The sub-daily variability of aerosols affects the estimates of daily mean aerosol loading. However, large spatial scale estimates of their climate effects are mostly based on snapshots from low orbit satellites that may bias the mean estimate for daily, monthly, or annual timescales. In this study, an attempt is made to estimate the magnitude of such bias based on ground and satellite-based datasets. Using ground-based measurements, we show an apparent asymmetry (of the order of 10-50%) in the sub-daily variability of aerosol loading over the Indian region. For the first time, it is reported that this sub-daily variability has a spatial pattern with an increasing amplitude toward the east of the subcontinent. We also find this variability in aerosol loading is well-captured by the satellites but with a lower amplitude. Our study shows that such differences could alter the annual surface radiative forcing estimates by more than similar to 15 W m(-2) over this region. We find that NASA's Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2), a state-of-the-art model-based chemical reanalysis, is unable to capture these sub-daily variabilities. This implies that both model and satellite-based radiative forcing estimates for large spatial scales should improve aerosol sub-daily information/variabilities for obtaining reliable radiative forcing estimates.

The present study examines the effect of Diwali festival (17-21 October 2017; 19th October was the Diwali day) on aerosol characteristics over Patiala, northwestern part of India. Diwali being one of the major festivals of India that falls between mid-October and mid-November is celebrated with full enthusiasm by burning crackers, fireworks, etc. During this period, the study site also is engulfed with high aerosol loading because of extensive paddy residue burning emission. During Diwali event, a particulate matter (PM10) concentration varies from 132 to 155 mu gm(-3), while a mass concentration of black carbon aerosols varies from 6 to 9 mu gm(-3) with the maximum concentration on post-Diwali day. Aerosol optical depth (AOD(500)) was maximum (0.852) on post-Diwali day indicating the additional loading of submicron particles due to burning of crackers and fireworks. The magnitude of single scattering albedo (SSA(500)) decreases to a minimum value around 0.864 showing abundance of absorbing aerosols on Diwali affected days (19th and 20th October). A sudden jump of +12.9Wm(-2) in atmospheric radiative forcing resulting in a heating rate of up to 1.4Kday(-1) on next day of Diwali shows the warming state of the lower and middle atmosphere.