Observations of black carbon induced semi direct effect over Northeast India

Abstract

This article reports observational evidence of Black Carbon (BC) induced cloud burning effect (Semi direct effect) for the first time over a mountainous location in North east India. Simultaneous aircraft observations of Black Carbon (BC) mass concentrations and cloud microphysical parameters were carried out over Guwahati, in Northeast India during Cloud Aerosol Interactions and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) Phase-I in 2009. Elevated pollution layers of BC (concentration exceeding 1 μg m−3) were observed over the site up to 7 km on different experimental days (August 30, September 4 and 6 in 2009) in the cloud regime. The vertical heating rate and radiative forcing induced by elevated BC layers in the cloud regime were estimated using an optical model along with a radiative transfer model. The instantaneous vertical heating rate induced by BC in cloud layers is found to be as high as 2.65 K/day. The instantaneous vertical heating by BC is found to be inducing a significant reduction in the measured cloud liquid water content (LWC) over the site. Subsequently, the BC stimulated heating has been found to be reducing the cloud fraction (CFR) and thus inducing a “cloud burning effect (Semi direct effect)”, over the region. The estimated instantaneous BC induced radiative forcing in the cloud regime is found to be +12.7–+45.1 W m−2 during the experimental periods. This large warming and reduction in cloudiness can decrease the precipitation over the region. However, more simultaneous BC-cloud observations and further research are necessary to establish a stable “semi-direct effect” over the region.