A review of potential radiative effect of aerosol on climate

5-14The study of physical and chemical properties of aerosol is of significant importance, because their radiative effects exert strong impact on Earth’s climate. Aerosols scatter and absorb solar radiation. Backscattering of solar radiation towards space results loss in surface reaching solar radiation leads to cooling of the climate system. Absorption of solar radiation is associated with heating within the aerosol layer, thereby modifies the vertical temperature profile, and this also results loss in surface reaching solar radiation. Such processes alter the radiative balance of Earth directly so-called direct effects. A subset of aerosols also alters the radiative balance of the Earth by modifying microphysical and radiative properties of clouds via so-called indirect effects. Based on observations and models studies present work suggest that the regional radiative perturbations are several Wm-2 due to changes in aerosol emissions. Furthermore, if the black carbon emission is checked out may lead to a sudden change in the normal pattern of warming/cooling. This paper summarized the various potential radiative mechanisms associated with aerosol-climate interaction

A review of potential radiative effect of aerosol on climate

The study of physical and chemical properties of aerosol is of significant importance, because their radiative effects exert strong impact on Earth’s climate. Aerosols scatter and absorb solar radiation. Backscattering of solar radiation towards space results loss in surface reaching solar radiation leads to cooling of the climate system. Absorption of solar radiation is associated with heating within the aerosol layer, thereby modifies the vertical temperature profile, and this also results loss in surface reaching solar radiation. Such processes alter the radiative balance of Earth directly so-called direct effects. A subset of aerosols also alters the radiative balance of the Earth by modifying microphysical and radiative properties of clouds via so-called indirect effects. Based on observations and models studies present work suggest that the regional radiative perturbations are several Wm-2 due to changes in aerosol emissions. Furthermore, if the black carbon emission is checked out may lead to a sudden change in the normal pattern of warming/cooling. This paper summarized the various potential radiative mechanisms associated with aerosol-climate interaction

Aerosol Characteristics and Their Impact on the Himalayan Energy Budget

The extensive work on the increasing burden of aerosols and resultant climate implications shows a matter of great concern. In this study, we investigate the aerosol optical depth (AOD) variations in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) between its plains and alpine regions and the corresponding consequences on the energy balance on the Himalayan glaciers. For this purpose, AOD data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS, MOD-L3), Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET), India, and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) were analyzed. Aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) was assessed using the atmospheric radiation transfer model (RTM) integrated into AERONET inversion code based on the Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (DISORT) module. Further, air mass trajectory over the entire IHR was analyzed using a hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. We estimated that between 2001 and 2015, the monthly average ARF at the surface (ARFSFC), top of the atmosphere (ARFTOA), and atmosphere (ARFATM) were −89.6 ± 18.6 Wm−2, −25.2 ± 6.8 Wm−2, and +64.4 ± 16.5 Wm−2, respectively. We observed that during dust aerosol transport days, the ARFSFC and TOA changed by −112.2 and −40.7 Wm−2, respectively, compared with low aerosol loading days, thereby accounting for the decrease in the solar radiation by 207% reaching the surface. This substantial decrease in the solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface increases the heating rate in the atmosphere by 3.1-fold, thereby acting as an additional forcing factor for accelerated melting of the snow and glacier resources of the IHR

Aerosol Characteristics and Their Impact on the Himalayan Energy Budget

The extensive work on the increasing burden of aerosols and resultant climate implications shows a matter of great concern. In this study, we investigate the aerosol optical depth (AOD) variations in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) between its plains and alpine regions and the corresponding consequences on the energy balance on the Himalayan glaciers. For this purpose, AOD data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS, MOD-L3), Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET), India, and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) were analyzed. Aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) was assessed using the atmospheric radiation transfer model (RTM) integrated into AERONET inversion code based on the Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (DISORT) module. Further, air mass trajectory over the entire IHR was analyzed using a hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. We estimated that between 2001 and 2015, the monthly average ARF at the surface (ARFSFC), top of the atmosphere (ARFTOA), and atmosphere (ARFATM) were −89.6 ± 18.6 Wm−2, −25.2 ± 6.8 Wm−2, and +64.4 ± 16.5 Wm−2, respectively. We observed that during dust aerosol transport days, the ARFSFC and TOA changed by −112.2 and −40.7 Wm−2, respectively, compared with low aerosol loading days, thereby accounting for the decrease in the solar radiation by 207% reaching the surface. This substantial decrease in the solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface increases the heating rate in the atmosphere by 3.1-fold, thereby acting as an additional forcing factor for accelerated melting of the snow and glacier resources of the IHR