Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-702
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-702
04 Oct 2023
 | 04 Oct 2023

Measurement report: Intra-annual Variability of Black/Brown Carbon and Its Interrelation with Meteorological Conditions over Gangtok, Sikkim

Pramod Kumar, Khushboo Sharma, Ankita Malu, Rajeev Rajak, Aparna Gupta, Bidyutjyoti Baruah, Shailesh Kumar Yadav, Thupstan Angchuck, Jayant Sharma, Rakesh Kumar Ranjan, Anil Kumar Misra, and Nishchal Wanjari

Abstract. Black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) have versatile nature, and they have apparent role in the climate variability and changes. As the anthropogenic activity is surging, the BC and BrC are also reportedly increasing. So, the monitoring of BC/BrC and observation of land use land cover changes (LULCC) at regional level are necessary for the various interconnected meteorological phenomenal changes. The current study investigates BC, BrC, CO2, BC from fossil fuels (BCff), BC from biomass burning (BCbb), LULCC, and their relationship to the corresponding meteorological conditions over Gangtok in Sikkim Himalayan region. The concentration of BC (BrC) 43.5 μg/m3 (32.0 μg/m3) is found to be highest during the March-2022 (April-2021). Surface pressure has been found to have a significant positive correlation with BC, BCff, BCbb and BrC. The boundary layer is calmer and more stable when the surface pressure is higher, which keeps contaminants deposited there. The wind, on the other hand, appears to represent the dispersion of pollutants with a strong negative correlation. The fact that all pollutants and precipitation have been shown to behave similarly points to moist scavenging of the pollutants. Despite the dense cloud cover, the area is not receiving convective precipitation, implying that orographic precipitation is occurring over the region. Most of Sikkim receives convective rain from May to September, indicating that the region has significant convective activity contributed from the Bay of Bengal during monsoon season. Furthermore, monsoon months have the lowest concentrations of BC, BCbb, BCff, and BrC, suggesting the potential of convective rain (as rain out scavenging) to remove most of the pollutants. Moreover, BC and BrC show positive radiative feedback.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

16 Oct 2024
Measurement report: Intra-annual variability of black carbon and brown carbon and their interrelation with meteorological conditions over Gangtok, Sikkim
Pramod Kumar, Khushboo Sharma, Ankita Malu, Rajeev Rajak, Aparna Gupta, Bidyutjyoti Baruah, Shailesh Yadav, Thupstan Angchuk, Jayant Sharma, Rakesh Kumar Ranjan, Anil Kumar Misra, and Nishchal Wanjari
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11585–11601, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11585-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11585-2024, 2024
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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

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This work is monitoring and assessment of air pollution especially Black Carbon and its...
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