K. Rama Gopal
Papers
2
Total Citations
142
H-Index
2
About
K. Rama Gopal is an atmospheric scientist whose research focuses on aerosol optical properties, long-range transport, and the climatic impacts of particulate matter. His work is centered on characterizing aerosol types and their seasonal variability, particularly over subtropical and rural environments in South Africa. In his highly cited 2013 study (91 citations), Gopal investigated the wavelength dependence of aerosol optical depth and the Ångström exponent using AERONET data, revealing how meteorology and long-range transport influence aerosol loading and curvature effects. His 2014 paper (51 citations) provided a foundational classification of key aerosol types—such as biomass burning, dust, and urban-industrial—over the rural Skukuza site in Mpumalanga, using CIMEL Sunphotometer observations. This work demonstrated how seasonal shifts in air masses drive distinct aerosol regimes, offering critical insights for regional climate modeling and air quality management. Gopal’s contributions are widely recognized for advancing the understanding of aerosol modification processes in data-sparse subtropical regions, and his findings continue to inform satellite validation and radiative forcing assessments.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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