Cloud Condensation Nuclei over the Bay of Bengal during the Indian Summer Monsoon

The first measurements of cloud condensation nuclei （CCN） at five supersaturations were carried out onboard the research vessel ＂Sagar Kanya＂ （cruise SK-296） from the south to the head-bay of the Bay of Bengal as part of the Continental Tropical Convergence Zone （CTCZ） Project during the Indian summer monsoon of 2012. In this paper, we assess the diurnal variation in CCN distributions at supersaturations from 0.2% to 1% （in steps of 0.2%） and the power-law fit at supersaturation of 1%. The diurnal pattern shows peaks in CCN concentration （NccN） at supersaturations from 0.2% to 1% between 0600 and 0700 LST （local standard time, UTC＋0530）, with relatively low concentrations between 1200 and 1400 LST, followed by a peak at around 1800 LST. The power-law fit for the CCN distribution at different supersaturation levels relates the empirical exponent （k） of supersaturation （%） and the Nccy at a supersaturation of 1%. The Nccy at a supersaturation of 0.4% is observed to vary from 702 cm-3 to 1289 cm-3, with a mean of 961 ＋ 161 cm-3 （95% confidence interval）, representing the CCN activity of marine air masses. Whereas, the mean Nccy of 1628 ＋ 193 cm-3 at a supersaturation of 1% is higher than anticipated for the marine background. When the number of CCN spectra is 1293, the value of k is 0.57 ± 0.03 （99% confidence interval） and its probability distribution shows cumulative counts significant at k ≈ 0.55 ± 0.25. The results are found to be better at representing the features of the marine environment （103 cm-3 and k ≈ 0.5） and useful for validating CCN closure studies for Indian sea regions.