BLACK CARBON

RESEARCH INITIATIVE

NATIONAL CARBONACEOUS AEROSOLS PROGRAM

(NCAP)

J.Srinivasan

Divecha Centre for Climate Change

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Particles of solid or liquid phase suspended in the atmosphere is

called aerosols( too small to be seen by the eye)

• Sea-salt : Scattering

• Sulphate : Scattering

• Soil Dust : Partly absorbing

• Organics : Partly absorbing

• Black carbon : Absorbing

INDOEX

Sources of Black Carbon

Biofuel or Fossil Fuel?

Novakov et al., 2000Fossil Fuel dominant

Ramanthan & Carmichael2008Biofuel dominant

Policy Implications

Prof. V.Ramanathan: Testimony in U.S.Senate 16th March 2010

The magnitude of current warming effect by BC is subject to a large uncertainty, ranging from about 20 per cent to as much as 60 per cent of the warming effect of CO2. BC generated by diesel combustion has greater warming potential than bio-fuel cooking or biomass burning..

Reducing Black Carbon May Be the FastestStrategy for Slowing Climate Change

IGSD/INECE Climate Briefing Note June 2009

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A drastic reduction of black-carbon emissions could provide near-immediate relief

Grieshop et al., Nature Geoscience, August 2009

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Climate trade-off between black carbon and carbon dioxide emissions by Boucher & Reddy, Energy Policy, 36. 2008

Spatio-temporal variations of BC in India from observations in ISRO network

Courtesy:Dr. K. Krishnamoorthy

Space Physics LaboratoryTrivandrum

ARFINET – Aerosol observatories

under ARFI • >33 stations

• AOD,

• BC,

• Size distributions,

Scattering & absorption

coefficients (spectral)

• Single Scat Albedo

• Radiation (up and

down welling),

• albedo,

• Extinction profiles,

• Abundance …

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drum

Ban

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Pun

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Kan

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Nai

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Bla

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Ca

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n (

µµ µµg

m-3

)

Source: Babu et al., 2002; Satheesh et al., 2010; Safai et al., 2007; Singh et al., 2010; Badrinath

and Latha, 2006; Dey et al., 2008, Dumka et al., 2010.

Black Carbon Mass Concentration

TRIVANDURAM

Aerosol Mass Concentration during LC-I, 2004

Elevated aerosol layers

Over Central

India > 70% of

aerosols reside

above the clouds

during pre-

monsoon

Black Carbon and temperature variation

Babu et al., Geophysical Research Letters 2011

PROPOSED PLAN

Network of Surface Observatories:

ISRO Geosphere Biosphere Program36 sites

Proposed Instruments

Aethalometer Single particle

Soot PhotometerPhoto-Acoustic

Soot Spectrometer

Hi-Volume

SamplerNephelometer

Multi-Wavelength

RadiometerMicro-Pulse Lidar

• Vertical distribution of aerosols

• Interaction of BC with clouds

• BC/OC ratio

• Mixing State

• Contribution from Urban/ Rural

Bond et al., 2007

• Development of a national carbonaceous aerosols emission inventory

• Evaluation of the impact of sectors and sources on the magnitude of carbonaceous aerosol emissions.

• Future emission projections in an integrated economic-energy-environment framework

• Understanding sources influencing carbonaceous aerosols through inverse modelling approaches

MODELLING

(IITB, IITD, IITMP, IISc)

Black Carbon in Hanle, Ladakh

• Collection of atmospheric aerosol samples near glaciated valleys and also around seasonal snow fields

• Estimation of effect of black carbon and mineral dust on snow and ice albedo using field and laboratory observations.

• Development of algorithm to monitor snow and glacier albedo using satellite data.

• Validation of snow/glacier algorithm and monitoring albedo using satellite and aircraft data.

• Understanding effect of change in albedodue to black carbon on seasonal snow and glacier melt.

• Modelling effect of enhanced melting on glacier mass balance and retreat. .

GLACIERS

Prof. Pierrehumbert, University of Chicago

• In reality, aerosol-forming emissions and CO2 emissions are separate dials, controlling very different aspects of the Earth’s climate future.

• CO2 emissions play a distinguished role, because they ratchet up the Earth’s thermostat. It’s a dial you can turn up, but you can’t turn it back down. CO2 is a genie you can’t put back in the bottle

Black Carbon Emission per Capita ( kg/capita)Ref: Ramanathan and Feng, 2008; Data source: Bond et al 2004

0

0.5

1

1.5

USA EU

OECD

EU

EAST

ASIA

SOUT H

ASIA

EAST

NATURAL VS ANTHROPOGENICAEROSOLS

Air Pollution and Climate Changeissues are linked through Aerosols