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Tiwary P, Kukreti S, Shridhar V, Abhinav A, Rana S, Arunachalam K, Singh V. Assessment of Black Carbon, optical properties and aerosol radiative forcing at Pranmati basin Himalayan critical zone observatory. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 933:173050. [PMID: 38734083 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The study aimed to understand the optical properties of Black Carbon (BC) and radiative forcing over a data deficient Himalayan region focusing on critical zone observatory employing ground-based measurements by Aethalometer for BC and satellite retrieval techniques for optical properties during mid-May-June 2022 and January-May 2023. BC mass concentration ranged from 0.18 to 4.43 μgm-3, exhibit a mean of 1.47 ± 0.83 μgm-3 with higher summer concentration (1.51 ± 0.94 μgm-3) than winter (1.39 ± 0.61 μgm-3). The average Absorption Ångström Exponent observed to be significantly higher than unity (1.77 ± 0.31) over the studied high-altitude Himalayan region, suggesting the dominance of biomass-burning aerosol. Higher aethalometer derived compensation parameter (K) in winter suggesting locally originated BC while, lower K value in summer suggesting aged BC transported from Indo-Gangetic Plains. Optical properties calculated from "Optical Properties of Aerosol and Cloud" (OPAC) model are used in the "Santa Barbara DISORT Atmospheric Radiative Transfer" (SBDART) model to calculate the aerosol Direct Radiative Force (DRF). The entire studied period is characterized by the predominance of absorbing aerosols, particularly BC, increasing Aerosol Optical Depth, Asymmetric Parameters and decreasing Single Scattering Albedo, leading to a considerable increase in atmospheric radiative forcing (+0.9 Wm-2, top of atmosphere) and Heating Rate (0.36 KDay-1). The mean radiative forcing within atmosphere during summer was higher (+14.29 Wm-2) relative to the winter (+12.00 Wm-2), emphasizing the impact of absorbing aerosols on regional warming and potential glacier melting in the Himalayas at a faster rate. Urgent policy consideration for the reduction of absorbing aerosols is highlighted, recognizing the critical roles of Black Carbon in the changing behaviour of Critical Zone observatory. The study's data serve as a valuable resource to understanding and addressing uncertainties in climate models, aiding effective policy implementation for Black Carbon reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanshu Tiwary
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun 248001, India
| | - Saurabh Kukreti
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun 248001, India
| | - Vijay Shridhar
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun 248001, India.
| | - Akash Abhinav
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun 248001, India
| | - Shakuntala Rana
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun 248001, India
| | - Kusum Arunachalam
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun 248001, India
| | - Vimal Singh
- Department of Geology, Delhi University (DU), New Delhi 110007, India
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Chen P, Kang S, Hu Y, Pu T, Liu Y, Wang S, Rai M, Wang K, Tripathee L, Li C. South and Southeast Asia controls black carbon characteristics of Meili Snow Mountains in southeast Tibetan Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172262. [PMID: 38583605 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
South and Southeast Asia (SSA) emitted black carbon (BC) exerts potential effects on glacier and snow melting and regional climate change in the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, online BC measurements were conducted for 1 year at a remote village located at the terminus of the Mingyong Glacier below the Meili Snow Mountains. The Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) was used to investigate the contribution and potential effect of SSA-emitted BC. In addition, variations in the light absorption characteristics of BC and brown carbon (BrC) were examined. The results indicated that the annual mean concentration of BC was 415 ± 372 ngm-3, with the highest concentration observed in April (monthly mean: 930 ± 484 ngm-3). BC exhibited a similar diurnal variation throughout the year, with two peaks observed in the morning (from 8:00 to 9:00 AM) and in the afternoon (from 4:00 to 5:00 PM), with even lower values at nighttime. At a short wavelength of 370 nm, the absorption coefficient (babs) reached its maximum value, and the majority of babs values were < 20 Mm-1, indicating that the atmosphere was not overloaded with BC. At the same wavelength, BrC substantially contributed to babs, with an annual mean of 25.2 % ± 12.8 %. SSA was the largest contributor of BC (annual mean: 51.1 %) in the study area, particularly in spring (65.6 %). However, its contributions reached 20.2 % in summer, indicating non-negligible emissions from activities in other regions. In the atmosphere, the SSA BC-induced radiative forcing (RF) over the study region was positive. While at the near surface, the RF exhibited a significant seasonal variation, with the larger RF values occurring in winter and spring. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of controlling BC emissions from SSA to protect the Tibetan Plateau against pollution-related glacier and snow cover melting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Yuling Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tao Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yajun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shijin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Yulong Snow Mountain National Field Observation and Research Station for Cryosphere and Sustainable Development, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Mukesh Rai
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Chaoliu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Hou Z, Li Y, Zhang L, Song C, Lin J, Zhou C, Wang Y, Qu Y, Yao X, Gao P. The COVID-19 lockdown: a unique perspective into heterogeneous impacts of transboundary pollution on snow and ice darkening across the Himalayas. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad172. [PMID: 37383022 PMCID: PMC10299077 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
The Tibetan Plateau holds the largest mass of snow and ice outside of the polar regions. The deposition of light-absorbing particles (LAPs) including mineral dust, black carbon and organic carbon and the resulting positive radiative forcing on snow (RFSLAPs) substantially contributes to glacier retreat. Yet how anthropogenic pollutant emissions affect Himalayan RFSLAPs through transboundary transport is currently not well known. The COVID-19 lockdown, resulting in a dramatic decline in human activities, offers a unique test to understand the transboundary mechanisms of RFSLAPs. This study employs multiple satellite data from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer and ozone monitoring instrument, as well as a coupled atmosphere-chemistry-snow model, to reveal the high spatial heterogeneities in anthropogenic emissions-induced RFSLAPs across the Himalaya during the Indian lockdown in 2020. Our results show that the reduced anthropogenic pollutant emissions during the Indian lockdown were responsible for 71.6% of the reduction in RFSLAPs on the Himalaya in April 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The contributions of the Indian lockdown-induced human emission reduction to the RFSLAPs decrease in the western, central, and eastern Himalayas were 46.8%, 81.1%, and 110.5%, respectively. The reduced RFSLAPs might have led to 27 Mt reduction in ice and snow melt over the Himalaya in April 2020. Our findings allude to the potential for mitigating rapid glacial threats by reducing anthropogenic pollutant emissions from economic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Changqing Song
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jintai Lin
- Laboratory for Climate and Ocean-Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chenghu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environment Information System, Institute of Geographical Science and Natural Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yuebin Wang
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ying Qu
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xin Yao
- Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Xiao YN, Xiao HW, Sun QB, Zhao B, Xiao HY. Enhanced aerosols over the southeastern Tibetan Plateau induced by open biomass burning in spring 2020. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 867:161509. [PMID: 36638982 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Tibetan Plateau is the third pole of the world, with an essential role in regulating Northern Hemisphere climate. Previous studies showed that atmospheric aerosols over the Tibetan Plateau are influenced by biomass burning (BB) products from South and Southeast Asia. In fact, open biomass burning (OBB) is also an important form of BB in Southeast Asian countries, causing serious springtime air pollution yearly. However, there are still scientific gaps in the contribution of OBB to surrounding regional aerosols, especially on the Tibetan Plateau. In order to quantify this contribution, we collected samples of fine particulate matter and derived the concentrations of major water soluble ion, water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), and total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) as well as the dual isotopic compositions of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) during March-June on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. δ13C and δ15N showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the OBB and non-OBB periods. Furthermore, both δ13C and δ15N (-25.7 ± 0.7 ‰ and 8.0 ± 3.6 ‰) values calculated during the whole sampling period were similar to the BB value, indicating that the primary source of TC and TN in aerosols was BB, whether OBB or non-OBB burning periods. TC and TN concentrations during the OBB period (6.5 ± 2.9 μg m-3 and 1.2 ± 0.4 μg m-3, respectively) were significantly higher than during the non-OBB period (4.1 ± 1.7 μg m-3, with p = 0.014, and 0.7 ± 0.3 μg m-3, with p = 0.013, respectively). Active fire data and surface smoke concentrations further indicated that BB emissions from Southeast Asia were higher during the OBB period. This suggests that OBB-related high BB emissions significantly enhanced atmospheric aerosols concentrations on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Ning Xiao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of the Causes and Control of Atmospheric Pollution, Nanchang 330013, China; School of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, China
| | - Hong-Wei Xiao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of the Causes and Control of Atmospheric Pollution, Nanchang 330013, China.
| | - Qi-Bin Sun
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, Institute of Earth Climate and Environment System, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Bei Zhao
- China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
| | - Hua-Yun Xiao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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Rashid I, Abdullah T, Romshoo SA. Explaining the natural and anthropogenic factors driving glacier recession in Kashmir Himalaya, India. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:29942-29960. [PMID: 36418815 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24243-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Glaciers across the Kashmir Himalayan region are melting at an accelerated pace compared to other regions across the Himalayan arc. This study analyzed the recession patterns of nine glaciers in the Kashmir Himalaya region over 28 years between 1992 and 2020 using satellite images and field measurements. The recession patterns were correlated with debris cover, topographic factors, and ambient black carbon (BC) concentration at glacier sites. HYSPLIT model was used to track the air mass sources at a 7-day time-step from September 1, 2014, to September 28, 2014, over the selected region. All nine glaciers revealed high recession as indicated by changes in the area (average recession: 20.8%) and snout position (~ 14 m a-1). The relative percentage of debris on each glacier varied between ~ 0% (clean glacier) and 43%. Although the investigated glaciers lie in the same climatological regime, their topographical behavior is dissimilar with mean altitude ranging between 4000 and ~ 4700 m asl and the average slope varying from 17 to 24°. All the investigated glaciers are north-facing except G3 (southerly aspect). Our results indicate anomalously high ambient BC concentrations, ranging from 500 to 1364 ng m-3, at the glacier sites, higher than previously studied for glaciers in the Himalayas and neighboring Tibetan Plateau. The backward air-mass trajectory modeling indicated both local and global sources of particulate matter in the study area. A comparative analysis of BC measurements and glacier recession with the studies conducted across high Asia indicated the influence of BC in accelerating the melting of glaciers in the Kashmir region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan Rashid
- Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, 190006, India.
| | - Tariq Abdullah
- Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, 190006, India
| | - Shakil Ahmad Romshoo
- Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, 190006, India
- Islamic University of Science and Technology, 1-University Avenue Awantipora, Pulwama, 192122, India
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Li C, Kang S, Yan F, Zhang C, Yang J, He C. Importance of precipitation and dust storms in regulating black carbon deposition on remote Himalayan glaciers. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 318:120885. [PMID: 36529339 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Black carbon (BC) can be transported over long distances and is an important trigger of climate warming and glacier melting at remote high mountains and polar regions. It is normally assumed that the variation of BC flux in remote regions is dominated by its emissions. However, after a comprehensive investigation of potential influencing factors on temporal variations of BC from ice cores of the Himalayas, this short communication shows that in addition to BC emissions, contributions from dust storms and precipitation are also important (up to 56% together) in regulating the variation of BC deposition flux and concentrations derived from remote Himalayan ice core measurements. Therefore, besides BC emissions, the influence of precipitation and BC transported by dust storms should also be considered to better quantify the lifetime and behavior of BC during its long-range transport from source to sink regions as well as to quantify the climatic effects of BC over remote Himalayan glaciers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoliu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China.
| | - Fangping Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Junhua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Cenlin He
- Research Applications Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
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Singh PK, Adhikary B, Chen X, Kang S, Poudel SP, Tashi T, Goswami A, Puppala SP. Variability of ambient black carbon concentration in the Central Himalaya and its assessment over the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:160137. [PMID: 36375556 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
During 2015-2018, eight black carbon (BC) monitoring sites were established in Nepal and Bhutan to fill a significant data gap regarding BC measurement in Central Himalaya. This manuscript analyzes and presents data from these eight stations and one additional station on the Tibetan plateau (TP). Complex topography, varied emission sources, and atmospheric transport pathways significantly impacted the BC concentrations across these stations, with annual mean concentrations varying from 36 ng m-3 to 45,737 ng m-3. Higher annual mean concentrations (5609 ± 4515 ng m-3) were recorded at low-altitude sites than in other locations, with seasonal concentrations highest in the winter (7316 ± 2541 ng m-3). In contrast, the annual mean concentrations were lowest at high-altitude sites (376 ± 448 ng m-3); the BC concentrations at these sites peaked during the pre-monsoon season (930 ± 685 ng m-3). Potential source contributions to the total observed BC were analyzed using the absorption angstrom exponent (AAE). AAE analysis showed the dominance of biomass burning sources (>50 %), except in Kathmandu. By combining our data with previously published literature, we put our measurements in perspective by presenting a comprehensive assessment of BC concentrations and their variability over the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. The BC levels in all three geographic regions, high, mid, and low altitude significantly influenced by the persistent seasonal meteorology. However, the mid-altitude stations were substantially affected by valley dynamics and urbanization. The low-altitude stations experienced high BC concentrations during the winter and post-monsoon seasons. Concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) and frequency analyses revealed the dominance of long-range transported pollution during winter over HKH, from west to east. South Asian sources remained significant during the monsoon season. During pre- and post-monsoon, the local, regional, and long-distance pollution varied depending on the location of the receptor site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Kumar Singh
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal; Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation and Management, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Bhupesh Adhikary
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Xintong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shankar Prasad Poudel
- Department of Environment, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Forest-Complex, Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Tshering Tashi
- National Environment Commission, Royal Government of Bhutan, Tashi-Chhodzong Lam, Thimphu, Bhutan
| | - Ajanta Goswami
- Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation and Management, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India; Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Siva Praveen Puppala
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal.
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Romshoo SA, Murtaza KO, Abdullah T. Towards understanding various influences on mass balance of the Hoksar Glacier in the Upper Indus Basin using observations. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15669. [PMID: 36123388 PMCID: PMC9485142 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20033-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass balance is a good indicator of glacier health and sensitivity to climate change. The debris-covered Hoksar Glacier (HG) in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) was studied using direct and geodetic mass balances. During the 5-year period from 2013 to 2018, the glacier's mean in situ mass balance (MB) was - 0.95 ± 0.39 m w.e. a-1. Similarly, the glacier's mean geodetic MB from 2000 to 2012 was - 1.20 ± 0.35 m w.e. a-1. The continuously negative MB observations indicated that the HG is losing mass at a higher rate than several other Himalayan glaciers. The glacier showed increased mass loss with increasing altitude, in contrast to the typical decreasing MB with increasing elevation, due to the existence of thick debris cover in the ablation zone, which thins out regularly towards the accumulation zone. Rising temperatures, depleting snowfall and increasing black carbon concentration in the region, indicators of climatic change, have all contributed to the increased mass loss of the HG. During the lean period, when glacier melt contributes significantly to streamflow, the mass loss of glaciers has had a considerable impact on streamflow. Water availability for food, energy, and other essential economic sectors would be adversely affected, if, glaciers in the region continued to lose mass due to climatic change. However, long-term MB and hydro-meteorological observations are required to gain a better understanding of glacier recession in the region as climate changes in the UIB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakil Ahmad Romshoo
- grid.412997.00000 0001 2294 5433Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, India
| | - Khalid Omar Murtaza
- grid.412997.00000 0001 2294 5433Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, India
| | - Tariq Abdullah
- grid.412997.00000 0001 2294 5433Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, India
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Ali B, Sajjad W, Ilahi N, Bahadur A, Kang S. Soot biodegradation by psychrotolerant bacterial consortia. Biodegradation 2022; 33:407-418. [PMID: 35666328 DOI: 10.1007/s10532-022-09990-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
To probe the bioavailability of soot released into the atmosphere is pivotal to understanding their environmental impacts. Soot aerosol absorbs organic matter, creating a hot spot for biogeochemical transformation and the global carbon cycle. Soot primarily contains condensed aromatics chemically recalcitrant; however, oligotrophic microorganisms might use it as a nutritional source. This study investigated the influence of psychrotolerant bacterial consortia on soot. Significant increase in the bacterial biomass, reduction in water-insoluble organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in soot residues and increase in water-soluble OC in the filtrate signifies the use of soot as a carbon and nutritional source. The influence on morphology and composition of soot was reported using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX). The FTIR analysis showed significant variations in the pattern of soot spectra, suggesting degradation. Elemental analysis and EDX showed a reduction in carbon percentage. Besides, the reduction of optical density with incubation time signifies the OC and EC consumption. This study shows that soot can be a substrate and pivotal factor in the microbial food web. Nowadays, soot emission to the environment is growing; therefore, soot involvement in microbe-mediated processes should be closely focused.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barkat Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, China
| | - Wasim Sajjad
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Nikhat Ilahi
- School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Ali Bahadur
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Rd. 320, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, China.
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Bhat MA, Romshoo SA, Beig G. Characteristics, source apportionment and long-range transport of black carbon at a high-altitude urban centre in the Kashmir valley, North-western Himalaya. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 305:119295. [PMID: 35439603 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Six years of data (2012-2017) at an urban site-Srinagar in the Northwest Himalaya were used to investigate temporal variability, meteorological influences, source apportionment and potential source regions of BC. The daily BC concentration varies from 0.56 to 40.16 μg/m3 with an inter-annual variation of 4.20-7.04 μg/m3 and is higher than majority of the Himalayan urban locations. High mean annual BC concentration (6.06 μg/m3) is attributed to the high BC observations during winter (8.60 μg/m3) and autumn (8.31 μg/m3) with a major contribution from Nov (13.88 μg/m3) to Dec (13.4 μg/m3). A considerable inter-month and inter-seasonal BC variability was observed owing to the large changes in synoptic meteorology. Low BC concentrations were observed in spring and summer (3.14 μg/m3 and 3.21 μg/m3), corresponding to high minimum temperatures (6.6 °C and 15.7 °C), wind speed (2.4 and 1.6 m/s), ventilation coefficient (2262 and 2616 m2/s), precipitation (316.7 mm and 173.3 mm) and low relative humidity (68% and 62%). However, during late autumn and winter, frequent temperature inversions, shallow PBL (173-1042 m), stagnant and dry weather conditions cause BC to accumulate in the valley. Through the observation period, two predominant diurnal BC peaks were observed at ⁓9:00 h (7.75 μg/m3) and ⁓21:00 h (6.67 μg/m3). Morning peak concentration in autumn (11.28 μg/m3) is ⁓2-2.5 times greater than spring (4.32 μg/m3) and summer (5.23 μg/m3), owing to the emission source peaks and diurnal boundary layer height. Diurnal BC concentration during autumn and winter is 65% and 60% higher than spring and summer respectively. During autumn and winter, biomass burning contributes approximately 50% of the BC concentration compared to only 10% during the summer. Air masses transport considerable BC from the Middle East and northern portions of South Asia, especially the Indo-Gangetic Plains, to Srinagar, with serious consequences for climate, human health, and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shakil Ahmad Romshoo
- Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India; Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, Kashmir, India.
| | - Gufran Beig
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India; National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Campus, Bengaluru, India
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Air Contaminants and Atmospheric Black Carbon Association with White Sky Albedo at Hindukush Karakorum and Himalaya Glaciers. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12030962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Environmental contaminants are becoming a growing issue due to their effects on the cryosphere and their impact on the ecosystem. Mountain glaciers are receding in the HKH region and are anticipated to diminish further as black carbon (BC) concentrations rise along with other pollutants in the air, increasing global warming. Air contaminants and BC concentrations were estimated (June 2017–May 2018). An inventory of different pollutants at three glaciers in Karakoram, Hindukush, and the Himalayas has been recorded with Aeroqual 500 and TSI DRX 8533, which are as follows: ozone (28.14 ± 3.58 µg/m3), carbon dioxide (208.58 ± 31.40 µg/m3), sulfur dioxide (1.73 ± 0.33 µg/m3), nitrogen dioxide (2.84 ± 0.37 µg/m3), PM2.5 (15.90 ± 3.32 µg/m3), PM10 (28.05 ± 2.88 µg/m3), total suspended particles (76.05 ± 10.19 µg/m3), BC in river water (88.74 ± 19.16 µg/m3), glaciers (17.66 ± 0.82 µg/m3), snow/rain (57.43 ± 19.66 ng/g), and air (2.80 ± 1.20 µg/m3). BC was estimated by using DRI Model 2015, Multi-Wavelength Thermal/Optical Carbon Analyzer, in conjunction with satellite-based white-sky albedo (WSA). The average BC concentrations in the Karakoram, Himalaya, and Hindukush were 2.35 ± 0.94, 4.38 ± 1.35, and 3.32 ± 1.09 (µg/m3), whereas WSA was 0.053 ± 0.024, 0.045 ± 0.015, and 0.045 ± 0.019 (µg/m3), respectively. Regression analysis revealed the inverse relationship between WSA and BC. The resulting curves provide a better understanding of the non-empirical link between BC and WSA. Increased BC will inherit ecological consequences for the region, ultimately resulting in biodiversity loss.
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Clifford HM, Potocki M, Koch I, Sherpa T, Handley M, Korotkikh E, Introne D, Kaspari S, Miner K, Matthews T, Perry B, Guy H, Gajurel A, Singh PK, Elvin S, Elmore AC, Tait A, Mayewski PA. A case study using 2019 pre-monsoon snow and stream chemistry in the Khumbu region, Nepal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 789:148006. [PMID: 34082206 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This case study provides a framework for future monitoring and evidence for human source pollution in the Khumbu region, Nepal. We analyzed the chemical composition (major ions, major/trace elements, black carbon, and stable water isotopes) of pre-monsoon stream water (4300-5250 m) and snow (5200-6665 m) samples collected from Mt. Everest, Mt. Lobuche, and the Imja Valley during the 2019 pre-monsoon season, in addition to a shallow ice core recovered from the Khumbu Glacier (5300 m). In agreement with previous work, pre-monsoon aerosol deposition is dominated by dust originating from western sources and less frequently by transport from southerly air mass sources as demonstrated by evidence of one of the strongest recorded pre-monsoon events emanating from the Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Fani. Elevated concentrations of human-sourced metals (e.g., Pb, Bi, As) are found in surface snow and stream chemistry collected in the Khumbu region. As the most comprehensive case study of environmental chemistry in the Khumbu region, this research offers sufficient evidence for increased monitoring in this watershed and surrounding areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Clifford
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, ME, USA; School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, ME, USA.
| | - Mariusz Potocki
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, ME, USA; School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, ME, USA
| | - Inka Koch
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Lalitpur, Nepal; Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tenzing Sherpa
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Lalitpur, Nepal
| | - Mike Handley
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, ME, USA
| | | | | | - Susan Kaspari
- Department of Geological Sciences, Central Washington University, WA, USA
| | | | - Tom Matthews
- Department of Geography and Environment, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Baker Perry
- Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, NC, USA
| | - Heather Guy
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Ananta Gajurel
- Central Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Praveen Kumar Singh
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Lalitpur, Nepal; CoEDMM, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Sandra Elvin
- National Geographic Society, 1145 17th St. NW, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Aurora C Elmore
- National Geographic Society, 1145 17th St. NW, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Alex Tait
- National Geographic Society, 1145 17th St. NW, Washington, DC, USA
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Xiang Y, Zhang T, Liu J, Wan X, Loewen M, Chen X, Kang S, Fu Y, Lv L, Liu W, Cong Z. Vertical profile of aerosols in the Himalayas revealed by lidar: New insights into their seasonal/diurnal patterns, sources, and transport. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 285:117686. [PMID: 34380235 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric aerosols play a crucial role in climate change, especially in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. Here, we present the seasonal and diurnal characteristics of aerosol vertical profiles measured using a Mie lidar, along with surface black carbon (BC) measurements, at Mt. Qomolangma (QOMS), in the central Himalayas, in 2018-2019. Lidar-retrieved profiles of aerosols showed a distinct seasonal pattern of aerosol loading (aerosol extinction coefficient, AEC), with a maximum in the pre-monsoon (19.8 ± 22.7 Mm-1 of AEC) and minimum in the summer monsoon (7.0 ± 11.2 Mm-1 of AEC) seasons. The diurnal variation characteristics of AEC and BC were quite different in the non-monsoon seasons with enriched aerosols being maintained from 00:00 to 10:00 in the pre-monsoon season. The major aerosol types at QOMS were identified as background, pollution, and dust aerosols, especially during the pre-monsoon season. The occurrence of pollution events influenced the vertical distribution, seasonal/diurnal patterns, and types of aerosols. Source contribution of BC based on the weather research and forecasting chemical model showed that approximately 64.2% ± 17.0% of BC at the QOMS originated from India and Nepal in South Asia during the non-monsoon seasons, whereas approximately 47.7% was from local emission sources in monsoon season. In particular, the high abundance of BC at the QOMS in the pre-monsoon season was attributed to biomass burning, whereas anthropogenic emissions were the likely sources during the other seasons. The maximum aerosol concentration appeared in the near-surface layer (approximately 4.3 km ASL), and high concentrations of transported aerosols were mainly found at 4.98, 4.58, 4.74, and 4.88 km ASL in the pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter seasons, respectively. The investigation of the vertical profiles of aerosols at the QOMS can help verify the representation of aerosols in the air quality model and satellite products and regulate the anthropogenic disturbance over the Tibetan Plateau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xiang
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Tianshu Zhang
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Jianguo Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Xin Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | | | - Xintong Chen
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yibin Fu
- Key Laboratory of Environment Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Lihui Lv
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Wenqing Liu
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Zhiyuan Cong
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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