Global aerosol source/sink map

Rate of aerosol production/loss over the globe is estimated employing aerosol flux continuity equation by introducing multi-year satellite measurements on aerosols and reanalyzed winds. The estimation is done for the four different seasons averaged over a period of four years, 2007-2010. Prominent aerosol production with a source strength ∼0.2 AOD day−1 is observed over east Asia in all the seasons. There are regions of significant production in central Asia and north western Africa in DJF (December-February) and MAM (March-May) seasons and over eastern mid Atlantic in MAM and JJAS (June-September) seasons. Aerosol production is found the largest with rate >0.5 AOD day−1 over north western Indian Ocean during JJAS season, in association with summer monsoon circulation. Role of atmospheric dynamics in aerosol distribution through transport, accumulation and dispersion is made evident through the mismatch observed between the regions of aerosol production and aerosol abundance.