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Indian Journal of Radio & Space Physics (IJRSP) >
IJRSP Vol.39 [2010] >
IJRSP Vol.39(6) [December 2010] >
| Title: | Impact of the solar eclipse of 15 January 2010 on the surface ozone and nitrogen dioxide concentrations at Kanyakumari, India |
| Authors: | Elampari, K
Chithambarathanu, T
Jeyakumar, S Johnson
Sharma, R Krishna |
| Keywords: | Solar eclipse
Surface ozone concentration
Nitrogen dioxide concentration
Photochemical reaction |
| Issue Date: | Dec-2010 |
| Publisher: | NISCAIR-CSIR, India |
| PACS No.: | 95.10.Gi; 92.60.Ls |
| Abstract: | Solar radiation derives the chemistry of the atmosphere.
Solar eclipse, being a rare event, provides unique opportunities for studying
the changes in the atmosphere due to the sudden reduction in the incoming
radiation. The effects of solar eclipse of 15 January 2010 on surface ozone
(SOZ) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at
the coastal site, Kanyakumari (8o4’8’’N, 77o33’6’’E),
Tamil Nadu, India, has been investigated in the present study. The behaviour of
SOZ, NO2 and variation in meteorological parameters, like
temperature, relative humidity (RH) were studied during this annular solar
eclipse as well as one day before and after the eclipse. The experimental
results showed that solar eclipse phenomenon affects the concentration of SOZ
and NO2 as well as temperature and RH near the ground. Further, few
minutes after the total eclipse, SOZ decreased to around 30 ppb, which is 25
ppb less than the normal and the level of nitrogen dioxide increased to 5 ppb.
Also, it was noticed that during the course of the eclipse, the RH increased by
3% and temperature decreased by 4°C. The decrease in SOZ concentration was attributed to
the reduction in the incoming solar radiation that affects the photochemical
reaction. The observed increase in the NO2 concentration may
primarily be due to the low photolysis rate of NO2. |
| Page(s): | 359-363 |
| CC License: |  CC Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India |
| ISSN: | 0975-105X (Online); 0367-8393 (Print) |
| Source: | IJRSP Vol.39(6) [December 2010]
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