Measurements of atmospheric aerosols and trace gases using the laser radar (lidar) techniques, have been in progress since 1985 at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune (18°32'N, 73°51'E...Measurements of atmospheric aerosols and trace gases using the laser radar (lidar) techniques, have been in progress since 1985 at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune (18°32'N, 73°51'E, 559 m AMSL), India. These observations carried out during nighttime in the lower atmosphere (up to 5.5 km AGL), employing an Argon ion / Helium-Neon lidar provided information on the nature, size, concentration and other characteristics of the constituents present in the tropical atmosphere. The time-height variations in aerosol concentration and associated layer structure exhibit marked differences between the post-sunset and pre-sunrise periods besides their seasonal variation with maximum concentration during pre-monsoon / winter and minimum concentration during monsoon months. These observations also revealed the influence of the terrain of the experimental site and some selected meteorological parameters on the aerosol vertical distributions. The special observations of aerosol vertical profiles obtained in the nighttime atmospheric boundary layer during October 1986 through September 1989 showed that the most probable occurrence of mixing depth lies between 450 and 550 m, and the multiple stably stratified aerosol layers present above the mixing depth with maximum frequency of occurrence at around 750 m. This information on nighttime mixing depth / stable layer derived from lidar aerosol observations showed good agreement with the height of the ground-based shear layer / elevated layer observed by the simultaneously operated sodar at the lidar site.展开更多
The diurnal and semidiurnal tidal wind field variations in the altitudes between 80 and 100 km of the earth's atmosphere over a mid-latitude station are studied by means of the phases of the zonal and meridional w...The diurnal and semidiurnal tidal wind field variations in the altitudes between 80 and 100 km of the earth's atmosphere over a mid-latitude station are studied by means of the phases of the zonal and meridional wind measurements made at Atlanta (34 ° N, 84 ° W). The rotation of diurnal tidal wind vector is seen to be clockwise at lower heights (80-86 km), swinging between clockwise and anti-clockwise at intermediate heights (88-96 km) and anti-clockwise at higher heights (96-100 km). The senses of rotation of diurnal and semidiurnal tidal wind vectors are compared between the stations located in the same and opposite hemispheres. The results are consistent with the tidal theory in the case of Atlanta and Adelaide (35°S, 139 ° E) whereas in the case of other stations considered in the present study, they showed marked variations.展开更多
Using the Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) technique, two types of approaches, namely, reflection from retroreflector / topographic target and backscatter from atmosphere, are available for studying remotely the a...Using the Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) technique, two types of approaches, namely, reflection from retroreflector / topographic target and backscatter from atmosphere, are available for studying remotely the atmospheric NO, concentration. The Argon ion lidar system at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India has been used for the measurements by following both the path-averaged and range-resolved approaches. For the former, a topographic target (hill) is used for determining path-averaged surface concentration. In the latter, spectral properties of atmospheric attenuation is used for making range-resolved measurements in the surface layer. The results of the observations collected by following both approaches are presented. The average surface NO2 concentration was found to vary between 0.01 and 0.105 ppm and the range-resolved measurements exhibited higher values suggesting treatment of the lidar data for scattering and extinction effects due to atmospheric aerosols and air molecules, and atmospheric turbulence. Certain modifications that are suggested to the experimental set-up, data acquisition and analysis to improve the measurements are briefly described.展开更多
Aerosols affect clouds in two broad ways： （i） presence of more number of aerosols leads to formation of more smaller droplets, and reduces coalescence, resulting in brighter clouds that reflect more solar energy ba...Aerosols affect clouds in two broad ways： （i） presence of more number of aerosols leads to formation of more smaller droplets, and reduces coalescence, resulting in brighter clouds that reflect more solar energy back to space, hence they contribute to cooling of the Earth＇s surface and （ii） numerous smaller cloud droplets tend to reduce precipitation and change the extent of cloud cover and increase cloud lifetime and albedo. One of our recent studies on aerosols over the lndo-Gangetic Plains （IGP） relative to the pristine oceans to the south of Indian Ocean showed that highly absorbing aerosols could potentially lead to the revival of active condition preceded by long break. The absorption of solar radiation by aerosols such as black carbon and desert dust produces surface cooling and local stabilization of lower atmosphere. This stability effect is overcome by the enhanced moisture convergence due to the meridional gradient of aerosol-induced heating. In some other studies, we showed association between cloud thickness and cloud to sub-cloud ratio （SCR）, aerosol variability （in terms of aerosol optical depth and aerosol index） and monsoon precipitation and climate over regional scale. This paper provides an overview of some salient results that have been obtained from the studies conducted, using the ground- and space-based active and passive remote sensing techniques, at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology （IITM）, Pune, India in the recent decade.展开更多
文摘Measurements of atmospheric aerosols and trace gases using the laser radar (lidar) techniques, have been in progress since 1985 at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune (18°32'N, 73°51'E, 559 m AMSL), India. These observations carried out during nighttime in the lower atmosphere (up to 5.5 km AGL), employing an Argon ion / Helium-Neon lidar provided information on the nature, size, concentration and other characteristics of the constituents present in the tropical atmosphere. The time-height variations in aerosol concentration and associated layer structure exhibit marked differences between the post-sunset and pre-sunrise periods besides their seasonal variation with maximum concentration during pre-monsoon / winter and minimum concentration during monsoon months. These observations also revealed the influence of the terrain of the experimental site and some selected meteorological parameters on the aerosol vertical distributions. The special observations of aerosol vertical profiles obtained in the nighttime atmospheric boundary layer during October 1986 through September 1989 showed that the most probable occurrence of mixing depth lies between 450 and 550 m, and the multiple stably stratified aerosol layers present above the mixing depth with maximum frequency of occurrence at around 750 m. This information on nighttime mixing depth / stable layer derived from lidar aerosol observations showed good agreement with the height of the ground-based shear layer / elevated layer observed by the simultaneously operated sodar at the lidar site.
文摘The diurnal and semidiurnal tidal wind field variations in the altitudes between 80 and 100 km of the earth's atmosphere over a mid-latitude station are studied by means of the phases of the zonal and meridional wind measurements made at Atlanta (34 ° N, 84 ° W). The rotation of diurnal tidal wind vector is seen to be clockwise at lower heights (80-86 km), swinging between clockwise and anti-clockwise at intermediate heights (88-96 km) and anti-clockwise at higher heights (96-100 km). The senses of rotation of diurnal and semidiurnal tidal wind vectors are compared between the stations located in the same and opposite hemispheres. The results are consistent with the tidal theory in the case of Atlanta and Adelaide (35°S, 139 ° E) whereas in the case of other stations considered in the present study, they showed marked variations.
文摘Using the Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) technique, two types of approaches, namely, reflection from retroreflector / topographic target and backscatter from atmosphere, are available for studying remotely the atmospheric NO, concentration. The Argon ion lidar system at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India has been used for the measurements by following both the path-averaged and range-resolved approaches. For the former, a topographic target (hill) is used for determining path-averaged surface concentration. In the latter, spectral properties of atmospheric attenuation is used for making range-resolved measurements in the surface layer. The results of the observations collected by following both approaches are presented. The average surface NO2 concentration was found to vary between 0.01 and 0.105 ppm and the range-resolved measurements exhibited higher values suggesting treatment of the lidar data for scattering and extinction effects due to atmospheric aerosols and air molecules, and atmospheric turbulence. Certain modifications that are suggested to the experimental set-up, data acquisition and analysis to improve the measurements are briefly described.
基金One of the authors(M.C.M.) thanks the CSIR for financial support in the form of Research Fellowship
文摘Aerosols affect clouds in two broad ways： （i） presence of more number of aerosols leads to formation of more smaller droplets, and reduces coalescence, resulting in brighter clouds that reflect more solar energy back to space, hence they contribute to cooling of the Earth＇s surface and （ii） numerous smaller cloud droplets tend to reduce precipitation and change the extent of cloud cover and increase cloud lifetime and albedo. One of our recent studies on aerosols over the lndo-Gangetic Plains （IGP） relative to the pristine oceans to the south of Indian Ocean showed that highly absorbing aerosols could potentially lead to the revival of active condition preceded by long break. The absorption of solar radiation by aerosols such as black carbon and desert dust produces surface cooling and local stabilization of lower atmosphere. This stability effect is overcome by the enhanced moisture convergence due to the meridional gradient of aerosol-induced heating. In some other studies, we showed association between cloud thickness and cloud to sub-cloud ratio （SCR）, aerosol variability （in terms of aerosol optical depth and aerosol index） and monsoon precipitation and climate over regional scale. This paper provides an overview of some salient results that have been obtained from the studies conducted, using the ground- and space-based active and passive remote sensing techniques, at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology （IITM）, Pune, India in the recent decade.
