INTRA-SEASONAL AND SEASONAL TRANSITION VARIATION OF AEROSOL BLACK CARBON OVER HIGH ALTITUDE REGION OF SOUTHERN INDIA, OOTY, TAMILNADU

Abstract

The Black carbon is the aerosol particle that has been produced from the incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuels. The concentration of the Aerosol Black Carbon (ABC) was measured by using the Aethalometer (Magee Scientific Model AE-31) at high altitude region, Ooty. This study has measured the diurnal and seasonal variation of ABC concentration for the winter and transition month of March (winter to summer), 2021. They were also influenced by the local meteorological conditions. The average winter (January-February) and March month concentration were recorded as 0.89±0.26 μg m-3 and 1.46±0.62 μg m-3 respectively, and it shows significant variation at diurnally during the winter as well as in transition month. Aerosol Black carbon concentration attains the peak during evening hours (17:00 to 20:00 LT) in winter and follows the bimodal peaks in morning (09:00 LT) and late evening hour (21:00 LT) during March month. The ABC concentration was significantly related with the Aerosol optical depth which denotes that the ABC is one of the contributors to the atmospheric aerosols. The results showed that their nature tend to change with the local meteorological conditions and to the seasonal variation.