Impact of Diwali Festival on Aerosol Optical Properties over an Urban City, Ahmedabad (India)

Nisha Vaghmaria; Niyati Mevada; James Maliakal

doi:10.4209/aaqr.2017.04.0124

Impact of Diwali Festival on Aerosol Optical Properties over an Urban City, Ahmedabad (India)

Optical/Radiative Properties and Remote Sensing India

Nisha Vaghmaria, Niyati Mevada, James Maliakal

Department of Physics of Physics, Electronics and Space Science, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 380009 Gujarat, India

Received: April 24, 2017
Revised: October 5, 2017
Accepted: October 6, 2017
Download Citation: ||https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2017.04.0124

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Cite this article:
Vaghmaria, N., Mevada, N. and Maliakal, J. (2018). Impact of Diwali Festival on Aerosol Optical Properties over an Urban City, Ahmedabad (India). Aerosol Air Qual. Res. 18: 522-532. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2017.04.0124

HIGHLIGHTS

Analysed changes in aerosol optical properties associated with Diwali fireworks.
AOD and β in the evening of following day of Diwali increased by about 165%.
Normal anti-correlation between α and β is not seen on following days of Diwali.
Spectral variation of AOD follows power law better during following days of Diwali.
Study suggests an increase in fine/accumulation mode particles due to Diwali.

ABSTRACT

An attempt has been made to investigate changes in the characteristics of aerosol optical properties induced during Diwali/ New Year celebrations of 2012 over an urban city, Ahmedabad (India). Ground based measurements of average Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) were carried out using a Microtops-II at Physics Department, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad during 10^th to 16^th Nov, 2012. AOD on the day just after Diwali is found to increase significantly; around 75% compared to pre-Diwali days for visible wavelength, remained at higher level for one more day (next day of New Year). Turbidity factor (β) also changed considerably, to a high value of 0.34 on the next day of Diwali, indicating a significant increase in aerosol loading associated with Diwali/ New Year festivities. Normal anti-correlation between Angstrom exponent (α) and turbidity parameter (β) is not seen on days following Diwali. The AOD and β values in the evening of the next day of Diwali increased to about 164% and 171% respectively compared to pre-Diwali days evenings; such an increase associated with the festivities has not been reported at any part of the country. Spectral variation of AOD also shows a significant change in the pattern during following two days of celebrations compared to pre-Diwali days. It is seen to follow power law more closely. Significant increase in AOD and change in spectral pattern suggest an increase of fine/accumulation mode particles due to Diwali/ New Year festivities.

Keywords: Optical properties of aerosol; Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD); Angstrom parameters; Anthropogenic aerosol; Aerosol physics.