Topics Covered: Pollution related issues.
Brown carbon ‘tarballs’ found in Himalayan atmosphere:
Context:
A study has found Tarballs found in the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau.
- The percentage of the tarballs increased on days of higher levels of pollution and could contribute to hastening of glacial melt and global warming.
What are Tarballs? How they are formed?
Tarballs are small light-absorbing, carbonaceous particles formed due to burning of biomass or fossil fuels that deposit on snow and ice.
- They hasten glacial melt.
- They are formed from brown carbon, emitted during the burning of fossil fuels.
Where did they come from?
Tarballs were emitted from biomass burning in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Concerns:
Tarballs from long-range transport can be an important factor in the climatic effect and would correspond to a substantial influence on glacial melting in the Himalaya region.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- What are Tarballs?
- Differences between black carbon and brown carbon.
- Sources.
- Impacts.
Mains Link:
Examine the impact of Increased percentage of Tarballs on Himalayas.
Sources: Down to Earth.
