Wavelength Dependence of the Aerosol Angstrom Exponent and Its Implications Over Delhi, India

Abstract

The aerosol optical depth (AOD), Angstrom coefficients (α and β), and the second-order Angstrom exponent (α′) obtained by Microtops-II sun photometer have been analyzed in the spectral range 0.34–0.87 μm over the urban polluted city of Delhi, India for the period 2007–2008, aiming at investigating the physical and optical properties of aerosols. The average values of AOD at 500 nm, α and β (in the range 340–870 nm) are found to be 0.78 ± 0.32, 0.78 ± 0.28, and 0.45 ± 0.21, respectively, for the entire period of observations. The AOD data show significant curvature in the lnτ versus lnλ relationship suggesting different dominant aerosol types depending on season. In order to analyze further the curvature effect and the relative dominance of aerosol size, α has been calculated in three wavelength bands, i.e., shorter (0.34–0.50 μm), longer (0.675–0.87 μm), and broad (0.34–0.87 μm) during four seasons, summer (April–June), monsoon (July–September), winter (October–January), and spring (February–March) accompanied with calculations of α′, which quantifies the deviation of logarithmic behavior of AOD with lnλ. The α′ values are found to be positive and higher in the months of October–December and mostly negative in February and March, while close to zero values of α′ are found in April–August. These results indicate that winter season exhibits dominance of fine-mode aerosols while summer relatively higher concentration of coarse-mode particles. On the other hand, monsoon and spring seasons revealed the presence of mixed type, both fine- and coarse-mode aerosols over Delhi.