Near-surface temperature inversion over the Arabian Sea due to natural aerosols

Abstract

A daytime; near-surface temperature inversion is observed over the open Arabian Sea during the summer monsoon season. During such periods; the temperature profile in the surface layer can no longer be described using the Monin-Obukhov similarity profile. The diurnal change in air temperature is 0 times that of the water below; the direction of heat flow between ocean; atmosphere reverses during a day in a manner opposite to that found over land. This coincides with strong surface winds; high levels of sea salt particle concentration in the boundary layer. Radiative transfer calculations show that at the observed levels of aerosol optical depth; the absorption in the solar spectrum exceeds the emission in the infrared around noon hours. This can result in the near-surface inversion.