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New study says haze may be contributing to warming in South Asia

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8 years ago

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Dinesh C Sharma

The haze over the national capital and Northwest India seen during winters is not only causing problems to people on the ground but also impacting atmospheric climate. A new study by an international group of researchers has found that the composition of a class of carbon-carrying aerosols in the haze changes as it travels from above the landmass to the oceans.

The light absorption capacity of brown carbon – a key component of the haze – decreases during transport but its bleaching half-life is 3.6 days compared to 9 to 15 hours in other regions. This means that brown carbon stays in the South Asian atmosphere for a longer duration and thereby may contribute to warming of the region, according researchers.

The haze, also called atmospheric brown cloud (ABC), contains several types of particles emanating from vehicular pollution, biomass burning and other sources. This layer of polluted air plays critical role in regional climate as it both absorbs and scatters incoming solar radiation.

Sanjeev Dasari, lead author of the study

Sanjeev Dasari, lead author of the study

Two important light-absorbing components of ABC are black carbon and brown carbon. While black carbon mainly comes from sources like diesel combustion, brown carbon is a result of biomass burning. The new study focused on brown carbon as little was known about its light absorption capacity as it travels over the oceans.

Researchers measured air samples in Delhi, located in the midst of India-Gangetic Plains; Bhola in South Bangladesh which is at the edge of IGP; and at the Maldives Climate Observatory at Hanimaadhoo where the brown cloud reaches after long-range over-ocean transport.

It was found that the chemical composition of the aerosols changed between sites and over time. Water-soluble brown carbon concentrations were highest in Delhi, lower at the site in Bangladesh and lowest in the Maldives. Measurements of water-soluble extracts of brown carbon showed notable differences in light absorption characteristics between the three locations, with brown carbon molecules losing their warming capacity during transport, according to the study published in journal Science Advances on Thursday.

“Through measurements at three locations, we were able to determine the ability of brown carbon to absorb solar light (and thus warm the surrounding atmosphere) and how fast this ability was decreasing due to a photochemical oxidation – a process we call bleaching,” explained Prof Örjan Gustafsson (Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University), senior member of the research team, in an e-mail interview with India Science Wire.

Since brown carbon in South Asia seems to have longer bleaching half-life, it has implications on warming in the region. “As of now, we cannot comment what is the ‘true’ warming capacity of brown carbon. We can, however, say that previous global modelling studies relying on ‘set’ values of brown carbon light-absorption might have wrongly estimated the warming effect,” explained Sanjeev Dasari, PhD student at Stockholm University and first author of the study, while speaking to India Science Wire.

“This study is for winter months but still has crucial information considering that the leading hypothesis for the reduction in monsoon over the past few decades has been the solar dimming by aerosols. It is clear that both climate prediction and projection models need to understand impacts of such drastic transformation of brown carbon properties,” commented Raghu Murtugudde, professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science and Earth System Science at the University of Maryland and a visiting professor at IIT Bombay. He was not associated with the study.

The research team included Sanjeev Dasari, August Andersson, Srinivas Bikkina, Henry Holmstrand, Krishnakant Budhavan, Örjan Gustafsson (Stockholm University); Sreedharan Sathees (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore); Eija Asmi, Jutta Kesti, John Backman (Finnish Meteorological Institute); Abdus Salam (University of Dhaka); Deewan Singh Bisht, Suresh Tiwari (Delhi centre of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology); and Zahid Hameed (Maldives Meteorological Service). (India Science Wire)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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PM Modi hails ISRO after successful GSLV-F17 launch, calls it proud moment

PM Modi congratulated ISRO after GSLV-F17 successfully launched EOS-05, calling the achievement a proud moment for India.

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2 days ago

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September 4, 2026

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after the successful launch of the GSLV-F17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite, describing the achievement as a proud moment for the nation.

The GSLV-F17 lifted off at 2:55 a.m. IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The EOS-05 satellite was subsequently placed into its designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.

PM Modi praises ISRO’s growing capabilities

In a post on X, PM Modi said the successful mission reflected the excellence, innovation and expanding capabilities of India’s space sector.

He also highlighted the growing partnership between ISRO and Indian industry, saying it was strengthening India’s space programme and expanding capabilities across the wider space ecosystem.

The prime minister described the successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05 as another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a matter of national pride.

EOS-05 strengthens earth observation capabilities

According to the report, EOS-05 is India’s first-ever imaging satellite from geosynchronous orbit. The satellite is designed to provide continuous observation of the country from an altitude of nearly 36,000 km above Earth.

The mission is expected to strengthen India’s earth observation capabilities and support advanced imaging and observation applications.

ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan expressed satisfaction with the mission, saying the satellite was precisely injected into its intended orbit.

Mission Director Thomas Kurian described the launch as a significant milestone for the GSLV programme. He said it was the 19th flight of the GSLV and noted that EOS-05 is the heaviest satellite the launch vehicle has placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit or sub-GTO orbit.

GSLV-F17 launch vehicle details

The GSLV-F17 stands 51.7 metres tall and has an approximate liftoff mass of 420.5 tonnes.

Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh also congratulated the ISRO team following the successful mission. He described EOS-05 as a state-of-the-art Earth observation satellite capable of advanced imaging across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands.

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Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon begins first mission to International Space Station

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon has launched aboard Soyuz MS-29 on his first mission to the International Space Station, where he is expected to spend around eight months conducting research.

Published

2 months ago

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July 14, 2026

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Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon has embarked on his first journey into space after successfully launching aboard Russia’s Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission lifted off from the historic Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 8:17 PM on Tuesday. Menon was accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina as the three-member crew began their expedition to the orbiting laboratory.

Crew to spend about eight months aboard ISS

The Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft is expected to dock with the International Space Station a little over three hours after launch. Once aboard the ISS, the crew will carry out a range of scientific research and technology demonstration projects during their mission.

The expedition is scheduled to last approximately eight months, with the crew expected to return to Earth in 2027 after completing their planned activities in orbit.

Menon’s maiden spaceflight marks a significant milestone in his astronaut career as he joins the International Space Station crew for long-duration research and operational work.

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Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to meet PM Modi after return from historic space mission

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who recently returned from the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission, will meet PM Modi this evening. Parliament will also hold a special discussion on his historic journey.

Published

1 year ago

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August 18, 2025

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Subhanshu shukla

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening at his official residence in New Delhi.

PM Modi to host meeting with astronaut

According to officials, the meeting at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg is expected to take place between 5 pm and 5:30 pm. Shukla, who arrived in India on Sunday, will also be part of the National Space Day celebrations scheduled for August 23.

Warm welcome in India

The astronaut was greeted at the airport by his family, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and hundreds of citizens waving the national flag. Shukla had been in the United States for a year, preparing for the Axiom-4 mission, which launched from Florida on June 25 and docked at the ISS the next day. He served as the mission’s pilot.

Emotional note from Shukla

Before his return, Shukla shared an emotional post on Instagram, expressing mixed feelings of leaving his space colleagues while being eager to meet his loved ones and people of India. He also quoted a song from the film Swades, which he had chosen as his anthem on the launch day.

Parliament session on India’s space journey

In honour of Shukla’s mission, the Lok Sabha is holding a special session today to discuss “India’s first astronaut aboard the ISS – critical role of space programme for Viksit Bharat by 2047.” Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the discussion would highlight the importance of India’s space achievements and future goals.

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