HR: 1340h
AN: A33E-1637    [Abstracts]
TI: Investigations of Dust Radiative Heating Over the Indo-Gangetic Plains During the Pre- Monsoon Season
AU: * Gautam, R
EM: rgautam@gmu.edu
AF: Center for Earth Observing and Space Research, Geroge Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031, United States
AU: Hsu, C
EM: hsu@climate.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Tsay, S
EM: tsay@climate.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Lau, W
EM: lau@climate.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Kafatos, M
EM: mkafatos@gmu.edu
AF: Center for Earth Observing and Space Research, Geroge Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031, United States
AB: Satellite and ground observations show maximum column aerosol loading over the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) during the pre-monsoon period (April-May-June) caused by wind-blown dust storms that originate in deserts around the Arabian Peninsula. High dust loading significantly affects aerosol optical properties and the radiative fluxes at the top of atmosphere and surface. The frequency of dust storms over IGP peaks during May and long- term satellite data show strong positive trend in the aerosol loading over desert regions around the IGP. We use multi-satellite and ground observations obtained from MODIS, CERES, AIRS and AERONET data along with radiative transfer simulations to calculate the radiative forcing due to dust aerosols and analyze changes in temperature profiles caused by the heating associated with dust aerosols over the IGP during the pre-monsoon period. Long-term analysis of the mid-tropospheric temperature obtained from the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) data indicates a significant upward trend over the IGP. This positive trend is found to be highest in May with an increase of ~2.0º C in the last 25 years. In addition, higher values of temperature were found in the AIRS profile data on heavy dust loading days compared to low dust environment. This effect was particularly observed in the mid-troposphere from AIRS data. Radiative transfer model simulations combined with inputs from ground measurements of aerosol optical properties from AERONET data and CERES fluxes in conjunction with Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds (OPAC) modeled values of aerosol properties are used to estimate the radiative heating associated with dust aerosols.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
DE: 3355 Regional modeling
DE: 3359 Radiative processes
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting