Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD)

•It is a quantitative estimate of the amount of aerosol present in the atmosphere.
•Measures the extinction of a ray of light as it passes through the atmosphere.
•Can be used as a proxy for surface PM2. 5
•News - aerosol levels in northern India at the beginning of April were the lowest in 20 years.
(Resason- Lockdown). Aerosols contribute significantly in DELHI-NCR Pollution.