Effect of clouds and particulates on infrared radiative fluxes in the atmosphere over India

Abstract

Measurements of infrared radiative fluxes using balloonborne radiometersondes at four stations in India are presented. Typical vertical profiles of flux and cooling rates for dry, cloudless winters, dusty summers and cloudy monsoon months are analysed to isolate the effects of dust, water vapour and clouds on the infrared radiative flux and cooling. Computations of net flux and cooling rate on the basis of a numerical model incorporating the effects of water vapour carbon dioxide, ozone and clouds but no dust, are compared with the observations. The comparison shows that the warming rate at the base of a dense dust layer and the cooling rate at the top can be as high as 10⁰C/day.