Dataset Information

Aerosol Loading and Radiation Budget Perturbations in Densely Populated and Highly Polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain by COVID-19: Influences on Cloud Properties and Air Temperature.

ABSTRACT: Aerosols emitted in densely populated and industrialized Indo-Gangetic Plain, one of the most polluted regions in the world, modulate regional climate, monsoon, and Himalayan glacier retreat. Thus, this region is important for understanding aerosol perturbations and their resulting impacts on atmospheric changes during COVID-19 lockdown period, a natural experimental condition created by the pandemic. By analyzing 5 years (2016-2020) data of aerosols and performing a radiative transfer calculation, we found that columnar and near-surface aerosol loadings decreased, leading to reductions in radiative cooling at the surface and top of the atmosphere and atmospheric warming during lockdown period. Further, satellite data analyses showed increases in cloud optical thickness and cloud-particle effective radius and decrease in lower tropospheric air temperature during lockdown period. These results indicate critical influences of COVID-19 lockdown on regional climate and water cycle over Indo-Gangetic Plain, emphasizing need for further studies from modeling perspectives.

SUBMITTER: Khatri P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8667642 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Aerosol Loading and Radiation Budget Perturbations in Densely Populated and Highly Polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain by COVID-19: Influences on Cloud Properties and Air Temperature.

Khatri P P Hayasaka T T Hayasaka T T Holben B B Tripathi S N SN Misra P P Patra P K PK Hayashida S S Dumka U C UC

Geophysical research letters 20211015 20

Aerosols emitted in densely populated and industrialized Indo-Gangetic Plain, one of the most polluted regions in the world, modulate regional climate, monsoon, and Himalayan glacier retreat. Thus, this region is important for understanding aerosol perturbations and their resulting impacts on atmospheric changes during COVID-19 lockdown period, a natural experimental condition created by the pandemic. By analyzing 5 years (2016-2020) data of aerosols and performing a radiative transfer calculati ...[more]

PMID: 34924636

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Project description:Fog supports an increase in airborne microbial loading by providing water with nutrients and protecting it from harmful incoming solar radiation. To improve our present understanding of fog-induced alteration in an atmospheric microbial community, a study was conducted during 1 to 14 January 2021 for continuous investigation of airborne bacteria over a rural site, Arthauli (25.95°N, 85.10°E), in central Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) in India. An increase of 36% ± 0.4% in airborne bacterial loading was noticed under fog versus prefog conditions, and a decrease of 48% ± 0.4% was noticed under the postfog condition. Airborne bacterial loading had a strong correlation with RH (R2 = 0.56; P < 0.05), temperature (R2 = -0.55, P < 0.05), and wind speed (R2 = -0.52, P < 0.05). Unique types of bacteria, representing about 29% of the whole community, were detected only under foggy conditions, likely by a continuous supply of nutrients and water from a cold, calm, and humid atmosphere. As a result, no significant diurnal variation of bacterial loading was noticed on a foggy day, with a higher daily mean concentration of about (8.4 ± 1.7) × 105 cells · m-3 than that on a typical winter day [(6.3 ± 3.8) × 105 cells · m-3]. A typical winter day experienced about a 60% decrease in bacterial loading in the afternoon in comparison to that in the morning. A 3-day back-trajectory analysis suggests a slow movement of airmass along with the wind blowing from west to central IGP. Fog pauses wind movement, which reduces continuous transportation of urban sources while increasing airborne bacteria from local sources. The abundances of Gp6 (14.8% ± 8.6%), Anaeromyxobacter (7.1% ± 2.8%), and Gp7 (6.8 ± 2.6%) have been observed to increase due to occurrences of fog over central IGP. IMPORTANCE Fog was investigated in the present study as a cause of alteration in the airborne microbial community. Occurrences of fog were responsible for an increase in airborne microbial loading (36%) over central IGP in India due to the easy availability of nutrients and water in the air and dimming of harmful solar radiation. More than 90% of unique bacteria were detected under fog (64%) and postfog (28%) conditions. A few bacteria, like Gp18 (0.5% ± 0.3%), Alicyclobacillus (0.5% ± 0.1%), Sinomonas (0.4% ± 0.2%), and Phenylobacterium (0.4% ± 0.2%), were detected only under foggy conditions. A strong correlation between meteorological parameters and bacterial loading was found in the current research work. The present study provides additional support toward a new direction in interdisciplinary science for the detailed investigations of the effects of meteorological conditions on airborne bacteria and their implications for society.

Dataset Information

Aerosol Loading and Radiation Budget Perturbations in Densely Populated and Highly Polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain by COVID-19: Influences on Cloud Properties and Air Temperature.

Publications

Aerosol Loading and Radiation Budget Perturbations in Densely Populated and Highly Polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain by COVID-19: Influences on Cloud Properties and Air Temperature.

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