Anthropogenic impact on aerosol black carbon mass concentration at a tropical coastal station: a case study

Abstract

A case study is made on the impact of extensive anthropogenic activity, associated with the Indian festival event (Diwali), on the mass concentration of atmospheric aerosol black carbon (BC) at a remote coastal location. Observations show a large increase in the BC concentration (by a factor of over 3 above the unperturbed background level) associated with this. The sea breeze and the associated boundary layer dynamics appear to perform a cleansing job in the lower atmosphere during the daytime, apparently by re-distributing the aerosols. Nevertheless the effect of the impact persists for several days, decaying gradually in a matter of about a week.