What caused severe air pollution episode of November 2016 in New Delhi?

In recent years, South Asia is experiencing severely degraded air quality, with particulate matter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) reaching unprecedented high levels. Here, we investigate a severe air pollution episode (SAPE) witnessed in New Delhi during 1–7 November 2016. This was a very unusual air pollution episode wherein air quality index exceeded >500 and was persistent for about a week encapsulating the entire Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). We demonstrate that a stagnant weather condition was the dominant cause of the SAPE. Mean concentration of PM2.5 in New Delhi before, during, and after the SAPE were 142 μg/m3, 563 μg/m3, and 240 μg/m3, respectively. Satellite-based aerosol optical depth (AOD), ultraviolet-aerosol index (UV-AI) and surface carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations also showed significant enhancements over large locale spatially by about 50–70% during the SAPE. A large and simultaneous increase in UV-AI and CO downwind of a large number of fire hotspots (Punjab and Haryana) is a clear indication of biomass burning aerosols. Analysis of absorption Ångström exponent further substantiates this finding, showing a large fraction of light absorbing carbonaceous-type aerosols. Radiosonde observations clearly showed that stagnant atmospheric conditions led to SAPE in New Delhi by allowing pollution to accumulate and persist in the near-surface environment. As a result new particle formation was suppressed due to very high pre-existing aerosol concentrations during the SAPE. The heating rate induced by light absorbing aerosols into an atmospheric layer during SAPE was also very high (3.1 ± 0.7 K/day). These findings will help in understanding air quality and climate effects, as well as in formulating policies to mitigate these complex pollution episodes in an anthropogenic future. •Satellite products offer entrenched approach to monitor near-surface air quality.•New Delhi witnessed the worst severe air pollution episode during November 2016.•Air stagnation played a vital role in the occurrence of severe air pollution episode.