title: Size evolution of ultrafine particles: Differential signatures of normal and episodic events.
abstract: The effect of fireworks on the aerosol number characteristics of atmosphere was studied for an urban mega city. Measurements were made at 50 m height to assess the local changes around the festival days. Apart from the increase in total number concentration and characteristic accumulation mode, short-term increase of ultrafine particle concentration was noted. Total number concentration varies an order of magnitude during the measurement period in which peak occurs at a frequency of approximately one per day. On integral scale, it seems not possible to distinguish an episodic (e.g. firework bursting induced aerosol emission) and a normal (ambient atmospheric changes) event. However these events could be differentiated on the basis of size evolution analysis around number concentration peaks. The results are discussed relative to past studies and inferences are drawn towards aerosol signatures of firework bursting. The short-term burst in ultrafine particle concentration can pose an inhalation hazard.
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India.
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India.
authors.forename: Arshad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India. Electronic address: bsapra@barc.gov.in.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sapra
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants
keywords: Fireworks; Nucleation mode; Size distribution evolution; Ultrafine particles