Effect of unusual dust event on meteorological parameters & aerosol optical and radiative properties

A very unusual dust plume generated from dust-storm activities over the Arabian Peninsula and Southwest Asia affected the north-west region of India between March 20 and 23, 2012, causing significant reductions in air quality and consequently changes in meteorological parameters. Ground based measurements of aerosol optical depth at 500 nm reached 1.015 +/- 0.24 and 0.837 +/- 0.042 at Jodhpur while Angstrom exponent dropped to -0.030 and -0.065 on March 20 and 21, 2012 respectively. The AOD reached 0.959 in Delhi while Angstrom exponent dropped to 0.006 on March 21, 2012. PM10 concentration peaked at an unusually high value of more than 1800 mu m(-3) during dust storm hours of March 20, 2012 at Delhi. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) retrieved aerosol optical depth also exhibited high values as well along the path of dust storm and dust plume. The intensity of the dust plume was such that it caused significant cooling at the surface. The large reduction in the radiative flux at the surface level had caused a drop in surface temperature by approximately 2-10 degrees C. Shortwave and longwave Direct Aerosol Radiative Forcing was calculated using SBDART during the dust period.