Spectral aerosol optical depths over Bay of Bengal and Chennai: II-sources, anthropogenic influence and model estimates

Abstract

A cruise experiment was conducted in February-March 2001 to study the aerosol optical characteristics over Bay of Bengal, identify the source regions of aerosols and to estimate the anthropogenic contribution to the measured aerosol optical depths. The aerosol optical depths (AODs) exhibit significant spatial differences. The observed variations are explained by 7-days back trajectory analyses performed at different heights. The higher AODs obtained on 21 February are found influenced by the air mass at different heights originating either from Bangladesh or mainland India, indicating the anthropogenic influence. The anthropogenic influence on AOD are estimated by comparing the AODs obtained over Bay of Bengal (i) with that measured over a clean oceanic region taking into account the wind speed dependence on sea-salt aerosols and (ii) using maritime clean aerosol. From the two methods the estimated mean contribution by the anthropogenic sources to the AODs measured over Bay of Bengal are found to be in the range of 74-92% at 0.5 µm. Over Chennai, an urban station located on the eastern coastline of India, the anthropogenic contribution is estimated by comparing the measured AOD values with that of clean continental aerosol model and is found to be about 89%. This percentage contribution is higher than the contributions measured over Kaashidhoo and the northern Indian Ocean during INDOEX. INDOEX expeditions were conducted over the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean on the western side of the Indian subcontinent, while the Bay of Bengal experiment was conducted on the eastern side. The differences in percentage contributions could possibly be due to the differences in anthropogenic activities, changes in the meteorological conditions, wind patterns, production and subsequently the transport of aerosols. The measured AOD spectra are reconstructed using OPAC to find out the possible chemical species which make up the aerosols over Bay of Bengal and Chennai. The AODs are reproduced by models having water-soluble and soot particles of anthropogenic origin. The higher a values over Bay of Bengal and Chennai when compared to the Arabian Sea arise due to the direct impact of anthropogenically produced submicron aerosols which is evident from the higher number concentrations of water-soluble and soot particles found necessary to fit the measured AODs. The southern Indian Ocean AOD spectra is ably captured by models having water-soluble and sea-salt particles in the accumulation and coarse modes.