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Updated: Aug 10, 2025

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements
Published on: September 7, 2019
Black carbon aerosols over Indian Ocean have unique source fingerprint and optical characteristics during monsoon
Krishnakant Budhavant1,2, August Andersson3, H Holmstrand3
1Maldives Climate Observatory at Hanimaadhoo, Maldives Meteorological Services, H. Dh. Hanimaadhoo 02020, Republic of Maldives.
Abstract:
Effects of aerosols such as black carbon (BC) on climate and buildup of the monsoon over the Indian Ocean are insufficiently quantified. Uncertain contributions from various natural and anthropogenic sources impede our understanding. Here, we use observations over 5 y of BC and its isotopes at a remote island observatory in northern Indian Ocean to constrain loadings and sources during little-studied monsoon season. Carbon-14 data show a highly variable yet largely fossil (65 ± 15%) source mixture. Combining carbon-14 with carbon-13 reveals the impact of African savanna burning, which occasionally approach 50% (48 ± 9%) of the total BC loadings. The BC mass-absorption cross-section for this regime is 7.6 ± 2.6 m2/g, with higher values during savanna fire input. Taken together, the combustion sources, longevity, and optical properties of BC aerosols over summertime Indian Ocean are different than the more-studied winter aerosol, with implications for chemical transport and climate model simulations of the Indian monsoon.
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