Aerosol contents at an altitude of ~2 km in central Himalayas

TL;DR

This study presents preliminary aerosol measurements at approximately 2 km altitude in the Central Himalayas, highlighting regional aerosol properties and comparing daytime data with previous nighttime measurements to understand their environmental impact.

Contribution

First systematic high-altitude aerosol characterization in India, providing regional data crucial for understanding long-term atmospheric effects.

Findings

Aerosol properties vary between day and night measurements.

Preliminary data indicate significant regional aerosol variability.

Baseline aerosol levels established at high altitude in the Himalayas.

Abstract

Aerosols, both natural and anthropogenic, play an important role in the atmospheric science, by imparting radiative forcing and perturbing the radiative balance of the Earth atmosphere system as well as by degrading the environment. To understand the effect of aerosols on our geo/biosphere system, it is essential to characterize their physical and chemical properties regionally because of the regional nature of their properties and the short lifetime. As most of the aerosol sources are of terrestrial origin the variability of their properties will be very large close to the surface. At higher altitudes, above the mixing region, and in the free troposphere, the aerosol characteristics have a more synoptic perspective; would be indicative of the background level and are useful to understand long-term impacts. Such systematic measurements of aerosols at high altitudes are practically non-existing in India. Realising the potential and need for such studies, an activity has been initiated at Manora Peak, Nainital in the Shivalik Hills of Central Himalayas at an altitude of $\sim$2 km. The present paper provides the preliminary results of these aerosol measurements. These daytime measurements are compared with the existing earlier nighttime measurements.