Atmospheric turbidity over India from solar radiation measurements

Abstract

Atmospheric turbidity and pollution have been studied in India for many years. This has been done by means of spectral measurements of direct solar radiation using Angstrom pyrheliometers and Volz sun photometers. Radiation attenuation due to dust and haze is a phenomenon of great importance in India during the premonsoon months. Most of the dust content is removed by precipitation during the monsoon, but the haze region is established again as winter sets in over north India. An examination of atmospheric turbidity data over India during the last ten years shows that turbidity has doubled at almost all stations since 1961. This would appear to be associated with increasing pollution caused by rapid industrialization in the various areas under study.