Study of atmospheric air pollutants during the partial solar eclipse on 15 January 2010 over Udaipur: A semi-arid location in Western India

Abstract

The paper describes behavior of surface ozone, its precursor gases, BC along with TOCC, TWVC, AOT1020nm as well as UV and IR radiation intensities observed during the partial solar eclipse of 15th January, 2010 over Udaipur, where 52% solar disc is obscured due to the moon’s shadow. During the beginning to main eclipse phase, the deviation values of several air pollutants concentrations from eclipse to control day values vary in a small range from −9 to −2ppb in case of surface ozone and −180 to −80 ppb for CO. The corresponding change in the values of BC observed from −3.3 to −.5μg/m3. No significant change is found in NO2, NO or in ratio of NO2/NO values during the partial eclipse time. TOCC values decrease from 3 to 5DU along with a reduction in UV radiation intensity from 20 to 35% from starting to the main eclipse phase. The AOT1020nm values are found to increase from .2 to 1.0 along with a reduction in IR radiation intensity order of 50%. However, TWVC values decrease from .22 to .1cm during the eclipse hours. The low level of dilution in surface ozone in eclipse period may be attributed with change in local atmospheric boundary layer dynamic conditions or limited air pollutants dispersion, in term of decreases in planetary boundary layer height, wind speed and hence ventilation coefficient in the same eclipse hours. Thus, present studies support the argument for the leading roles of photochemical reactions with its precursor gases under presence of solar radiation in surface ozone variability. Other possible controlling factors are advection of air pollutants from the polluted region as evident from backward wind trajectories and altering the local meteorological conditions.