The circulation dynamics of an event marked by the formation of an aerosol cluster off the coast of Maharashtra on April 22, 2006, its southward migration along the Indian west coast with a mean speed of ∼200 km/day and its final dissipation after reaching the end of the peninsula by April 28, 2006 as revealed by MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) against the pre-monsoon conditions of April 2006 are examined in this study. The maximum aerosol concentration in the cluster was found getting confined to lower and lower altitudes during its southward movement. The NCEP/NCAR (National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research) reanalysis wind field indicates that the atmospheric circulation, especially the horizontal wind convergence is the major factor that guides the formation and the dynamics of the cluster. Fine mode fraction from MODIS suggests that the cluster mainly consists of coarse dust particles. The regional climate model, RegCM3 with an efficient dust generation module simulates the formation and movement of the cluster appreciably well. The simulations which also exhibit the altitudinally descending nature of the cluster during its southward movement confirm the mechanism which governs the cluster dynamics suggested based on MODIS and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data.

Time series analysis of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) derived from NOAA-AVHRR data during the period 1996–1999 and the MODIS data during 2000–2009 over the Arabian Sea revealed a systematic biennial variability in the high AOD during summer months. The variability is more prominent over the northern and central parts of the Arabian Sea and became less significant towards southern latitudes. The possible mechanisms for these are examined by estimating the source strength over coastal Arabia and AOD flow rate through the western boundary of the Arabian Sea. Both these show clear signatures of biennial variability with same phase as AOD for most of the years. This result indicates that the observed biennial variability in AOD is likely to be the outcome of combined effects of biennial variability in wind generated sea-salt aerosols and dust transported from Arabia.