Atmospheric pollutant outflow from southern Asia: a review

M. G. Lawrence; J. Lelieveld

doi:10.5194/acp-10-11017-2010

journal article Open Access Nov 25, 2010

Atmospheric pollutant outflow from southern Asia: a review

M. G. Lawrence J. Lelieveld

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Vol. 10 No. 22 pp. 11017-11096 · Copernicus GmbH

View at Publisher Save 10.5194/acp-10-11017-2010

Abstract

Abstract. Southern Asia, extending from Pakistan and Afghanistan to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, is one of the most heavily populated regions of the world. Biofuel and biomass burning play a disproportionately large role in the emissions of most key pollutant gases and aerosols there, in contrast to much of the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, where fossil fuel burning and industrial processes tend to dominate. This results in polluted air masses which are enriched in carbon-containing aerosols, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons. The outflow and long-distance transport of these polluted air masses is characterized by three distinct seasonal circulation patterns: the winter monsoon, the summer monsoon, and the monsoon transition periods. During winter, the near-surface flow is mostly northeasterly, and the regional pollution forms a thick haze layer in the lower troposphere which spreads out over millions of square km between southern Asia and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), located several degrees south of the equator over the Indian Ocean during this period. During summer, the heavy monsoon rains effectively remove soluble gases and aerosols. Less soluble species, on the other hand, are lifted to the upper troposphere in deep convective clouds, and are then transported away from the region by strong upper tropospheric winds, particularly towards northern Africa and the Mediterranean in the tropical easterly jet. Part of the pollution can reach the tropical tropopause layer, the gateway to the stratosphere. During the monsoon transition periods, the flow across the Indian Ocean is primarily zonal, and strong pollution plumes originating from both southeastern Asia and from Africa spread across the central Indian Ocean. This paper provides a review of the current state of knowledge based on the many observational and modeling studies over the last decades that have examined the southern Asian atmospheric pollutant outflow and its large scale effects. An outlook is provided as a guideline for future research, pointing out particularly critical issues such as: resolving discrepancies between top down and bottom up emissions estimates; assessing the processing and aging of the pollutant outflow; developing a better understanding of the observed elevated pollutant layers and their relationship to local sea breeze and large scale monsoon circulations; and determining the impacts of the pollutant outflow on the Asian monsoon meteorology and the regional hydrological cycle, in particular the mountain cryospheric reservoirs and the fresh water supply, which in turn directly impact the lives of over a billion inhabitants of southern Asia.

Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References

379

[1]

Ackerman, A. S., Toon, O. B., Stevens, D. E., Heymsfield, A. J., Ramanathan, V., and Welton, E. J.: Reduction of tropical cloudiness by soot, Science, 288, 1042–1047, 2000. 10.1126/science.288.5468.1042

[2]

Global Air Quality and Pollution

Hajime Akimoto

Science 10.1126/science.1092666

[3]

Akimoto, H., Ohara, T., Kurokawa, J., and Horii, N.: Verification of energy consumption in China during 1996–2003 by using satellite observational data, Atmos. Environ., 40, 7663–7667, 2006. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.07.052

[4]

Alexander, D. T. L., Crozier, P. A., and Anderson, J. R.: Brown Carbon Spheres in East Asian Outflow and Their Optical Properties, Science, 321, 833–836, 2008. 10.1126/science.1155296

[5]

Alfaro, S. C., Gaudichet, A., Rajot, J. L., Gomes, L., Maill{é}, M., and Cachier, H.: Variability of aerosol-resolved composition at an {I}ndian coastal site during the {I}ndian {O}cean {E}xperiment (INDOEX) intensive field phase, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 4235, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002645, 2003. 10.1029/2002jd002645

[6]

Ali, K., Momin, G. A., Tiwari, S., Safai, P. D., Chate, D. M., and Rao, P. S. P.: Fog and precipitation chemistry at Delhi, {N}orth {I}ndia, Atmos. Environ., 38, 4215–4222, 2004. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2004.02.055

[7]

Ali, K., Beig, G., Chate, D. M., Momin, G. A., Sahu, S. K., and Safai, P. D.: Sink mechanism for significantly low level of ozone over the Arabian Sea during monsoon, J. Geophys. Res., 114, D17306, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JD011256, 2009. 10.1029/2008jd011256

[8]

Influence of circulation parameters on the AOD variations over the Bay of Bengal during ICARB

Marina Aloysius, Mannil Mohan, S. Suresh Babu et al.

Journal of Earth System Science 10.1007/s12040-008-0038-6

[9]

Anderson, R. C.: Do dragonflies migrate across the western {I}ndian {O}cean?, J. Trop. Ecol., 25, 347–358, 2009. 10.1017/s0266467409006087

[10]

Andrews, A. E., Boering, K. A., Daube, B. C., Wofsy, S. C., Hintsha, E. J., Weinstock, E. M., and Bui, T. P.: Empirical age spectra for the lower tropical stratosphere from in sitiu observations of {CO2}: implications for stratospheric transport, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 26581–26596, 1999. 10.1029/1999jd900150

[11]

Andronache, C., Donner, L. J., Seman, C. J., and Hemler, R. S.: A study of the impact of the I}ntertropical {C}onvergence {Z}one on aerosols during {INDOEX, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 8027, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD900248, 2002. 10.1029/2001jd900248

[12]

Appu, K. S., Nair, S. M., Kunhikrishnan, P. K., Moorthy, K. K., Sarode, P. R., Rao, L. V., Bajpai, S. R., Prakash, L. H., Viswanathan, G., Mitra, A. P., Sadoumy, R., Basdevant, C., Ethe, C., Ovarlez, H., Chapuis, R., Dartigudongue, B., and Vianeys, P.: Spatial distribution of meteorological parameters around 900 hPa level over the A}rabian {S}ea and {I}ndian {O}cean regions during the {IFP-99 of the INDOEX programme as revealed from the constant altitude balloon experiments conducted from Goa, Curr. Sci. India, 80, 89–96, 2001.

[13]

Ashfaq, M., Shi, Y., Tung, W., Trapp, R. J., Gao, X., Pal, J. S., and Diffenbaugh, N. S.: Suppression of south {A}sian summer monsoon precipitation in the 21st century, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L01704, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL036500, 2009. 10.1029/2008gl036500

[14]

Asatar, G. I. and Nair., P. R.: Spatial distribution of near-surface CO over Bay of Bengal during winter: role of transport, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phy., 72, 1241–1250, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2010.07.025, 2010. 10.1016/j.jastp.2010.07.025

[15]

Auvray, M. and Bey, I.: Long-range transport to {E}urope: Seasonal variations and implications for the {E}uropean ozone budget, J. Geophys. Res., 110, D11303, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005503, 2005. 10.1029/2004jd005503

[16]

Babu, S. S., Satheesh, S. K., and Moorthy, K. K.: Aerosol radiative forcing due to enhanced black carbon at an urban site in {I}ndia, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29, 1880, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL015826, 2002. 10.1029/2002gl015826

[17]

Babu, S. S., Moorthy, K. K., and Satheesh, S. K.: Aerosol black carbon over {A}rabian {S}ea during intermonsoon and summer monsoon seasons, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L06104, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003GL018716, 2004. 10.1029/2003gl018716

[18]

Babu, S. S., Satheesh, S. K., Moorhty, K. K., Dutt, C. B. S., Nair, V. S., Alappattu, D. P., and Kunhikrishnan, P. K.: Aircraft measurements of aerosol black carbon from a coastal location in the north-east part of peninsular India during ICARB, J. Earth Syst. Sci., 117, 263–271, 2008. 10.1007/s12040-008-0030-1

[19]

Babu, S. S., Sreekanth, V., Nair, V. S., Satheesh, S. K.,and Moorthy, K. K.: Vertical profile of aerosol single scattering albedo over west coast of India during W_ICARB, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phy., 72, 876–882, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2010.04.013, 2010. 10.1016/j.jastp.2010.04.013

[20]

Badarinath, K. V. S., Kumar Kharol, S., Kaskaoutis, D. G., Sharma, A. R., Ramaswamy, V., and Kambezidis, H. D.: Long-range transport of dust aerosols over the Arabian Sea and Indian region – A case study using satellite data and ground-based measurements, Glob. Plan. Change, 72, 164–181, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.02.003, 2010. 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.02.003

[21]

Badarinath, K. V. S. and Kumar Kharol, S.: Studies on aerosol properties during ICARB-2006 campaign period at H}yderabad, {I}ndia using {ground-based measurements and satellite data, J. Earth Syst. Sci., 117, 413–420, 2008. 10.1007/s12040-008-0042-x

[22]

Baker, A. K., Schuck, T. J., Slemr, F., van Velthoven, P., Zahn, A., and Brenninkmeijer, C. A. M.: Characterization of non-methane hydrocarbons in Asian summer monsoon outflow observed by the CARIBIC aircraft, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 10, 18101–18138, https://doi.org/10.5194/acpd-10-18101-2010, 2010. 10.5194/acpd-10-18101-2010

[23]

Ball, W. P., Dickerson, R. R., Doddridge, B. G., Stehr, J. W., Miller, T. L., Savoie, D. L., and Carsey, T. P.: Bulk and size-segregated aerosol composition observed during {INDOEX} 1999: overview of meteorology and continental impacts, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 8001, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002467, 2003. 10.1029/2002jd002467

[24]

Bannister, R. N., O'Neill, A., Gregory, A. R., and Nissen, K. M.: The role of the south-east {A}sian monsoon and other seasonal features in creating the "tape-recorder" signal in the {U}nified {M}odel, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 130, 1531–1554, 2004. 10.1256/qj.03.106

[25]

Barret, B., Ricaud, P., Mari, C., Attié, J.-L., Bousserez, N., Josse, B., Le Flochmoën, E., Livesey, N. J., Massart, S., Peuch, V.-H., Piacentini, A., Sauvage, B., Thouret, V., and Cammas, J.-P.: Transport pathways of CO in the African upper troposphere during the monsoon season: a study based upon the assimilation of spaceborne observations, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 8, 3231–3246, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-8-3231-2008, 2008. 10.5194/acp-8-3231-2008

[26]

Beegum, S. N., Moorthy, K. K., Nair, V. S., Babu, S. S., Satheesh, S. K., Vinoj, V., Ramakrishna Reddy, R., Rama Gopal, K., Badarinath, K. V. S., Niranjan, K., Kumar Pandey, S., Behera, M., Jeyaram, A., Bhuyan, P. K., Gogoi, M. M., Singh, S., Pant, P., Dumka, U. C., Kant, Y., Kuniyal, J. C., and Singh, D.: Characteristics of spectral aerosol optical dephts over India during ICARB, J. Earth Syst. Sci., 117, 303–313, 2008. 10.1007/s12040-008-0033-y

[27]

Beirle, S., Platt, U., von Glasow, R., Wenig, M., and Wagner, T.: Estimate of nitrogen oxide emissions from shipping by satellite remote sensing, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L18102, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL020312, 2004. 10.1029/2004gl020312

[28]

Berntsen, T. K., Karlsdòttir, S., and Jaffe, D. A.: Influence of Asian emissions on the composition of air reaching the North Western United States, Geophys. Res. Lett., 26, 2171–2174, 1999. 10.1029/1999gl900477

[29]

Bhawar, R. L. and Devara, P. C. S.: Study of successive contrasting monsoons (2001–2002) in terms of aerosol variability over a tropical station Pune, India, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 29–37, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-29-2010, 2010. 10.5194/acp-10-29-2010

[30]

Bonasoni, P., Laj, P., Marinoni, A., Sprenger, M., Angelini, F., Arduini, J., Bonafè, U., Calzolari, F., Colombo, T., Decesari, S., Di Biagio, C., di Sarra, A. G., Evangelisti, F., Duchi, R., Facchini, MC., Fuzzi, S., Gobbi, G. P., Maione, M., Panday, A., Roccato, F., Sellegri, K., Venzac, H., Verza, GP., Villani, P., Vuillermoz, E., and Cristofanelli, P.: Atmospheric Brown Clouds in the Himalayas: first two years of continuous observations at the Nepal Climate Observatory-Pyramid (5079 m), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 7515–7531, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-7515-2010, 2010. 10.5194/acp-10-7515-2010

[31]

Bond, T. C., Streets, D. G., Yarber, K. F., Nelson, S. M., Woo, J.-H., and Klimont, Z.: A technology-based global inventory of black and organic carbon emissions from combustion, J. Geophys. Res., 109, D14203, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JD003697, 2004. 10.1029/2003jd003697

[32]

Dominant control of the South Asian monsoon by orographic insulation versus plateau heating

William R. Boos, Zhiming Kuang

Nature 10.1038/nature08707

[33]

Bremaud, P. J., Taupin, F., Thompson, A. M., and Chaumerliac, N.: Ozone nighttime recovery in the marine boundary layer: Measurement andn simulation of the ozone diurnal cycle at {R}eunion {I}sland, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 3463–3473, 1998. 10.1029/97jd01972

[34]

Brenninkmeijer, C. A. M., Crutzen, P., Boumard, F., Dauer, T., Dix, B., Ebinghaus, R., Filippi, D., Fischer, H., Franke, H., Frie{ß}, U., Heintzenberg, J., Helleis, F., Hermann, M., Kock, H. H., Koeppel, C., Lelieveld, J., Leuenberger, M., Martinsson, B. G., Miemczyk, S., Moret, H. P., Nguyen, H. N., Nyfeler, P., Oram, D., O'Sullivan, D., Penkett, S., Platt, U., Pupek, M., Ramonet, M., Randa, B., Reichelt, M., Rhee, T. S., Rohwer, J., Rosenfeld, K., Scharffe, D., Schlager, H., Schumann, U., Slemr, F., Sprung, D., Stock, P., Thaler, R., Valentino, F., van Velthoven, P., Waibel, A., Wandel, A., Waschitschek, K., Wiedensohler, A., Xueref-Remy, I., Zahn, A., Zech, U., and Ziereis, H.: Civil Aircraft for the regular investigation of the atmosphere based on an instrumented container: The new CARIBIC system, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 4953–4976, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-4953-2007, 2007. 10.5194/acp-7-4953-2007

[35]

Burkert, J., Andr{é}s-Hern{á}ndez, M. D., Reichert, L., Meyer-Arnek, J., Doddridge, B., Dickerson, R. R., M{ü}hle, J., Zahn, A., Carsey, T., and Burrows, J. P.: Trace gas radical diurnal behavior in the marine boundary layer during INDOEX 1999, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 8000, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002790, 2003. 10.1029/2002jd002790

[36]

Butler, T. M., Lawrence, M. G., Gurjar, B. R., van Aardenne, J., Schultz, M., and Lelieveld, J.: The representation of emissions from megacities in global emission inventories, Atmos. Environ., 42, 703–719, 2008. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.09.060

[37]

Chakrabarty, D. K., Peshin, S. K., Pandya, K. V., and Shah, N. C.: Long-term trend of ozone column over the {I}ndian region, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 19245–19251, 1998. 10.1029/98jd00818

[38]

Chan, C. Y., Wong, K. H., Li, Y. S., Chan, L. Y., and Zheng, X. D.: The effects of Southeast Asia fire activities on tropospheric ozone, trace gases, and aerosols at a remote site over the Tibetan Plateau of Southwest China, Tellus, 58B, 310–318, 2006. 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2006.00187.x

[39]

Chand, D. and Lal, S.: High ozone at rural sites in India, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 4, 3359–3380, https://doi.org/10.5194/acpd-4-3359-2004, 2004. 10.5194/acpd-4-3359-2004

[40]

Chand, D., Modh, K. S., Naja, M., Venkataramani, S., and Lal, S.: Latitudinal trends in O3, CO, CH4 and SF6 over the I}ndian {O}cean during the {INDOEX IFP-1999 ship cruise, Curr. Sci. India, 80, 100–104, 2001.

[41]

Chand, D., Lal, S., and Naja, M.: Variations of ozone in the marine boundary layer over the A}rabian {S}ea and the {I}ndian {O}cean during the 1998 and 1999 {INDOEX campaigns, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 4190, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD001589, 2003. 10.1029/2001jd001589

[42]

Chand, D., Wood, R., Anderson, T. L., Satheesh, S. K., and Charlson, R. J.: Satellite-derived direct radiative effect of aerosols dependent on cloud cover, Nat. Geosci., 2, 181–184, 2009. 10.1038/ngeo437

[43]

Chandra, S., Satheesh, S. K., and Srinivasan, J.: Can the state of mixing of black carbon aerosols explain the mystery of "excess" atmospheric absorption?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L19109, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL020662, 2004. 10.1029/2004gl020662

[44]

Chatfield, R. B., Guan, H., Thompson, A. M., and Witte, J. C.: Convective lofting links {I}ndian {O}cean air pollution to paradoxical {S}outh {A}tlantic ozone maxima, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L06103, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003GL018866, 2004. 10.1029/2003gl018866

[45]

Chatfield, R. B., Guan, H., Thompson, A. M., and Smit, H. G. J.: Mechanisms for the intraseasonal variability of tropospheric ozone over the {I}ndian {O}cean during the winter monsoon, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D10303, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD007347, 2007. 10.1029/2006jd007347

[46]

Chazette, P.: The monsoon aerosol extinction properties at Goa during INDOEX as measured with lidar, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 4187, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002074, 2003. 10.1029/2002jd002074

[47]

Chen, P.: Isentropic cross-tropopause mass exchange in the extratropics, J. Geophys. Res., 100, 16661–16673, 1995. 10.1029/95jd01264

[48]

Chowdhury, Z., Hughes, L. S., Salmon, L. G., and Cass, G. R.: Atmospheric particle size and composition measurements to support light extinction calculations over the {I}ndian {O}cean, J. Geophys. Res., 106, 28597–28605, 2001. 10.1029/2000jd900829

[49]

Chung, C. and Ramanathan, V.: Weakening of N. Indian SST gradients and the monsoon rainfall in {I}ndia and the {S}ahel, J. Climate, 19, 2036–2045, 2006. 10.1175/jcli3820.1

[50]

Chung, C. E. and Ramanathan, V.: S}outh {A}sian haze forcing: Remote impacts with implications to {ENSO and AO, J. Climate, 16, 1791–1806, 2003. 10.1175/1520-0442(2003)016<1791:sahfri>2.0.co;2

Showing 50 of 379 references

Cited By

417

Mechanisms and Pathways for Coordinated Control of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone

Narendra Ojha, Meghna Soni · 2022

Current Pollution Reports

Tropospheric ozone and NO x : A review of worldwide variation and meteorological influences

Duy-Hieu Nguyen, Chitsan Lin · 2022

Environmental Technology & Inno...

Current status of source apportionment of ambient aerosols in India

Shweta Yadav, Sachchida N. Tripathi · 2022

Atmospheric Environment

Climate Change and Weather Extremes in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East

G. Zittis, M. Almazroui · 2022

Reviews of Geophysics

Contribution of different source sectors and source regions of Indo-Gangetic Plain in India to PM2.5 pollution and its short-term health impacts during peak polluted winter

Rajmal Jat, Bhola Ram Gurjar · 2021

Atmospheric Pollution Research

Seasonal contrast in size distributions and mixing state of black carbon and its association with PM 1.0 chemical composition from the eastern coast of India

Sobhan Kumar Kompalli, Surendran Nair Suresh Babu · 2020

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

Assessment of atmospheric aerosols over Varanasi: Physical, optical and chemical properties and meteorological implications

Pradeep Kumar, Vineet Pratap · 2020

Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Te...

Meteorological and Land Surface Properties Impacting Sea Breeze Extent and Aerosol Distribution in a Dry Environment

Adele L. Igel, Susan C. van den Heever · 2018

Journal of Geophysical Research: At...

Aerosol characteristics in north-east India using ARFINET spectral optical depth measurements

B. Pathak, T. Subba · 2016

Atmospheric Environment

High altitude (∼4520 m amsl) measurements of black carbon aerosols over western trans-Himalayas: Seasonal heterogeneity and source apportionment

S. Suresh Babu, Jai Prakash Chaubey · 2011

Journal of Geophysical Research: Oc...

Metrics

417

Citations

379

References

Details

Published: Nov 25, 2010
Vol/Issue: 10(22)
Pages: 11017-11096
License: View

Authors

Cite This Article

M. G. Lawrence, J. Lelieveld (2010). Atmospheric pollutant outflow from southern Asia: a review. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 10(22), 11017-11096. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-11017-2010

Atmospheric pollutant outflow from southern Asia: a review

You May Also Like