Analysis of Long Term Variation of the Total Column and Tropospheric Ozone over the Indian Region

T Nishanth,P S Vijoy,M K Satheesh Kumar,M Balachandramohan,C T Resmi

doi:10.4236/acs.2021.111013

Abstract

Ozone plays a significant part in regulating climate change and the chemical characteristics of the atmosphere. Changes in atmospheric ozone can be studied in more detail using ground-based and satellite-based instruments. Studies on the long-term global changes in total column ozone have begun more than three-decade ago using satellite data. The main objective of this work is to analyze the Total Column Ozone (TCO) variations, and tropo-spheric ozone variations over different twenty locations in the Indian sub-continent by using Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and AURA OMI/MLS data. The long-term analysis of total column ozone is divided into two phases (1979-1994 and 2005-2018), and tropospheric ozone for one phase (2005-2018) in order to detect changes in the ozone trend pattern. The results of linear regression analysis show a declining trend of total column ozone, and an increasing trend of tropospheric ozone over the selected locations. The impact of wind pattern on the variation of ozone has been analyzed by using NCEP reanalysis data, and found that wind patterns played a prominent role in spatial and temporal changes in total and tropospheric ozone distribution over the subcontinent. Latitudinal variation of total column ozone from Nagarcoil to Anantanag has also been studied for the years 1979, 1994, 2005, and 2018, which indicates an increase in ozone concentration with latitude.

Highlights

The increasing demands of the urban population and changing lifestyles are accelerating the development of industries and increasing the use of motor vehicles, thereby polluting the urban air
Latitudinal variation of total column ozone from Nagarcoil to Anantanag has been studied for the years 1979, 1994, 2005, and 2018, which indicates an increase in ozone concentration with latitude
Geographical and meteorological feature of the Indian sub-continent is one of the main reasons for the spatial variability of Total Column Ozone (TCO) concentration observed over different locations

Summary

Introduction

The increasing demands of the urban population and changing lifestyles are accelerating the development of industries and increasing the use of motor vehicles, thereby polluting the urban air. An increase in GHG emissions in the atmosphere produces a warming effect on the environment and this causes climate change [4]. Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (NOx = NO + NO2), ozone (O3), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the important trace gases found in the atmosphere. These gases play a key role to enhance warming in the lower atmosphere and greatly influence the changes in air quality, climate change, and atmospheric chemistry [5]

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Results

Conclusion