AEROSOL TRENDS AND SPATIO- TEMPORAL VARIATION OVER INDO GANGETIC BASIN FROM SATELLITE DERIVED ATMOSPHERIC OPTICAL DATA

Environmental Engineering

From January 2007 to December 2017, long-term aerosol characteristics over the Indo-Gangetic Basin (IGB) were evaluated using satellite-derived aerosol parameters. Over the Indo Gangetic Basin, the study reveals consistently high aerosol optical depth (AOD 0.7) with a decadal rising trend (20%). Angstrom exponent (AE) data from Lucknow in the central IGB (25%) and Lahore in the north (18%) indicate a relative rise in fine-mode aerosols at Lucknow (30%), respectively. Data from Kolkata in the eastern IGB also indicate an increase in the AOD. Single scattering albedo (SSA) does not, however, demonstrate. The Aerosol Optical Depth exhibits an upward trend with any discernible decadal trend at both stations, with a noticeable rise at Delhi (26%) compared to Lucknow (20%).The result points to relative dust aerosol dominance over Lucknow. Additionally, assessments were conducted in two sub-periods: 2007-2013 and 2013-2020, in order to comprehend the influence of developing activities. It's interesting to note that between 2007 and 2012, Lahore saw a relative increase in AOD of 31%, compared to Lucknow's 22% between 2013 and 2020. The results reveal that the region's vigorous development activities have an impact on both the vertical and horizontal aerosol load. The emission inventory corroborates with the trend and variability of optical characteristics for distinct sub-periods.

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