Asian brown cloud

From Free net encyclopedia

The Asian Brown Cloud is an enormous, three-kilometer thick layer of haze covering the northern Indian Ocean, India, Pakistan, and much of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and China. It is created by a range of airborne particles and pollutants, characteristic of biomass burning and industrial emissions. A notable example is the burning of cattle dung as household fuel by people in rural India. The cloud can last for up to four months, most commonly in the winter (December to April). The haze itself is toxic and has an adverse impact on rainfall and sunlight.

It was formally defined and measured by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Indian Ocean Experiment (INODEX) conducted between 1995 and 2002.

External links

• UNEP Impact Study of the "Asian Brown Cloud"
• A NASA article on the cloud ( with photo ).
• CNN article: "'Asian Brown Cloud' poses global threat"fr:Nuage brun d'Asie