Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Solar eclipse-induced variations in solar flux, j(NO2) and surface ozone at Kannur, India

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 14 May 2014

Abstract

Surface ozone is mainly produced by the photodissociation of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by solar UV radiation. Subsequently, solar eclipses provide one of the unique occasions to explore the variations in the photolysis rate of NO2 and their significant impact on the production of ozone at a location. This study aims to examine the diurnal variations in the photodissociation rate coefficient of NO2, (j(NO2*)), and mixing ratios of surface ozone and NO X * (NO + NO2*) during the solar eclipse that occurred on 15 January 2010 at Kannur (11.9°N, 75.4°E, 5 m amsl), a tropical coastal site on the Arabian Sea in South India. This investigation was carried out on the basis of the ground level observations of surface ozone and its prominent precursor NO2*. The j(NO2*) values were estimated from the observed solar UV-A flux data. A sharp decline in j(NO2*) and surface ozone was observed during the eclipse phase because of the decreased efficiency of the ozone formation from NO2. The NO2* levels were found to increase during this episode, whereas the NO levels remained unchanged. The surface ozone concentration was reduced by 57.5%, whereas, on the other hand, that of NO X * increased by 62.5% during the solar eclipse. Subsequently a reduction of *% in the magnitude of j(NO2*) was found here during the maximum obscuration. Reductions in solar insolation, air temperature and wind speed were also observed during the solar eclipse event. The relative humidity showed a 6.4% decrease during the eclipse phase, which was a unique observation at this site.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amiridis V, Melas D, Balis DS, Papayannis A, Founda D, Katragkou E, Giannakaki E, Mamouri RE, Gerasopoulos E, Zerefos C (2007) Aerosol Lidar observations and model calculations of planetary boundary layer evolution over Greece, during the March 2006 total solar eclipse. Atmos Chem Phys 7:6181–6189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya RR, Bhoumick A, Bhattachara A, Pal S, Bhattacharya AB (2010) Changes in the surface UV and its sferics over Kalyani (West Bengal) during the solar eclipse on 22 July 2009. Indian J Radio Space Phys 39:132–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohn B, Rohrer F, Brauers T, Wahner A (2005) Actinometric measurements of NO2 photolysis frequencies in the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR. Atmos Chem Phys 5:493–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fabian P, Rappengel B, Stohl A, Werner H, Winterhalter M, Schlager H, Stock P, Berresheim H, Kaminski U, Koepke P, Reuder J, Birmili W (2001) Boundary layer photochemistry during a total solar eclipse. Meteorol Z 10(3):187–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez W, Castro V, Hidalgo H (1993) Air temperature and wind changes in Costa Rica during the total solar eclipse of July 11, 1991. Earth Moon Planets 63:133–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerasopoulos E, Zerefos CS, Tsagouri I, Founda D, Amiridis V, Bais AF, Belehaki A, Christou N, Economou G, Kanakidou M, Karamanos A, Petrakis M, Zanis P (2008) The total solar eclipse of March 2006: overview. Atmos Chem Phys 8:5205–5220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kazadzis S, Bais A, Blumthaler M, Webb A, Kouremeti N, Kift R, Schallhart B, Kazantzidis A (2007) Effect of total solar eclipse of 29 March 2006 on surface radiation. Atmos Chem Phys 7:9235–9258

    Google Scholar 

  • Kondratyev KY, Varotsos C (1995) Atmospheric greenhouse effect in the context of global climate change Nuovo Cimento Delta Societa Italiana Di Fisica. Geophys Space Phys 18:123–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Kondratyev KY, Varotsos CA (2001a) Global tropospheric ozone dynamics––Part I: Tropospheric ozone precursors- Part II: Numerical modeling of tropospheric ozone variability. Environ Sci Pollut Res 8:57–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kondratyev KY, Varotsos CA (2001b) Global tropospheric ozone dynamics––Part II: Numerical modeling of tropospheric ozone variability: Tropospheric ozone precursors [ESPR 8(1)57–62(2001)]. Environ Sci Pollut Res 8:113–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lal S, Naja M, Subbaraya BH (2000) Seasonal Variations in surface ozone and its precursors over an urban site in India. Atmos Environ 34:2713–2724

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naja M, Lal S (1997) Solar eclipse induced changes in surface ozone at Ahmedabad. Indian J Radio Space Phys 26:312–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Oltmans SJ, Levy II H (1994) Surface ozone measurements from a global network. Atmos Environ 28:9–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma SK, Mandal TK, Arya BC, Saxsena M, Shukla DK, Mukherjee R, Bhatnagar RP, Nath S, Yadav S, Gautam R, Saud T (2010) Effects of the solar eclipse on 15 January 2010 on the surface O3, NO, NO2, NH3, CO mixing ratio and the meteorological parameters at Thiruvananthapuram, India. Ann Geophys 28:1199–1205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trebs I, Bohn B, Ammann C, Rummel U, Blumthaler M, Konigstedt R, Meixner FX, Fan S, Andreae MO (2009) Relationship between the NO2 photolysis frequency and the solar global irradiance. Atmos Meas Tech 2:725–739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tzanis C (2005) Ground based observations of ozone at Athens, Greece during the solar eclipse of 1999. Int J Remote Sens 26:3585–3596

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tzanis C, Varotsos CA (2008) Tropospheric aerosol forcing of climate: a case study for the greater area of Greece. Int J Remote Sens 29(9):2507–2517

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tzanis C, Varotsos CA, Viras L (2008) Impacts of the solar eclipse of 29 March 2006 on the surface ozone and nitrogen dioxide concentrations at Athens, Greece. Atmos Chem Phys 7(8):425–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winer AM, Peters JW, Smith JP, Pitts JN Jr (1974) Response of commercial chemiluminescent NO–NO2 analyzers to other nitrogen-containing compounds. Environ Sci Technol 8:1118–1121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zerefos CS, Balis DS, Meleti C, Bais AF, Tourpali K, Kourtidis K, Vanicek K, Cappellani F, Kaminski U, Colombo T, Stubi R, Manea L, Formenti P, Andreae MO (2000) Changes in environmental parameters during the solar eclipse of 11 August 1999 over Europe, Effects on surface UV 20 solar irradiance and total ozone. J Geophys Res 105(D21) 26:463–473

    Google Scholar 

  • Zerefos CS, Balis DS, Zanis P, Meleti C, Bais AF, Tourpali K, Melas D, Ziomas I, Galani E, Kourtidis K, Papayannis A, Gogosheva Z (2001) Changes in surface UV solar irradiance and ozone over the Balkans during the eclipse of 11 August 1999. Adv Space Res 27(12):1955–1963

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This program is being carried out under the consistent financial support of ISRO-GBP through their AT-CTM program. We are very grateful to Prof. Kalliat Valsaraj, Louisiana State University, USA, for his keen interest in this work. We also thank the anonymous referees who contributed significantly to improving the contents and style of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Atmospheric Science, Kannur University, Kannur, Kerala, 670 567, India

    T. Nishanth, K. M. Praseed & M. K. Satheesh Kumar

Authors
  1. T. Nishanth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. M. Praseed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. K. Satheesh Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Nishanth.

Additional information

Responsible editor: S. Trini Castelli.

An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00703-014-0327-3.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nishanth, T., Praseed, K.M. & Kumar, M.K.S. Solar eclipse-induced variations in solar flux, j(NO2) and surface ozone at Kannur, India. Meteorol Atmos Phys 113, 67–73 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-011-0141-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-011-0141-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation