhi for the first time. Here, we report that the high volume fraction contribution of ammonium chloride to aerosol governs the high aerosol hygroscopicity and associated liquid water content based on the experimental data. The episodically high ammonium chloride present in Delhi's atmosphere could lead to haze and fog formation under high relative humidity in the region.
Yueyue Cheng, Chao Liu, Jiandong Wang, Jiaping Wang, Zhouyang Zhang, Li Chen, Dafeng Ge, Caijun Zhu, Jinbo Wang, and Aijun Ding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 3065–3078, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3065-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3065-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Brown carbon (BrC), a light-absorbing aerosol, plays a pivotal role in influencing global climate. However, assessing BrC radiative effects remains challenging because the required observational data are hardly accessible. Here we develop a new BrC radiative effect estimation method combining conventional observations and numerical models. Our findings reveal that BrC absorbs up to a third of the sunlight at 370 nm that black carbon does, highlighting its importance in aerosol radiative effects.
Larissa Lacher, Michael P. Adams, Kevin Barry, Barbara Bertozzi, Heinz Bingemer, Cristian Boffo, Yannick Bras, Nicole Büttner, Dimitri Castarede, Daniel J. Cziczo, Paul J. DeMott, Romy Fösig, Megan Goodell, Kristina Höhler, Thomas C. J. Hill, Conrad Jentzsch, Luis A. Ladino, Ezra J. T. Levin, Stephan Mertes, Ottmar Möhler, Kathryn A. Moore, Benjamin J. Murray, Jens Nadolny, Tatjana Pfeuffer, David Picard, Carolina Ramírez-Romero, Mickael Ribeiro, Sarah Richter, Jann Schrod, Karine Sellegri, Frank Stratmann, Benjamin E. Swanson, Erik S. Thomson, Heike Wex, Martin J. Wolf, and Evelyn Freney
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2651–2678, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2651-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2651-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles that trigger ice formation in clouds are important for the climate system but are very rare in the atmosphere, challenging measurement techniques. Here we compare three cloud chambers and seven methods for collecting aerosol particles on filters for offline analysis at a mountaintop station. A general good agreement of the methods was found when sampling aerosol particles behind a whole air inlet, supporting their use for obtaining data that can be implemented in models.
Andrea Cuesta-Mosquera, Kristina Glojek, Griša Močnik, Luka Drinovec, Asta Gregorič, Martin Rigler, Matej Ogrin, Baseerat Romshoo, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Dominik van Pinxteren, Hartmut Herrmann, Alfred Wiedensohler, Mira Pöhlker, and Thomas Müller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2583–2605, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2583-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2583-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study evaluated the air pollution and climate impacts of residential-wood-burning particle emissions from a rural European site. The authors investigate the optical and physical properties that connect the aerosol emissions with climate by evaluating atmospheric radiative impacts via simple-forcing calculations. The study contributes to reducing the lack of information on the understanding of the optical properties of air pollution from anthropogenic sources.
Xiangxinyue Meng, Zhijun Wu, Jingchuan Chen, Yanting Qiu, Taomou Zong, Mijung Song, Jiyi Lee, and Min Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2399–2414, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2399-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2399-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Our study revealed that particles predominantly exist in a semi-solid or solid state during clean winter days with RH below 30 %. However, a non-liquid to a liquid phase transition occurred when the aerosol liquid water (ALW) mass fraction surpassed 15 % (dry mass) at transition RH thresholds ranging from 40 % to 60 %. We also provide insights into the increasingly important roles of particle phase state variation and ALW in secondary particulate growth during haze formation in Beijing, China.
Sergio Rodríguez and Jessica López-Darias
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-3083, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-3083, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Extreme Saharan-dust events have expanded northward to the Atlantic and Europe, prompting the most intense PM10 and PM2.5 events ever recorded in the governmental air quality network of Spain. The events occurred during hemispheric anomalies characterised by subtropical anticyclones shifted to higher latitudes, anomalous low pressures expanding beyond the tropic and a mid-latitude amplified Rossby-waves undulation, resembling the circulation anomalies due to the anthropogenic global warming.
Yiming Wang, Haolin Wang, Yujie Qin, Xinqi Xu, Guowen He, Nanxi Liu, Shengjie Miao, Xiao Lu, Haichao Wang, and Shaojia Fan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2267–2285, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2267-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2267-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We conducted a vertical measurement of winter PM2.5 using a mobile multi-lidar system in four cities. Combined with the surface PM2.5 data, the ERA5 reanalysis data, and GEOS-Chem simulations during Dec 2018–Feb 2019, we found that transport nocturnal PM2.5 enhancement by subsidence (T-NPES) events widely occurred with high frequencies in plains regions in eastern China but happened less often in basin regions like Xi’an and Chengdu. We propose a conceptual model of the T-NPES events.
Dominic Heslin-Rees, Peter Tunved, Johan Ström, Roxana Cremer, Paul Zieger, Ilona Riipinen, Annica M. L. Ekman, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, and Radovan Krejci
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2059–2075, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2059-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2059-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Light-absorbing atmospheric particles (e.g. black carbon – BC) exert a warming effect on the Arctic climate. We show that the amount of particle light absorption decreased from 2002 to 2023. We conclude that in addition to reductions in emissions of BC, wet removal plays a role in the long-term reduction of BC in the Arctic, given the increase in surface precipitation experienced by air masses arriving at the site. The potential impact of biomass burning events is shown to have increased.
Julika Zinke, Ernst Douglas Nilsson, Piotr Markuszewski, Paul Zieger, Eva Monica Mårtensson, Anna Rutgersson, Erik Nilsson, and Matthew Edward Salter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1895–1918, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1895-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1895-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We conducted two research campaigns in the Baltic Sea, during which we combined laboratory sea spray simulation experiments with flux measurements on a nearby island. To combine these two methods, we scaled the laboratory measurements to the flux measurements using three different approaches. As a result, we derived a parameterization that is dependent on wind speed and wave state for particles with diameters 0.015–10 μm. This parameterization is applicable to low-salinity waters.
Sarah Tinorua, Cyrielle Denjean, Pierre Nabat, Thierry Bourrianne, Véronique Pont, François Gheusi, and Emmanuel Leclerc
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1801–1824, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1801-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1801-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
At a French high-altitude site, where many complex interactions between black carbon (BC), radiation, clouds and snow impact climate, 2 years of refractive BC (rBC) and aerosol optical and microphysical measurements have been made. We observed strong seasonal rBC properties variations, with an enhanced absorption in summer compared to winter. The combination of rBC emission sources, transport pathways, atmospheric dynamics and chemical processes explains the rBC light absorption seasonality.
Wenwen Ma, Rong Sun, Xiaoping Wang, Zheng Zong, Shizhen Zhao, Zeyu Sun, Chongguo Tian, Jianhui Tang, Song Cui, Jun Li, and Gan Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1509–1523, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1509-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1509-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This is the first report of long-term atmospheric PAH monitoring around the Bohai Sea. The results showed that the concentrations of PAHs in the atmosphere around the Bohai Sea decreased from June 2014 to May 2019, especially the concentrations of highly toxic PAHs. This indicates that the contributions from PAH sources changed to a certain extent in different areas, and it also led to reductions in the related health risk and medical costs following pollution prevention and control.
Silke Groß, Volker Freudenthaler, Moritz Haarig, Albert Ansmann, Carlos Toledano, David Mateos, Petra Seibert, Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, Argyro Nisantzi, Josef Gasteiger, Maximilian Dollner, Anne Tipka, Manuel Schöberl, Marilena Teri, and Bernadett Weinzierl
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-140, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-140, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols contribute to the largest uncertainties in climate change predictions. Especially absorbing aerosols propose difficulties in our understanding. The eastern Mediterranean is a hot spot for aerosols with natural and anthropogenic contributions. We present lidar measurements performed during the A-LIFE field experiment to characterize aerosols and aerosol mixtures. We extend current classification and separation schemes and compare different classification schemes.
Krishnakant Budhavant, Mohanan Remani Manoj, Samuel Mwaniki Gaita, Henry Holmstrand, Abdus Salam, Ahmed Muslim, Sreedharan K. Satheesh, and Orjan Gustafsson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-104, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-104, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The South Asian Pollution Experiment-2018 utilized access to 3 strategically located atmospheric receptor observatories. These observational constraints revealed opposite trends during long-range transport in BC-MAC and BrC-MAC. Models estimating the climate effects of particularly BC aerosols may have underestimated the ambient BC-MAC over distant and extensive receptor areas, which could contribute to the discrepancy between aerosol absorption predicted by models constrained by observations.
Julius Seidler, Markus N. Friedrich, Christoph K. Thomas, and Anke C. Nölscher
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 137–153, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-137-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-137-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Here, we study the transport of ultrafine particles (UFPs) from an airport to two new adjacent measuring sites for 1 year. The number of UFPs in the air and the diurnal variation are typical urban. Winds from the airport show increased number concentrations. Additionally, considering wind frequencies, we estimate that, from all UFPs measured at the two sites, 10 %–14 % originate from the airport and/or other UFP sources from between the airport and site.
Andreas Aktypis, Christos Kaltsonoudis, David Patoulias, Panayiotis Kalkavouras, Angeliki Matrali, Christina N. Vasilakopoulou, Evangelia Kostenidou, Kalliopi Florou, Nikos Kalivitis, Aikaterini Bougiatioti, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Stergios Vratolis, Maria I. Gini, Athanasios Kouras, Constantini Samara, Mihalis Lazaridis, Sofia-Eirini Chatoutsidou, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, and Spyros N. Pandis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 65–84, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-65-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-65-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Extensive continuous particle number size distribution measurements took place during two summers (2020 and 2021) at 11 sites in Greece for the investigation of the frequency and the spatial extent of new particle formation. The frequency during summer varied from close to zero in southwestern Greece to more than 60 % in the northern, central, and eastern regions. The spatial variability can be explained by the proximity of the sites to coal-fired power plants and agricultural areas.
Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Daniel Pérez-Ramírez, Hassan Lyamani, Fernando Rejano, Andrea Casans, Gloria Titos, Francisco José Olmo, Lubna Dada, Simo Hakala, Tareq Hussein, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Pauli Paasonen, Antti Hyvärinen, Noemí Pérez, Xavier Querol, Sergio Rodríguez, Nikos Kalivitis, Yenny González, Mansour A. Alghamdi, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Andrés Alastuey, Tuukka Petäjä, and Lucas Alados-Arboledas
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15795–15814, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15795-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15795-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present the first study of the effect of mineral dust on the inhibition/promotion of new particle formation (NPF) events in different dust-influenced areas. Unexpectedly, we show that the occurrence of NPF events is highly frequent during mineral dust outbreaks, occurring even during extreme dust outbreaks. We also show that the occurrence of NPF events during mineral dust outbreaks significantly affects the potential cloud condensation nuclei budget.
Kevin R. Barry, Thomas C. J. Hill, Marina Nieto-Caballero, Thomas A. Douglas, Sonia M. Kreidenweis, Paul J. DeMott, and Jessie M. Creamean
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15783–15793, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15783-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15783-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) are important for the climate due to their influence on cloud properties. To understand potential land-based sources of them in the Arctic, we carried out a survey near the northernmost point of Alaska, a landscape connected to the permafrost (thermokarst). Permafrost contained high concentrations of INPs, with the largest values near the coast. The thermokarst lakes were found to emit INPs, and the water contained elevated concentrations.
Yang Wang, Chanakya Bagya Ramesh, Scott E. Giangrande, Jerome Fast, Xianda Gong, Jiaoshi Zhang, Ahmet Tolga Odabasi, Marcus Vinicius Batista Oliveira, Alyssa Matthews, Fan Mei, John E. Shilling, Jason Tomlinson, Die Wang, and Jian Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15671–15691, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15671-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15671-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We report the vertical profiles of aerosol properties over the Southern Great Plains (SGP), a region influenced by shallow convective clouds, land–atmosphere interactions, boundary layer turbulence, and the aerosol life cycle. We examined the processes that drive the aerosol population and distribution in the lower troposphere over the SGP. This study helps improve our understanding of aerosol–cloud interactions and the model representation of aerosol processes.
Stefania Gilardoni, Dominic Heslin-Rees, Mauro Mazzola, Vito Vitale, Michael Sprenger, and Radovan Krejci
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15589–15607, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15589-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15589-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Models still fail in reproducing black carbon (BC) temporal variability in the Arctic. Analysis of equivalent BC concentrations in the European Arctic shows that BC seasonal variability is modulated by the efficiency of removal by precipitation during transport towards high latitudes. Short-term variability is controlled by synoptic-scale circulation patterns. The advection of warm air from lower latitudes is an effective pollution transport pathway during summer.
Markku Kulmala, Anna Lintunen, Hanna Lappalainen, Annele Virtanen, Chao Yan, Ekaterina Ezhova, Tuomo Nieminen, Ilona Riipinen, Risto Makkonen, Johanna Tamminen, Anu-Maija Sundström, Antti Arola, Armin Hansel, Kari Lehtinen, Timo Vesala, Tuukka Petäjä, Jaana Bäck, Tom Kokkonen, and Veli-Matti Kerminen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14949–14971, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14949-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14949-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
To be able to meet global grand challenges, we need comprehensive open data with proper metadata. In this opinion paper, we describe the SMEAR (Station for Measuring Earth surface – Atmosphere Relations) concept and include several examples (cases), such as new particle formation and growth, feedback loops and the effect of COVID-19, and what has been learned from these investigations. The future needs and the potential of comprehensive observations of the environment are summarized.
Weilun Zhao, Ying Li, Gang Zhao, Song Guo, Nan Ma, Shuya Hu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14889–14902, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14889-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14889-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Studies have concentrated on particles containing black carbon (BC) smaller than 700 nm because of technical limitations. In this study, BC-containing particles larger than 700 nm (BC>700) were measured, highlighting their importance to total BC mass and absorption. The contribution of BC>700 to the BC direct radiative effect was estimated, highlighting the necessity to consider the whole size range of BC-containing particles in the model estimation of BC radiative effects.
Alessandro Bigi, Giorgio Veratti, Elisabeth Andrews, Martine Collaud Coen, Lorenzo Guerrieri, Vera Bernardoni, Dario Massabò, Luca Ferrero, Sergio Teggi, and Grazia Ghermandi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14841–14869, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14841-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14841-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric particles include compounds that play a key role in the greenhouse effect and air toxicity. Concurrent observations of these compounds by multiple instruments are presented, following deployment within an urban environment in the Po Valley, one of Europe's pollution hotspots. The study compares these data, highlighting the impact of ground emissions, mainly vehicular traffic and biomass burning, on the absorption of sun radiation and, ultimately, on climate change and air quality.
Cited articles
Adhikary, B., Carmichael, G. R., Tang, Y., Leung, L. R., Qian, Y., Schauer, J. J., Stone, E. A., Ramanathan, V., and Ramana, M. V.: Characterization of the seasonal cycle of south Asian aerosols: a regional-scale modeling analysis, J. Geophys. Res., 112, 1–22, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006jd008143, 2007.
Adhikary, B., Carmichael, G. R., Kulkarni, S., Wei, C., Tang, Y., D'Allura, A., Mena-Carrasco, M., Streets, D. G., Zhang, Q., Pierce, R. B., Al-Saadi, J. A., Emmons, L. K., Pfister, G. G., Avery, M. A., Barrick, J. D., Blake, D. R., Brune, W. H., Cohen, R. C., Dibb, J. E., Fried, A., Heikes, B. G., Huey, L. G., O'Sullivan, D. W., Sachse, G. W., Shetter, R. E., Singh, H. B., Campos, T. L., Cantrell, C. A., Flocke, F. M., Dunlea, E. J., Jimenez, J. L., Weinheimer, A. J., Crounse, J. D., Wennberg, P. O., Schauer, J. J., Stone, E. A., Jaffe, D. A., and Reidmiller, D. R.: A regional scale modeling analysis of aerosol and trace gas distributions over the eastern Pacific during the INTEX-B field campaign, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 2091–2115, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-2091-2010, 2010.
Andreae, M. O. and Gelencsér, A.: Black carbon or brown carbon? The nature of light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosols, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 3131–3148, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-3131-2006, 2006.
Antony Chen, L. W., Doddridge, B. G., Dickerson, R. R., Chow, J. C., Mueller, P. K., Quinn, J., and Butler, W. A.: Seasonal variations in elemental carbon aerosol, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide: Implications for sources, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 1711–1714, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000gl012354, 2001.
Badarinath, K. V. S., Latha, K. M., Chand, T. R. K., Reddy, R. R., Gopal, K. R., Reddy, L. S. S., Narasimhulu, K., and Kumar, K. R.: Black carbon aerosols and gaseous pollutants in an urban area in North India during a fog period, Atmos. Res., 85, 209–216, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2006.12.007, 2007.
Bergin, M. H., Tripathi, S. N., Jai Devi, J., Gupta, T., McKenzie, M., Rana, K., Shafer, M. M., Villalobos, A. M., and Schauer, J. J.: The discoloration of the Taj Mahal due to particulate carbon and dust deposition, Environ. Sci. Technol., 49, 808–812, https://doi.org/10.1021/es504005q, 2015.
Bergstrom, R. W., Pilewskie, P., Russell, P., Redemann, J., Bond, T., Quinn, P., and Sierau, B.: Spectral absorption properties of atmospheric aerosols, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 5937–5943, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-5937-2007, 2007.
Bisht, D. S., Dumka, U. C., Kaskaoutis, D. G., Pipal, A. S., Srivastava, A. K., Soni, V. K., Attri, S. D., Sateesh, M., and Tiwari, S.: Carbonaceous aerosols and pollutants over Delhi urban environment: temporal evolution, source apportionment and radiative forcing, Sci. Total Environ., 521, 431–445, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.083, 2015.
Bonasoni, P., Laj, P., Marinoni, A., Sprenger, M., Angelini, F., Arduini, J., Bonafè, U., Calzolari, F., Colombo, T., Decesari, S., Di Biagio, C., di Sarra, A. G., Evangelisti, F., Duchi, R., Facchini, M. C., Fuzzi, S., Gobbi, G. P., Maione, M., Panday, A., Roccato, F., Sellegri, K., Venzac, H., Verza, G. P., Villani, P., Vuillermoz, E., and Cristofanelli, P.: Atmospheric Brown Clouds in the Himalayas: first two years of continuous observations at the Nepal Climate Observatory-Pyramid (5079 m), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 7515–7531, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-7515-2010, 2010.
Brimblecombe, P.: The effects of air pollution on the built environment, Imperial College Press, London, 2003.
Burney, J. and Ramanathan, V.: Recent climate and air pollution impacts on Indian agriculture, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 111, 16319–16324, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1317275111, 2014.
Cao, J.-J., Zhu, C.-S., Chow, J. C., Watson, J. G., Han, Y.-M., Wang, G.-H., Shen, Z.-X., and An, Z.-S.: Black carbon relationships with emissions and meteorology in Xi'an, China, Atmos. Res., 94, 194–202, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2009.05.009, 2009.
Cong, Z., Kang, S., Kawamura, K., Liu, B., Wan, X., Wang, Z., Gao, S., and Fu, P.: Carbonaceous aerosols on the south edge of the Tibetan Plateau: concentrations, seasonality and sources, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 1573–1584, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1573-2015, 2015a.
Cong, Z., Kawamura, K., Kang, S., and Fu, P.: Penetration of biomass-burning emissions from South Asia through the Himalayas: new insights from atmospheric organic acids, Sci. Rep.-UK, 5, 1–7, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep09580, 2015b.
Cristofanelli, P., Bracci, A., Sprenger, M., Marinoni, A., Bonafè, U., Calzolari, F., Duchi, R., Laj, P., Pichon, J. M., Roccato, F., Venzac, H., Vuillermoz, E., and Bonasoni, P.: Tropospheric ozone variations at the Nepal Climate Observatory-Pyramid (Himalayas, 5079 m a. s. l. ) and influence of deep stratospheric intrusion events, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 6537–6549, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-6537-2010, 2010.
Cristofanelli, P., Fierli, F., Marinoni, A., Calzolari, F., Duchi, R., Burkhart, J., Stohl, A., Maione, M., Arduini, J., and Bonasoni, P.: Influence of biomass burning and anthropogenic emissions on ozone, carbon monoxide and black carbon at the Mt. Cimone GAW-WMO global station (Italy, 2165 m a.s.l.), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 15–30, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-15-2013, 2013.
Das, S. K. and Jayaraman, A.: Role of black carbon in aerosol properties and radiative forcing over western India during premonsoon period, Atmos. Res., 102, 320–334, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2011.08.003, 2011.
Day, D., Hand, J., Carrico, C., Engling, G., and Malm, W.: Humidification factors from laboratory studies of fresh smoke from biomass fuels, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D22202, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD007221, 2006.
Dickerson, R. R., Andreae, M. O., Campos, T., Mayol-Bracero, O. L., Neusuess, C., and Streets, D. G.: Analysis of black carbon and carbon monoxide observed over the Indian Ocean: implications for emissions and photochemistry, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 107, 8017, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD000501, 2002.
Duchi, R., Cristofanelli, P., Marinoni, A., Laj, P., Marcq, S., Villani, P., Sellegri, K., Angelini, F., Calzolari, F., Gobbi, G. P., Verza, G. P., Vuillermoz, E., Sapkota, A., and Bonasoni, P.: Continuous observations of synoptic-scale dust transport at the Nepal Climate Observatory-Pyramid (5079 m a. s. l. ) in the Himalayas, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 11, 4229–4261, https://doi.org/10.5194/acpd-11-4229-2011, 2011.
Forouzanfar, M. H., Alexander, L., Anderson, H. R., Bachman, V. F., Biryukov, S., Brauer, M., Burnett, R., Casey, D., Coates, M. M., and Cohen, A.: Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013, Lancet, 386, 2287–2323, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00128-2, 2015.
Ganguly, D., Jayaraman, A., Rajesh, T. A., and Gadhavi, H.: Wintertime aerosol properties during foggy and nonfoggy days over urban center Delhi and their implications for shortwave radiative forcing, J. Geophys. Res., 111, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005jd007029, 2006.
Gaur, A., Tripathi, S. N., Kanawade, V. P., Tare, V., and Shukla, S. P.: Four-year measurements of trace gases (SO2, NOx, CO, and O3) at an urban location, Kanpur, in Northern India, J. Atmos. Chem., 71, 283–301, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-014-9295-8, 2014.
Gauri, K. L. and Holdren, G.: Pollutant effects on stone monuments, Environ. Sci. Technol., 15, 386–390, https://doi.org/10.1021/es00086a001, 1981.
Girach, I. A., Nair, V. S., Babu, S. S., and Nair, P. R.: Black carbon and carbon monoxide over Bay of Bengal during W_ICARB: source characteristics, Atmos. Environ., 94, 508–517, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.05.054, 2014.
Hobbs, P. V., Sinha, P., Yokelson, R. J., Christian, T. J., Blake, D. R., Gao, S., Kirchstetter, T. W., Novakov, T., and Pilewskie, P.: Evolution of gases and particles from a savanna fire in South Africa, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 8485, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002352, 2003.
Huang, X.-F., Sun, T.-L., Zeng, L.-W., Yu, G.-H., and Luan, S.-J.: Black carbon aerosol characterization in a coastal city in South China using a single particle soot photometer, Atmos. Environ., 51, 21–28, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.01.056, 2012.
IPCC: Climate Change 2013: The physical science basis, in: Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by: Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor, M., Allen, S. K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., and Midgley, P. M., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, 1535 pp., 2013.
Jaffe, D., Mahura, A., Kelley, J., Atkins, J., Novelli, P. C., and Merrill, J.: Impact of Asian emissions on the remote North Pacific atmosphere: interpretation of CO data from Shemya, Guam, Midway and Mauna Loa, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 28627, https://doi.org/10.1029/96jd02750, 1997.
Joshi, H., Naja, M., Singh, K., Kumar, R., Bhardwaj, P., Babu, S. S., Satheesh, S., Moorthy, K. K., and Chandola, H.: Investigations of aerosol black carbon from a semi-urban site in the Indo-Gangetic Plain region, Atmos. Environ., 125, 346–359, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.04.007, 2016.
Kirchstetter, T. W., Novakov, T., and Hobbs, P. V.: Evidence that the spectral dependence of light absorption by aerosols is affected by organic carbon, J. Geophys. Res., 109, 1–12, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004999, 2004.
Kondo, Y., Matsui, H., Moteki, N., Sahu, L., Takegawa, N., Kajino, M., Zhao, Y., Cubison, M. J., Jimenez, J. L., Vay, S., Diskin, G. S., Anderson, B., Wisthaler, A., Mikoviny, T., Fuelberg, H. E., Blake, D. R., Huey, G., Weinheimer, A. J., Knapp, D. J., and Brune, W. H.: Emissions of black carbon, organic, and inorganic aerosols from biomass burning in North America and Asia in 2008, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D08204, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD015152, 2011.
Kulkarni, S., Sobhani, N., Miller-Schulze, J. P., Shafer, M. M., Schauer, J. J., Solomon, P. A., Saide, P. E., Spak, S. N., Cheng, Y. F., Denier van der Gon, H. A. C., Lu, Z., Streets, D. G., Janssens-Maenhout, G., Wiedinmyer, C., Lantz, J., Artamonova, M., Chen, B., Imashev, S., Sverdlik, L., Deminter, J. T., Adhikary, B., D'Allura, A., Wei, C., and Carmichael, G. R.: Source sector and region contributions to BC and PM2. 5 in Central Asia, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 1683–1705, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1683-2015, 2015.
Kumar, B., Chakraborty, A., Tripathi, S. N., and Bhattu, D.: Highly time resolved chemical characterization of submicron organic aerosols at a polluted urban location, Environ. Sci.-Proc. Imp., 18, 1285–1296, https://doi.org/10.1039/C6EM00392C, 2016a.
Kumar, M., Tiwari, S., Murari, V., Singh, A. K., and Banerjee, T.: Wintertime characteristics of aerosols at middle Indo-Gangetic Plain: impacts of regional meteorology and long range transport, Atmos. Environ., 104, 162–175, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.01.014, 2015.
Kumar, V., Sarkar, C., and Sinha, V.: Influence of post harvest crop residue fires on surface ozone mixing ratios in the NW IGP analyzed using two years of continuous in-situ trace gas measurements, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 121, 3619–3633, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD024308, 2016b.
Latha, K. M. and Badarinath, K. V. S.: Correlation between black carbon aerosols, carbon monoxide and tropospheric ozone over a tropical urban site, Atmos. Res., 71, 265–274, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2004.06.004, 2004.
Lawrence, M. G. and Lelieveld, J.: Atmospheric pollutant outflow from southern Asia: a review, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 11017–11096, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-11017-2010, 2010.
Lüthi, Z. L., Škerlak, B., Kim, S. W., Lauer, A., Mues, A., Rupakheti, M., and Kang, S.: Atmospheric brown clouds reach the Tibetan Plateau by crossing the Himalayas, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 6007–6021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-6007-2015, 2015.
Marinoni, A., Cristofanelli, P., Laj, P., Duchi, R., Putero, D., Calzolari, F., Landi, T. C., Vuillermoz, E., Maione, M., and Bonasoni, P.: High black carbon and ozone concentrations during pollution transport in the Himalayas: five years of continuous observations at NCO-P global GAW station, J. Environ. Sci., 25, 1618–1625, https://doi.org/10.1016/s1001-0742(12)60242-3, 2013.
Misra, A., Gaur, A., Bhattu, D., Ghosh, S., Dwivedi, A. K., Dalai, R., Paul, D., Gupta, T., Tare, V., Mishra, S. K., Singh, S., and Tripathi, S. N.: An overview of the physico-chemical characteristics of dust at Kanpur in the central Indo-Gangetic basin, Atmos. Environ., 97, 386–396, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.08.043, 2014.
Mohnen, V. A., Goldstein, W., and Wang, W. C.: Tropospheric Ozone and Climate Change, Air and Waste, 43, 1332–1334, https://doi.org/10.1080/1073161x.1993.10467207, 1993.
Naja, M., Lal, S., and Chand, D.: Diurnal and seasonal variabilities in surface ozone at a high altitude site Mt Abu (24.6° N, 72.7° E, 1680 m a. s. l. ) in India, Atmos. Environ., 37, 4205–4215, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(03)00565-X, 2003.
Pan, X. L., Kanaya, Y., Wang, Z. F., Liu, Y., Pochanart, P., Akimoto, H., Sun, Y. L., Dong, H. B., Li, J., Irie, H., and Takigawa, M.: Correlation of black carbon aerosol and carbon monoxide in the high-altitude environment of Mt. Huang in Eastern China, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 9735–9747, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-9735-2011, 2011.
Panday, A. K. and Prinn, R. G.: Diurnal cycle of air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: observations, J. Geophys. Res., 114, 1–19, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008jd009777, 2009.
Park, S. S., Harrison, D., Pancras, J. P., and Ondov, J. M.: Highly time-resolved organic and elemental carbon measurements at the Baltimore Supersite in 2002, J. Geophys. Res., 110, D07S06, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004jd004610, 2005.
Pathak, B., Bhuyan, P. K., Biswas, J., and Takemura, T.: Long term climatology of particulate matter and associated microphysical and optical properties over Dibrugarh, North-East India and inter-comparison with SPRINTARS simulations, Atmos. Environ., 69, 334–344, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.12.032, 2013.
Praveen, P. S., Ahmed, T., Kar, A., Rehman, I. H., and Ramanathan, V.: Link between local scale BC emissions in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and large scale atmospheric solar absorption, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 1173–1187, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-1173-2012, 2012.
Putero, D., Landi, T., Cristofanelli, P., Marinoni, A., Laj, P., Duchi, R., Calzolari, F., Verza, G., and Bonasoni, P.: Influence of open vegetation fires on black carbon and ozone variability in the southern Himalayas (NCO-P, 5079 m a. s. l. ), Environ. Pollut., 184, 597–604, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.09.035, 2014.
Putero, D., Cristofanelli, P., Marinoni, A., Adhikary, B., Duchi, R., Shrestha, S. D., Verza, G. P., Landi, T. C., Calzolari, F., Busetto, M., Agrillo, G., Biancofiore, F., Di Carlo, P., Panday, A. K., Rupakheti, M., and Bonasoni, P.: Seasonal variation of ozone and black carbon observed at Paknajol, an urban site in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 13957–13971, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-13957-2015, 2015.
Ram, K., Sarin, M., and Tripathi, S.: A 1 year record of carbonaceous aerosols from an urban site in the Indo-Gangetic Plain: characterization, sources, and temporal variability, J. Geophys. Res., 115, D24313, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD014188, 2010.
Ramachandran, S. and Rajesh, T. A.: Black carbon aerosol mass concentrations over Ahmedabad, an urban location in western India: comparison with urban sites in Asia, Europe, Canada, and the United States, J. Geophys. Res., 112, 1–19, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD007488, 2007.
Ramanathan, V. and Carmichael, G.: Global and regional climate changes due to black carbon, Nat. Geosci., 1, 221–227, 2008.
Ramanathan, V., Li, F., Ramana, M., Praveen, P., Kim, D., Corrigan, C., Nguyen, H., Stone, E. A., Schauer, J. J., and Carmichael, G.: Atmospheric brown clouds: hemispherical and regional variations in long-range transport, absorption, and radiative forcing, J. Geophys. Res., 112, 1–26, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD008124, 2007.
Rastogi, N., Singh, A., Sarin, M. M., and Singh, D.: Temporal variability of primary and secondary aerosols over northern India: impact of biomass burning emissions, Atmos. Environ., 125, 396–403, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.06.010, 2016.
Rehman, I. H., Ahmed, T., Praveen, P. S., Kar, A., and Ramanathan, V.: Black carbon emissions from biomass and fossil fuels in rural India, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 7289–7299, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-7289-2011, 2011.
Retama, A., Baumgardner, D., Raga, G. B., McMeeking, G. R., and Walker, J. W.: Seasonal and diurnal trends in black carbon properties and co-pollutants in Mexico City, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 9693-9709, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9693-2015, 2015.
Rupakheti, M., Panday, A. K., Lawrence, M. G., Kim, S. W., Sinha, V., Kang, S. C., Naja, M., Park, J. S., Hoor, P., Holben, B., Sharma, R. K., Mues, A., Mahata, K. S., Bhardwaj, P., Sarkar, C., Rupakheti, D., Regmi, R. P., and Gustafsson, Ö.: Air pollution in the Himalayan foothills: overview of the SusKat-ABC international air pollution measurement campaign in Nepal, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., in preparation, 2017.
Safai, P. D., Kewat, S., Pandithurai, G., Praveen, P. S., Ali, K., Tiwari, S., Rao, P. S. P., Budhawant, K. B., Saha, S. K., and Devara, P. C. S.: Aerosol characteristics during winter fog at Agra, North India, J. Atmos. Chem., 61, 101–118, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-009-9127-4, 2009.
Sahu, L. K., Kondo, Y., Moteki, N., Takegawa, N., Zhao, Y., Cubison, M. J., Jimenez, J. L., Vay, S., Diskin, G. S., Wisthaler, A., Mikoviny, T., Huey, L. G., Weinheimer, A. J., and Knapp, D. J.: Emission characteristics of black carbon in anthropogenic and biomass burning plumes over California during ARCTAS-CARB 2008, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D16302, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011jd017401, 2012.
Sandradewi, J., Prévôt, A. S. H., Szidat, S., Perron, N., Alfarra, M. R., Lanz, V. A., Weingartner, E., and Baltensperger, U.: Using aerosol light absorption measurements for the quantitative determination of wood burning and traffic emission contributions to particulate matter, Environ. Sci. Technol., 42, 3316–3323, https://doi.org/10.1021/es702253m, 2008.
Sarkar, C., Kumar, V., and Sinha, V.: Massive emissions of carcinogenic benzenoids from paddy residue burning in north India, Curr. Sci. India, 104, 1703–1709, 2013.
Schmid, O., Artaxo, P., Arnott, W. P., Chand, D., Gatti, L. V., Frank, G. P., Hoffer, A., Schnaiter, M., and Andreae, M. O.: Spectral light absorption by ambient aerosols influenced by biomass burning in the Amazon Basin. I: Comparison and field calibration of absorption measurement techniques, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 3443–3462, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-3443-2006, 2006.
Sharma, R. K., Bhattarai, B. K., Sapkota, B. K., Gewali, M. B., and Kjeldstad, B.: Black carbon aerosols variation in Kathmandu valley, Nepal, Atmos. Environ., 63, 282–288, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.09.023, 2012.
Sharma, S., Brook, J. R., Cachier, H., Chow, J., Gaudenzi, A., and Lu, G.: Light absorption and thermal measurements of black carbon in different regions of Canada, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 107, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002496, 2002.
Shindell, D., Kuylenstierna, J. C., Vignati, E., van Dingenen, R., Amann, M., Klimont, Z., Anenberg, S. C., Muller, N., Janssens-Maenhout, G., and Raes, F.: Simultaneously mitigating near-term climate change and improving human health and food security, Science, 335, 183–189, 2012.
Singh, N., Murari, V., Kumar, M., Barman, S. C., and Banerjee, T.: Fine particulates over South Asia: review and meta-analysis of PM2. 5 source apportionment through receptor model, Environ. Pollut., 223, 121–136, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.12.071, 2017.
Sinha, V., Kumar, V., and Sarkar, C.: Chemical composition of pre-monsoon air in the Indo-Gangetic Plain measured using a new air quality facility and PTR-MS: high surface ozone and strong influence of biomass burning, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 5921–5941, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-5921-2014, 2014.
Skamarock, W., Klemp, J., Dudhia, J., Gill, D., and Barker, D.: A description of the Advanced Research WRF version 3, Technical Report NCAR∕TN475 + STR, National Center for Atmospheric Research Technical Note, Boulder, Colorado, 2008.
Snider, G., Weagle, C. L., Murdymootoo, K. K., Ring, A., Ritchie, Y., Stone, E., Walsh, A., Akoshile, C., Anh, N. X., Balasubramanian, R., Brook, J., Qonitan, F. D., Dong, J., Griffith, D., He, K., Holben, B. N., Kahn, R., Lagrosas, N., Lestari, P., Ma, Z., Misra, A., Norford, L. K., Quel, E. J., Salam, A., Schichtel, B., Segev, L., Tripathi, S., Wang, C., Yu, C., Zhang, Q., Zhang, Y., Brauer, M., Cohen, A., Gibson, M. D., Liu, Y., Martins, J. V., Rudich, Y., and Martin, R. V.: Variation in global chemical composition of PM2. 5: emerging results from SPARTAN, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 9629–9653, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-9629-2016, 2016.
Stevenson, D., Dentener, F., Schultz, M., Ellingsen, K., Van Noije, T., Wild, O., Zeng, G., Amann, M., Atherton, C., and Bell, N.: Multimodel ensemble simulations of present-day and near-future tropospheric ozone, J. Geophys. Res., 111, 1–23, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006338, 2006.
Subramanian, R., Kok, G. L., Baumgardner, D., Clarke, A., Shinozuka, Y., Campos, T. L., Heizer, C. G., Stephens, B. B., de Foy, B., Voss, P. B., and Zaveri, R. A.: Black carbon over Mexico: the effect of atmospheric transport on mixing state, mass absorption cross-section, and BC ∕ CO ratios, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 219–237, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-219-2010, 2010.
Tiwari, S., Srivastava, A. K., Bisht, D. S., Parmita, P., Srivastava, M. K., and Attri, S. D.: Diurnal and seasonal variations of black carbon and PM2. 5 over New Delhi, India: influence of meteorology, Atmos. Res., 125, 50–62, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2013.01.011, 2013.
Tiwari, S., Pipal, A. S., Hopke, P. K., Bisht, D. S., Srivastava, A. K., Tiwari, S., Saxena, P. N., Khan, A. H., and Pervez, S.: Study of the carbonaceous aerosol and morphological analysis of fine particles along with their mixing state in Delhi, India: a case study, Environ. Sci. Pollut. R., 22, 10744–10757, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4272-6, 2015.
Tiwari, S., Dumka, U. C., Kaskaoutis, D. G., Ram, K., Panicker, A. S., Srivastava, M. K., Tiwari, S., Attri, S. D., Soni, V. K., and Pandey, A. K.: Aerosol chemical characterization and role of carbonaceous aerosol on radiative effect over Varanasi in central Indo-Gangetic Plain, Atmos. Environ., 125, 437–449, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.07.031, 2016.
Tiwari, S., Dumka, U. C., Gautam, A. S., Kaskaoutis, D. G., Srivastava, A. K., Bisht, D. S., Chakrabarty, R. K., Sumlin, B. J., and Solmon, F.: Assessment of PM2. 5 and PM10 over Guwahati in Brahmaputra River Valley: temporal evolution, source apportionment and meteorological dependence, Atmos. Pollut. Res., 8, 13–28, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2016.07.008, 2017.
Val Martín, M., Honrath, R. E., Owen, R. C., Pfister, G., Fialho, P., and Barata, F.: Significant enhancements of nitrogen oxides, black carbon, and ozone in the North Atlantic lower free troposphere resulting from North American boreal wildfires, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D23S60, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006jd007530, 2006.
Verma, R. L., Sahu, L. K., Kondo, Y., Takegawa, N., Han, S., Jung, J. S., Kim, Y. J., Fan, S., Sugimoto, N., Shammaa, M. H., Zhang, Y. H., and Zhao, Y.: Temporal variations of black carbon in Guangzhou, China, in summer 2006, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 6471–6485, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-6471-2010, 2010.
Verma, R. L., Kondo, Y., Oshima, N., Matsui, H., Kita, K., Sahu, L. K., Kato, S., Kajii, Y., Takami, A., and Miyakawa, T.: Seasonal variations of the transport of black carbon and carbon monoxide from the Asian continent to the western Pacific in the boundary layer, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D21307, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011jd015830, 2011.
Verma, S., Worden, J., Payra, S., Jourdain, L., and Shim, C.: Characterizing the long-range transport of black carbon aerosols during Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) experiment, Environ. Monit. Assess., 154, 85–92, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0379-2, 2009.
Wan, X., Kang, S., Li, Q., Rupakheti, D., Zhang, Q., Guo, J., Chen, P., Tripathee, L., Rupakheti, M., Panday, A. K., Wang, W., Kawamura, K., Gao, S., Wu, G., and Cong, Z.: Organic molecular tracers in the atmospheric aerosols from Lumbini, Nepal, in the northern Indo-Gangetic Plain: influence of biomass burning, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 8867–8885, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8867-2017, 2017.
WHO: Air quality guidelines: global update 2005: particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, World Health Organization, Geneva, 22 pp., 2006.
Wiedinmyer, C., Akagi, S. K., Yokelson, R. J., Emmons, L. K., Al-Saadi, J. A., Orlando, J. J., and Soja, A. J.: The Fire INventory from NCAR (FINN): a high resolution global model to estimate the emissions from open burning, Geosci. Model Dev., 4, 625–641, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-4-625-2011, 2011.
Zhou, X., Gao, J., Wang, T., Wu, W., and Wang, W.: Measurement of black carbon aerosols near two Chinese megacities and the implications for improving emission inventories, Atmos. Environ., 43, 3918–3924, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.04.062, 2009.
Short summary
For the first time, atmospheric composition was monitored during pre-monsoon season of 2013 at Lumbini (UNESCO world heritage site as birthplace of the Buddha). PM and O3 frequently exceeded WHO guidelines. Pollution concentration, diurnal characteristics and influence of open burning on air quality in Lumbini were investigated. Potential source regions were also identified. Results show that air pollution at this site is of a great concern, requiring prompt attention for mitigation.
For the first time, atmospheric composition was monitored during pre-monsoon season of 2013 at...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint