Assessment of contribution of agricultural residue burning on air quality of Delhi using remote sensing and modelling tools

Application of remote sensing in analysing the pollutant dispersion and concentration in the atmosphere has gained importance over the years amongst the researchers. Particulates, being a threat to human health is being closely monitored for its sources and transport, to implement respective mitigative measures. A study has been carried out to assess the contribution of agriculture residue/stubble burning (SB) in Haryana, Punjab region over the air quality of Delhi region. Monitoring is carried out using multidisciplinary approaches over the region during October and November 2017. A higher baseline value in Delhi is observed throughout the study duration. Both remote sensing and ground data from stations show similar characteristics. Local meteorological condition of study region, observed during the study duration, indicates that particulates from Punjab-Haryana region are not likely to be transmitted over Delhi region. The study performed using Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) shows some carbonaceous aerosol subtype over Delhi region. Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model (HYSPLIT) study shows that northwesterly winds intersect the agricultural residue burning regions, which might have transported the burnt stubble particulates towards Delhi area during the days of November 2017. Further, the larger mass of stubble burning aerosols are found to be dispersed at a height 3000 m above the ground, which is out of the human vicinity. The month of October 2017 showed aerosol subtypes majorly from local emissions and dust. Delhi faces severe air pollution issues around human vicinity due to poor meteorological conditions and majorly because of local emission. The severe conditions, however, are generally short-lived and gradually ameliorates with improved meteorological conditions of the region.