Characterization of aerosol black carbon over a tropical semi-arid region of Anantapur, India

Kumar, Raghavendra K and Narasimhulu, K and Balakrishnaiah, G and Reddy, Suresh Kumar B and Gopal, Rama K and Reddy, RR and Satheesh, SK and Moorthy, Krishna K and Babu, Suresh S (2011) Characterization of aerosol black carbon over a tropical semi-arid region of Anantapur, India. In: Atmospheric Research, 100 (1). pp. 12-27.

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Abstract

Black carbon (BC) aerosol mass concentrations measured using an aethalometer at Anantapur, a semi-arid tropical station in the southern part of peninsular India, from August 2006 to July 2007 are analyzed. Seasonal and diurnal variations of BC in relation to changes in the regional meteorological conditions have been studied along with the mass fraction of BC to the total aerosol mass concentration (M-t) and fine particle mass (FPM) concentration in different months. The data collected during the study period shows that the annual average BC mass concentration at Anantapur is 1.97 +/- 0.12 mu g m(-3). Seasonal variations of BC aerosol mass concentration showed high during the dry (winter and summer) seasons and low during the post-monsoon followed by the monsoon seasons. Diurnal variations of BC aerosols attain a gradual build up in BC concentration from morning and a sharp peak occurs between 07:00 and 09:00 h almost an hour after local sunrise and a broad nocturnal peak from 19:00 to 21:00 h with a minimum in noon hours. The ratio of BC to the fine particle mass concentration was high during the dry season and low during the monsoon season. The regression analysis between BC mass concentration and wind speed indicates that, with increase in wind speeds the BC mass concentrations would decrease and vice-versa. Aerosol BC mass concentration shows a significant positive correlation with total mass concentration (M-t) and aerosol optical depth (ACID, tau(p)) at 500 nm. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Atmospheric Research
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:	Black carbon aerosol;Aethalometer;Fine particle mass concentration;Aerosol optical depth;Mass fraction
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Centre for Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
Date Deposited:	12 Apr 2011 07:47
Last Modified:	12 Apr 2011 07:47
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/36770

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