Atmospheric turbidity over a continental station Mysore, India

Abstract

The solar radiation is collected at five optical channels at a continental station Mysore, India during December 2003 - June 2006 using a portable sunphotometer MICROTOPS II. Angstrom’s turbidity parameters, <img src='/image/spc_char/alpha.gif' border=0> and <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>, have been calculated and analysed on daily, monthly, seasonal and annual basis. The observations show that <img src='/image/spc_char/alpha.gif' border=0> and <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0> vary throughout on individual day because of changes in the atmospheric meteorological parameters. It is observed that <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0> is highest during summer and lowest during winter. An anti-correlation between <img src='/image/spc_char/alpha.gif' border=0> and <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0> is observed throughout the day during all seasons indicating continuous redistribution of fine and coarse particles under the influence of meteorological parameters. The yearly comparison of <img src='/image/spc_char/alpha.gif' border=0> and <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0> along with the atmospheric visibility is also analysed and presented in the paper.