In-Depth Analysis of Physicochemical Properties of Particulate Matter (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1) and Its Characterization through FTIR, XRD and SEM–EDX Techniques in the Foothills of the Hindu Kush Region of Northern Pakistan

The current study investigates the variation and physicochemical properties of ambient particulate matter (PM) in the very important location which lies in the foothills of the Hindu Kush ranges in northern Pakistan. This work investigates the mass concentration, mineral content, elemental composition and morphology of PM in three size fractions, i.e., PM1, PM2.5 and PM10, during the year of 2019. The collected samples were characterized by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. During the study period, the average temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and wind speed were found to be 17.9 °C, 65.83%, 73.75 mm and 0.23 m/s, respectively. The results showed that the 24 h average mass concentration of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 were 64 µgm−3, 43.9 µgm−3 and 22.4 µgm−3, respectively. The 24 h concentration of both PM10 and PM2.5 were 1.42 and 2.92 times greater, respectively, than the WHO limits. This study confirms the presence of minerals such as wollastonite, ammonium sulphate, wustite, illite, kaolinite, augite, crocidolite, calcite, calcium aluminosilicate, hematite, copper sulphate, dolomite, quartz, vaterite, calcium iron oxide, muscovite, gypsum and vermiculite. On the basis of FESEM-EDX analysis, 14 elements (O, C, Al, Si, Mg, Na, K, Ca, Fe, N, Mo, B, S and Cl) and six groups of PM (carbonaceous (45%), sulfate (13%), bioaerosols (8%), aluminosilicates (19%), quartz (10%) and nitrate (3%)) were identified.

SEISMICITY of TAJIKISTAN and ADJACENT TERRITORIES in 2015

The seismic monitoring system consisting of seven digital stations continued to operate in Tajikistan in 2015. This network has registered 9071 earthquakes with KR=8.6–17.0, 6427 of which were Pamir-Hindu Kush earthquakes with intermediate depths (h=70–300 km), and 2644 were shallow events. The total seismic energy released was E=1.8151017 J. The strongest for 2015 was the Hindu Kush earthquake on Octo-ber 26 with Mw=7.5, h=230 km (hpP=217 km) that occurred near the southern borders of the Republic. This earthquake caused significant damage and the death of at least 115 people. It was felt on the territory of 14 states, with a total shaking area of more than 14106 km2. A detailed isoseismal map of this earthquake is given for the Tajikistan territory only. The earthquake was accompanied by a series of over 1400 aftershocks with KR=8.6–12.8, unexpectedly numerous for a deep earthquake. Within the borders of the Republic, the Sarez-II earthquake occurred near the Lake of Sarez on December 7 with Mw=7.2, h=20 km, I0=8, was the strongest one. Undoubtedly, it was triggered by the Hindu Kush earthquake on October 26. In total, more than 500 houses were damaged, dozens of people were injured, and there were human casualties. A detailed isoseismal map of this earthquake was made for four levels of intensity – I=7, 6, 5 and 4. The number of its aftershocks for 24 days only was 1342, with KR=8.6–13.9. As a result the level of seismicity in Tajikistan in 2015, both in terms of the number of earthquakes and the level of released seismic energy, was the highest during the period of instrumental observations.

THE HINDU KUSH EARTHQUAKE on October 26, 2015 with Mw=7.5, I0~7: PRELIMINARY SEISMICITY and AFTERSHOCK SEQUENCE

On October 26, 2015, a strong Hindu Kush earthquake with KR=17.0, Mw=7.5 occurred in the Afghan Pamir-Hindu Kush subzone at a depth of hpP=217 km. Shakes of varying intensity caused by this earthquake were recorded in settlements of 14 states: Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, Iran, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Qatar and Bangladesh with a total area of S=14106 km2. The earthquake was preceded by three large (KR=12.5, 12.1, 14.0) foreshocks and was accompanied by a series of more than 1400 aftershocks unprecedented for aftershocks of deep earthquakes with KR=9–13. The energy step between the mainshock and the maximum foreshock is Kfor=3.0, between the mainshock and the maximum (KR=12.8) aftershock – Kaft=4.2. The aftershock recurrence graph has a slope =–0.67, which in absolute value is higher than the average value in the region =0.50. The attenuation para-meter  of the Omori law in the initial phase of attenuation, =–1.26, in absolute value is also higher than the average =1.0 for strong earthquakes in the World. Based on the results of a joint analysis of the focal me-chanism solutions of different agencies and vertical sections along and across the aftershock cloud, it was con-cluded that an upthrust movement occurred in the source along a steep east-south-east nodal plane, dipping to the south. The reason for the activity at the site of the earthquake is the movement of the Indian continent to the north and its collision with Eurasia, as a result of which the separation and subduction of the Hindu Kush plate continue. The Hindu Kush earthquake on October 26, 2015, and its aftershocks are just one of the events of successive deformation and stress relief in the latitudinal zone, marked in 2015 by the migration of earthquake epicenters with KR=13–17 from east to west.

Impacts of Aerosol Loading in the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region Based on MERRA-2 Reanalysis Data

The impacts of climate change have severely affected geosphere, biosphere and cryosphere ecosystems in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. The impact has been accelerating further during the last few decades due to rapid increase in anthropogenic activities such as modernization, industrialization and urbanization, along with energy demands. In view of this, the present work attempts to examine aerosol optical depth (AOD) over the HKH region using the long-term homogeneous MERRA-2 reanalysis data from January, 1980 to December, 2020. The AOD trends are examined statistically with student’s t-test (t). Due to a vast landmass, fragile topography and harsh climatic conditions, we categorized the HKH region into three sub-regions, namely, the northwestern and Karakoram (HKH1), the Central (HKH2) and the southeastern Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau (HKH3). Among the sub-regions, the significant enhancement of AOD is observed at several potential sites in the HKH2 region, namely, Pokhara, Nainital, Shimla and Dehradun by 55.75 × 10−4 ± 3.76 × 10−4, 53.15 × 10−4 ± 3.94 × 10−4, 51.53 × 10−4 ± 4.99 × 10−4 and 39.16 × 10−4 ± 4.08 × 10−4 AOD year−1 (550 nm), respectively, with correlation coefficients (Rs) of 0.86 to 0.93. However, at a sub-regional scale, HKH1, HKH2 and HKH3 exhibit 23.33 × 10−4 ± 2.28 × 10−4, 32.20 × 10−4 ± 2.58 × 10−4 and 9.48 × 10−4 ± 1.21 × 10−4 AOD year−1, respectively. The estimated trends are statistically significant (t > 7.0) with R from 0.81 to 0.91. Seasonally, the present study also shows strong positive AOD trends at several potential sites located in the HKH2 region, such as Pokhara, Nainital, Shimla and Dehradun, with minimum 19.81 × 10−4 ± 3.38 × 10−4 to maximum 72.95 × 10−4 ± 4.89 × 10−4 AOD year−1 with statistical significance. In addition, there are also increasing AOD trends at all the high-altitude background sites in all seasons.