mote Sen
Re
si
f
Journal o
ng
& GIS
ISSN: 2469-4134 Journal of Remote Sensing & GIS
Research Article
Extra Terrestrial Remote Sensing and Geophysical Applications to
Understand Kedarnath Cloudburst in Uttarakhand, India
Saumitra Mukherjee*
School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities and episodic variations in extra-terrestrial activities lead to climate change which can be
disastrous. In the Himalayan terrain the influence of local changes of land uses including construction of reservoirs on
the Ganges and Alaknanda rivers. Sudden rise in proton flux from the Sun was responsible for the anomalous rise in
atmospheric temperature. High concentration of aerosol trapped in the atmosphere and glaciers in Indo-China border
initiated the nucleation process in the concentrated water vapor to initiate the formation of clouds for the cloudburst in
Kedarnath.
Keywords: Proton flux; Atmospheric temperature; Aerosol;
Torrential rain; Kedarnath
Introduction
The devastating flood in Uttarakhand, India in mid-June 2013
was a combined impact of cloud burst in Uttarakhand, quick melting
of glacier at high altitude due to beating of ice sheet by raindrops
and breaching of natural embankment of Chorabari Tal (north of
Kedarnath) due to accumulation of excess surface runoff. Within
48 hours, 280 mm rainfall occurred and about five feet of snow was
precipitated at higher altitudes. Apart from Uttarakhand, Himachal
Pradesh, northeast Rajasthan and Delhi also received torrential rainfall.
For Delhi it was an advent of early monsoon that broke the past record
of 150 years. In western India, heavy rainfall occurred during mid-June
in Gujarat and southern Rajasthan due to early advent of Arabian Sea
branch of monsoon. The monsoon winds were pushed northeastward
by an upper air current. On its way towards north northeast, the cloud
gathered moisture as a result of evaporation from freshwater bodies
and irrigated agricultural fields lying on its way. Climate change
manifestation can be seen in the recent disaster of Kedarnath, Himalaya
in India. Influence of the Sun clubbed with the anthropogenic activities
may be responsible for the catastrophe. Steep rise in solar proton flux
above 10 MeV for 12 days from 15th May to 26th May 2013 has been
recorded by Sun Observatory Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
satellite [1,2]. During the same period the cosmic ray intensity was
recorded all-time high in Jawaharlal Nehru University (which is
representing regional cosmic ray data in Space Environment Viewing
and Analysis Network of Asian office of Aerospace Research). Prior to
cloudburst in Kedarnath area of Uttarakhand Himalaya, the abnormal
rise of the atmospheric temperature in this area was initiated by the
release of heat energy from the trapped proton drift in the magnetic
field line. The proton flux has the potential to be trapped for a long time
in the geomagnetic field enhanced the ionization process and heating of
the upper part of the atmosphere in the proximity of the Uttarakhand
area [3]. After this event anomalous rise in cosmic ray was recorded.
Changes in ionization affect the abundance of aerosols that serve as
the nuclei of condensation for cloud formation. Rise in cosmic rays
were instrumental in condensation of the cloud leads to the cloudburst
in Kedarnath [4]. Improper land use change in this area along with
the extra-terrestrial influence lead to rise in temperature to release the
aerosol trapped in the glaciers and atmosphere in Indo China border to
initiate the cloudburst [5].
J Geophys Remote Sensing
ISSN: 2169-0049 JGRS, an open access journal
Mukherjee, J Geophys Remote Sens 2014, 3:3
DOI: 10.4172/2169-0049.1000124
Open Access
Torrential Rain Mechanism
Torrential rain represent one of the extremely strong and
destructive disasters which, besides considerable losses, lead to many
casualties. I propose this hypothesis based on the possible magnetic
alignment of the proton particle in the atmosphere of Kedarnath of
Uttarakhand India. When the solar protons enter the domain of the
Earth’s magnetosphere, the magnetic field becomes stronger than the
solar magnetic field. In this process heat energy was generated by the
Sun which is simple thermo-element generator [6].
Result and Discussion
During last 100 years the mean annual surface air temperature has
increased by more than 0.4°C [7]. The hypothesis is being postulated
for the first time on the mechanism of the heat transfer from the
charged proton to the upper and lower atmosphere of the earth [8].
Here I explain the anomalous proton flux induced heat generation
in the upper atmospheric region of Kedarnath Himalaya. Protons
started rising from 15th May 2013 and reached threshold value again
on May 26, 2013 (Figure 1). The proton started rising from 9 AM on
22nd May, the rising trend was unabated till 26th May for five days.
In the space weather in between Sun and Earth the heat transfer to
cloud appearance mechanism took 20 days and 6 hours to initiate the
cloudburst in Kedarnath. The heat from the Sun was captured in the
Van Allen’s belt, which further have acceleration to the proton [9].
Primary effect of heat transfer initiated by the proton flux from the
Sun was responsible for the rise in atmospheric temperature [10,11].
It is to interfere with the transfer of hydrogen ions between the
atmospheric water molecules and the aerosol particles. It is possible to
understand the “proton flux hypothesis” which offers an explanation
for the heat transfer from the proton to the atmospheric water vapor
and aerosol. Sulpher dioxide and multicomponent composition of
*Corresponding author: Saumitra Mukherjee, School of Environmental Sciences,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India, Tel: 91-11-2670431; E-mail:
saumitramukherjee3@gmail.com
Received June 06, 2014; Accepted June 23, 2014; Published June 30, 2014
Citation: Mukherjee S (2014) Extra Terrestrial Remote Sensing and Geophysical
Applications to Understand Kedarnath Cloudburst in Uttarakhand, India. J Geophys
Remote Sensing 3: 124. doi:10.4172/2169-0049.1000124
Copyright: © 2014 Mukherjee S. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
source are credited.
Volume 3 • Issue 3 • 1000124
Citation: Mukherjee S (2014) Extra Terrestrial Remote Sensing and Geophysical Applications to Understand Kedarnath Cloudburst in Uttarakhand,
India. J Geophys Remote Sensing 3: 124. doi:10.4172/2169-0049.1000124

Page 2 of 4

Figure 1: SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) satellite data showing rise in Proton flux from 15thMay to 26thMay to
accumulate heat in the geomagnetic field line.

(25N-30N, 80E-85E) Total Diverence of Water Vapor Flux 29 May 2013 - 27 Jun 2013
Observed Accumulated Precipitation (mm)
Above normal: green 40N
400 Below normal: brown 400
30N
300 300
200 200 20N 3e−06
2e−06
100 100 10N 1e−06
5e−06
031Mar 5Apr 10Apr 15Apr 20Apr 25Apr 30Apr 5May 10May 15May 20May 25May 30May4Jun 9Jun 14Jun 19Jun 24Jun 0 EQ −5e−07
2013 −1e−06
Daily Precipitation-Green bar & Normal-Solid Line (mm/day) 10S −2e−06
60 60 −3e−06
50 50
20S
40 40
30 30 30S

20 20 40S
40E 60E 80E 100E 120E 140E 160E
10 10
031Mar 5Apr 10Apr 15Apr 20Apr 25Apr 30Apr 5May 10May 15May 20May 25May 30May 4Jun 9Jun 14Jun 19Jun 24Jun 0 Data Source: NCEP/CDAS
2013

Data Source: CPC (Gauge-Based) Unified Precipitation (Climatology 1981-2010)

(updated on 00Z28JUN2013)

CORRELATION OF PRECIPITATION, WATER

VAPOR FLUX IN UTTARAKHAND AND RISE IN
COSMIC RAY IN JNU NEW DELHI
COSMIC RAY OBSERVATORY

Figure 2: Correlation of precipitation, water vapour flux on Uttarakhand, India and rise in Cosmic ray in the northern India
representing JNU New Delhi Cosmic Ray Observatory before the Cloudburst in Kedarnath.

organic films on the surface of atmospheric aerosol particles released
from trapped glaciers and atmosphere in Uttarakhand China border
was responsible preclude the formation of condensed films and that
the kinetics of water condensation during the activation of aerosol to
form cloud droplets [12]. Large reduction of solar proton induced heat
radiation at the Earth’s surface lowers atmospheric warming, increases
atmospheric stability and slows down hydrological cycle and reduces
rainfall during monsoon, while increased solar proton can reverse the
mechanism [13-15]. Elevated aerosol heating over the Indo-Gangetic
plains in the premonsoon period, lead to a strengthening of the
Indian monsoon via heat mechanism of surface-atmosphere water
cycle feedbacks [16]. The heat transfer from proton to atmosphere has
affected not only the atmospheric water vapor but it was responsible
for the melting of glaciers which are feeding the river Ganga [17,18].

J Geophys Remote Sensing

ISSN: 2169-0049 JGRS, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 3 • 1000124
Citation: Mukherjee S (2014) Extra Terrestrial Remote Sensing and Geophysical Applications to Understand Kedarnath Cloudburst in Uttarakhand,
India. J Geophys Remote Sensing 3: 124. doi:10.4172/2169-0049.1000124

Page 3 of 4

Proton Drift Electron Drift

Trapped Particle Trajectory

Magnetic field line

Aerosol index 23 May 2013

OMI - KNMI/FMI/NASA
-150 -120 -90 -60 -30 0 30 60 90 120 150 Diverence of Water Vapor Flux Anomalies 05 APR 2013 - 03 JUL 2013
40N
60

60
30N

20N
30

3e−06

30
2e−06
10N 1e−06
5e−06
0

0
EQ −5e−07
−1e−06
-30

−2e−06
-30
10S
−3e−06
20S
-60
-60

30S

-150 -120 -90 -60 -30 0 30 60 90 120 150 40S

40E 60E 80E 100E 120E 140E 160E
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 >3.0
Data Source: NCEP/CDAS - Climatology (1978-1995)

MECHANISM OF CLOUDBURST IN KEDARNATH, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA (Charged Particle motion in the magnetosphere-
Heating of Glaciers and Atmosphere in Northem India and China to release Aerosol- Vivergence of Water Vapor Flux
Anomales)

Figure 3: Mechanism of Cloudburst in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, India. Charged particle motion in the magnetosphere initiates
heating of glaciers and atmosphere in Northern India and China to release trapped Aerosol, which creates water vapour anomaly
from 5th April to 3rdJuly 2013.

In Uttarakhand China border the SO2 rich aerosol presence before the
cloudburst further proves this hypothesis [19,20].
The heat transfer from proton to atmosphere has affected not only
the atmospheric water vapor (Figure 2) but it was responsible for the
melting of glaciers which modify the landform due to sudden flow of
the water (Figure 3) in the river basin.
Conclusion
4. Kruglanski M (1996) Engineering tool for trapped proton flux anisotropy
evaluation. Radiat Meas 26: 953-958.
5. Tinsley AB, Fangqun Yu (2007) Atmospheric ionization and clouds as links
between solar activity and climate. Solar Variability and Its Effects on Climate.
6. Dobhal DP, Gupta Ak, Mehta M, Khandelwal DD (2013) Orographic control of
the Kedarnath disaster. Curr Sci 105: 171-174.
7. Bahcall JN, Plamen IK (1998) Do hep neutrinos affect the solar neutrino energy
spectrum? Physics Letters B 436: 243-250.

8. Hingane LS, Rupa Kumar K, Rama Murthy BV (1985) Long-term trends of

This hypothesis provides new insights into the importance of
influence of the Sun and anthropogenic activities on the climate
change and precisely torrential rain as its manifestation. The model is a
radical departure from previous thought, but is consistent with existing
observations and warrants testing in future studies.” In general, this
hypothesis does not change the general conclusions that increased
proton flux from the Sun reserves trapped heat in geospecific locations
which influence temporary change in the atmosphere. The new reason
of cloudburst is not contradictory but rather describes the mechanism
involved.
Acknowledgement
I am thankful to NCEP (USA), NASA (USA) for allowing using the satellite
data.
References
1. Sarkar B (2013) Disaster in Kedar Valley: A Retrospection. India Geospatial
Digest.
2. Kahler SW (1992) Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections. Ann Rev Astron
Astrophys 30: 113
3. Domingo V, Fleck B, Poland AI (1995) The SOHO mission: An overview. Solar
Physics 162: 1-37.
surface air temperature in India. Internat Jour of Climat 5: 521-528.
9. Cliver EW, McNamara LF, Gentile LC Jr (1985) Peak flux density spectra of
large solar radio bursts and proton emission from flares. J Geoph Res 90:
6251-6266.
10. Reeves GD, Spence HE, Henderson MG, Morley SK, Friedel RHW, et al.
(2013) Electron Acceleration in the Heart of the Van Allen Radiation Belts.
Science: 1237743.
11. Huston SL, Kuck GA, Pfizer KA (1996) Low Altitude Trapped Radiation Model
Using TIROS/NOAA Data.
12. Davies JF, Miles RE, Haddrell AE, Reid JP (2013) Influence of organic films on
the evaporation and condensation of water in aerosol. Proc Natl Acad Sci 110:
8807-8812.
13. Ramanathan V, Crutzen PJ, Kiehl JT, Rosenfeld D (2001) Aerosols, Climate,
and the Hydrological Cycle. Science 294: 2119-2124.
14. Ramanathan V, Carmichael G (2008) Nature Geosciences. 1: 156.
15. Rastogi N, Sarin MM (2005) Chemical characteristics of individual rain events
from a semi-arid region in India: Three-year study. Atmos Environ 39: 3313-
3323.
16. Reddy MS, Venkataraman C (2002) Inventory of aerosol and sulphur dioxide
emissions from India. Part II—biomass combustion. Atmosph Environ 36: 699-
712.

J Geophys Remote Sensing

ISSN: 2169-0049 JGRS, an open access journal Volume 3 • Issue 3 • 1000124
Citation: Mukherjee S (2014) Extra Terrestrial Remote Sensing and Geophysical Applications to Understand Kedarnath Cloudburst in Uttarakhand,
India. J Geophys Remote Sensing 3: 124. doi:10.4172/2169-0049.1000124
17. Sajani S, Krishna MK, Rajendran K, Ravi SN (2012) Monsoon sensitivity to
aerosol direct radiative forcing in the community atmosphere model. J Earth
Sys Sci 121: 867-889.
18. Lau KM, Kim KM (2006) Observational relationships between aerosol and
Asian monsoon rainfall, and circulation. Geophysical Research Letters 33.
J Geophys Remote Sensing
ISSN: 2169-0049 JGRS, an open access journal
Page 4 of 4
19. Zhang XY, Wang YQ, Niu T, Zhang XC, Gong SL, et al. (2012) Atmospheric
aerosol compositions in China: spatial/temporal variability, chemical signature,
regional haze distribution and comparisons with global aerosols. Atmos Chem
Phys 12: 779-799.
20. Sensingh D, Mishra A (2002) Role of tributary glaciers on landscape modification
in the Gangotri Glacier area, Garhwal Himalaya. India Curr Sci 82: 567-571.
Volume 3 • Issue 3 • 1000124