Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of bulk aerosols over India and northern Indian Ocean

Atmospheric carbonaceous aerosols of South Asian origin have received immense concerns in the Anthropocene owing to their plausible role in the observed regional to inter-continental scale climate anomalies. Tracking plausible sources and alterations during their transport (secondary processes) are keys to understanding their net influence on regional climate. Here, we report elemental concentrations of C and N (TC and TN), their isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and TC/TN ratios of bulk carbonaceous aerosol particles over northern Indian Ocean [Bay of Bengal (BOB) and Arabian Sea (AS)] collected as a part of Integrated Campaign for Aerosol, Gases and Radiation Budget (ICARB) during March–May, 2006. In order to understand typical sources, we also measured same parameters of (i) aerosols emitted from typical biomasses conventionally burnt in north and northeastern India and (ii) aerosols particles present in ambient air over selected Indian cities during pre-monsoon season. Bulk aerosols over AS are characterized by significantly higher TC/TN ratios (∼50 ± 10) compared to aerosol over Indian cities (5.6 ± 2.6) as well as over BOB (6.8 ± 12.5), most likely due to having significant inorganic carbon contributed by mineral dust. δ13C of aerosols over AS and BOB do not show significant variation (−25.6‰ ± 0.6, −26.5‰ ± 0.8; n = 24 and 21 respectively), however δ15N values showed a conspicuous difference between the two braches of northern Indian Ocean (10.6‰ ± 2.7 over BOB and 1.4‰ ± 3.3 over the AS). Depleted δ15N of aerosols over AS can be interpreted in terms of significant mixing of isotopically depleted nitrogenous compounds (NH3 and NOxs) emitted from the underlying (denitrifying) waters.

► We provide first set of C and N isotope data of aerosols over northern Indian Ocean.
► Its comparison with aerosols produced over typical urban locations of India.
► We also provide isotopes data of aerosols produced by burning of typical bio-fuels.
► N isotopes of aerosols showed significant variability among sources.
► Aerosols over AS are isotopically distinct from those over BOB and urban locations.