Identification of Elevated Aerosol Layers and their properties by using ground-based aerosol measurements over the foothills of the central Himalayas

Previous studies have identified and examined the elevated aerosol layers (EAL) using LiDAR measurements from CALIPSO or MPLNET. Here we identify the EALs and their properties using ground-based aerosol measurements in Mukteshwar, a remote site in the Himalayan Mountains in northern India, from 2006–2013 (March-August only). EAL events are screened from the 8-year measurements by considering the ratio of PMIO to PM2.5 equal to or greater than two. BC increases by two to threefold and shows a good association with the PM concentration during the EAL events. The presence of strongly absorbing and scattering aerosol in EAL can be seen by their varying range of 10–50 Mm-1 and 50–350 Mm-1, respectively. CALIPSO, MPLNET, Dust Aerosol Optical Thickness, and NASA'S Worldview Earthdata are used to verify the EAL events identified from the ground-based aerosol measurements. The back-trajectory analysis clearly shows an influx of airmass from Arabia's arid regions and the west Arabian sea.