Note: Intro -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgement -- Contents -- About the Editors -- Abbreviations -- 1: An Introduction to Extremes in Atmospheric Processes and Phenomena: Assessment, Impacts and Mitigation -- 1.1 General Introduction -- 1.2 Summary of Chapters -- 1.3 Conclusions -- References -- 2: Atmospheric Phenomena: Origin, Mechanism, and Impacts -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Atmospheric Phenomena and Mechanism -- 2.2.1 Hydrometeor -- 2.2.1.1 Suspended Particle -- 2.2.1.2 Precipitation -- 2.2.1.3 Spout -- 2.2.2 Lithometeor -- 2.2.2.1 Haze -- 2.2.2.2 Blowing Dust -- 2.3 Impacts of Hydrometeors and Lithometeors on Human Society -- 2.4 Conclusion -- References -- 3: Air Pollution and Its Associated Impacts on Atmosphere and Biota Health -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Air Pollutants: Types and Sources -- 3.3 Air Pollution and Its Impacts on the Atmosphere -- 3.3.1 Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming -- 3.3.2 Stratospheric Ozone Depletion -- 3.3.3 Atmospheric Deposition and Acid Rain -- 3.3.4 Suppression of Rainfall -- 3.3.5 Visibility Reduction -- 3.4 Impacts on Biota Health -- 3.4.1 Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) -- 3.4.2 Oxides of Nitrogen -- 3.4.3 Ground Level Ozone -- 3.4.4 Suspended Particulate Matter -- 3.4.5 Fluorides -- 3.4.6 Peroxyacyl Nitrates -- 3.5 Impacts of Air Pollutants on Human Health -- 3.6 Conclusions -- References -- 4: South Asian Monsoon Extremes and Climate Change -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Semi-permanent Features of Monsoon -- 4.2.1 Heat Low -- 4.2.2 Monsoon Trough -- 4.2.3 Tibetan Anticyclone -- 4.2.4 Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) -- 4.2.5 Mascarene High (MH) -- 4.2.6 Somali Low-Level Jet (LLJ) -- 4.3 Phases of Monsoon -- 4.3.1 Onset of Monsoon -- 4.3.2 Monsoon Advance -- 4.3.3 Withdrawal of SW Monsoon -- 4.4 Intra-seasonal Variations/Active and Break Spells -- 4.5 Extremities in South Asian Monsoon -- 4.6 Regional Trends in Monsoon. , 4.7 ENSO, IOD and MJO Links with Monsoon -- 4.8 Climate Change and Global Warming Impacts -- 4.8.1 Remedial Measures -- 4.8.2 Impact of South Asia Monsoon on Society -- 4.9 Summary -- References -- 5: Contribution of Fog in Changing Air Quality: Extremities and Risks to Environment and Society -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Fog -- 5.3 Types of Fog -- 5.3.1 Fog Formed Through the Addition of Water Vapour -- 5.3.1.1 Steam Fog -- 5.3.1.2 Frontal Fog -- 5.3.2 Fog Formed by Cooling -- 5.3.2.1 Radiation Fog -- Advection-Radiation Fog -- High Inversion Fog -- 5.3.2.2 Advection Fog -- 5.3.2.3 Upslope Fog -- 5.3.2.4 Mixing Fog -- 5.4 World Distribution of Fog -- 5.4.1 Northern India Fog -- 5.5 Characterization of Fog -- 5.5.1 Microphysical Structure of Fog -- 5.5.2 Haze to Fog Transition -- 5.5.3 Chemical Composition of Fog -- 5.6 Factor for Fog Formation -- 5.6.1 Meteorological Condition -- 5.6.2 Role of Aerosol -- 5.7 Fog as an Extreme Event: Causes and Impacts -- 5.7.1 Fog as an Extreme Event -- 5.7.2 Causes -- 5.7.3 Impacts -- 5.7.4 Effect on Air Quality -- 5.7.4.1 Effect on Pollutant Concentration -- 5.7.4.2 Visibility -- 5.7.5 Effect on Transport System -- 5.7.5.1 Traffic Accidents -- 5.7.6 Economic Impact -- 5.7.7 Health Effect -- 5.7.7.1 Fog and Chest Infection -- 5.7.8 Wireless Communication -- 5.7.9 Impact on Vegetation -- 5.8 Conclusion -- References -- 6: Nature of Sand and Dust Storm in South Asian Region: Extremities and Environmental Impacts -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.1.1 Dust Storms: a Global Phenomenon and a Transboundary Hazard -- 6.1.2 How SDS Act as Extreme Event? -- 6.2 Sand and Dust Storm Processes -- 6.3 Drivers of Sand and Dust Storm -- 6.3.1 Natural Drivers -- 6.3.2 Anthropogenic Drivers -- 6.4 State and Trends of SDS -- 6.5 Geography of Dust Storms in South Asia -- 6.5.1 India -- 6.5.2 Pakistan -- 6.5.3 Afghanistan. , 6.6 SDS Hazards and Their Impacts -- 6.6.1 Impacts on Ocean and Its Productivity -- 6.6.2 Impact of SDS on Air Quality -- 6.6.3 Human Health Impacts -- 6.6.3.1 Cardio-respiratory Diseases -- 6.6.3.2 Valley Fever -- 6.6.3.3 Eye and Skin Infections -- 6.6.4 Economic Impacts -- 6.7 Climate Change and SDS Events -- 6.7.1 Positive and Negative Forcing and SDS -- 6.7.2 Connection Between SDS and Climate Change -- 6.8 Conclusion -- References -- 7: Assessment of Heat and Cold Waves Phenomena and Impacts on Environment -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Heat Waves -- 7.2.1 Defining Heat Waves -- 7.2.2 Generation of Heat Waves -- 7.2.2.1 Atmospheric Characteristics -- 7.2.3 Climate Change and Heat Waves -- 7.2.4 Urban-Scale Aspects of Heat Waves -- 7.2.4.1 Heat Waves and Urban Heat Island Effect -- 7.2.4.2 Heat Waves and Air Quality -- 7.2.5 Impacts of Heat Waves and Mitigation Strategies -- 7.2.5.1 Human Health -- 7.2.5.2 Energy Sector and Infrastructure -- 7.2.5.3 Other Aspects -- 7.2.5.4 Mitigation Strategies -- 7.3 Cold Waves -- 7.4 Case Study of Heat Wave -- 7.5 Conclusions -- References -- 8: Intense Biomass Burning Over Northern India and Its Impact on Air Quality, Chemistry and Climate -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Major Sources of Intense Biomass Burning in Northern India -- 8.3 Extreme Biomass Burning -- 8.4 Biomass Burning-Induced Elevated Levels of Aerosols and Trace Gases -- 8.4.1 Particulate Matter (PM) -- 8.4.2 Carbonaceous Aerosols -- 8.4.3 Ozone -- 8.4.4 Ozone Precursors -- 8.5 Impacts of Intense Biomass Burning -- 8.5.1 Air Quality -- 8.5.2 Chemistry -- 8.5.3 Climate and Weather -- 8.5.3.1 Impact on Aerosol Characteristics and Radiative Forcing -- 8.5.3.2 Impact over Himalayan Region -- 8.6 Summary -- References -- 9: Rising Extreme Event of Smog in Northern India: Problems and Challenges -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 North-India´s Crowning Glory or Not?. , 9.3 Smog Events over Northern India -- 9.4 Challenges: Problems and Allied Impacts -- 9.4.1 Industrial and Vehicular Emissions -- 9.4.2 Crop Residue Burning -- 9.4.3 Natural Processes -- 9.4.4 Road Dust, Construction, and Demolition -- 9.4.5 Lack of Source Identification Studies -- 9.4.6 Inefficient Waste Management -- 9.4.7 Impacts -- 9.4.7.1 Health Impacts -- 9.4.8 Visibility Reduction -- 9.4.9 Economic Losses -- 9.4.10 Agricultural Loss -- 9.5 Conclusion -- References -- 10: Volcanic Emissions: Causes, Impacts, and Its Extremities -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.1.1 Types of Volcanoes -- 10.1.1.1 On the Basis of Activity -- 10.1.1.2 On the Basis of Structure -- 10.2 Causes of Volcanic Emissions -- 10.2.1 Plate Tectonics -- 10.2.1.1 Crustal Plates -- 10.2.1.2 Plate Boundaries -- 10.3 Emissions from Volcanoes -- 10.3.1 Volcanic Material -- 10.4 Impacts of Volcanic Emissions -- 10.4.1 Radiative Forcing -- 10.4.2 Impact on Ozone -- 10.4.3 Acid Rain -- 10.4.4 Impact on Aviation -- 10.4.5 Environment and Health -- 10.4.6 Volcano and ENSO Relation -- 10.5 Impacts and Extremities -- 10.5.1 Mount Pinatubo: A Case Study -- 10.6 Summary -- References -- 11: Assessment of Extreme Firework Episode in a Coastal City of Southern India: Kannur as a Case Study -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Description of Monitoring Site -- 11.3 Results and Discussion -- 11.3.1 Variation of Surface O3 -- 11.3.2 Variation of Oxides of Nitrogen -- 11.3.3 Variation of CO and SO2 -- 11.3.4 Diurnal Variation of BTEX and NH3 -- 11.3.5 Variation of PM10 and PM2.5 -- 11.3.6 Variation of Metal Concentrations Associated with Particulate Matters -- 11.4 Conclusion -- References -- 12: Air Pollution Episodes: Brief History, Mechanisms and Outlook -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.2 Global Distribution of Air Pollution -- 12.3 Major Historical Episodes and Impacts -- 12.4 Important Mechanisms and Challenges. , 12.5 Some Perspectives on Control Measures and Outlook -- 12.6 Summary -- References -- 13: Increasing Atmospheric Extreme Events and Role of Disaster Risk Management: Dimensions and Approaches -- 13.1 Background -- 13.2 Atmospheric Dynamics and Feedbacks -- 13.3 Increase in Frequency and Intensity of Atmospheric Extremes -- 13.3.1 Large-Scale Atmospheric Extremes -- 13.3.1.1 Heat and Cold Waves -- 13.3.1.2 Precipitation Modification -- 13.3.1.3 Droughts -- 13.3.1.4 Dust Storms -- 13.3.1.5 Forest Fires and Biomass Burning -- 13.3.2 Regional and Local-Scale Atmospheric Extremes -- 13.3.2.1 Urban Heat Island and CO2 Domes -- 13.3.2.2 Extreme Precipitation Events and Urban Flooding -- 13.3.2.3 Crop Residue Burning and Smog -- 13.4 Vulnerability to Disaster -- 13.5 Disaster Risk Management -- 13.5.1 Scientific Dimensions and Decision Support Systems -- 13.5.2 Disaster Risk Reduction, Mitigation and Adaptation -- 13.5.3 Early Warning Systems and Post-disaster Management -- 13.6 Summary -- References -- 14: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response for Air Pollution and Related Health Extremes -- 14.1 Introduction -- 14.2 Air Pollution Risks and Episodes -- 14.3 Air Pollution as Disaster and Its Preparedness -- 14.4 Air Pollution Emergency Causes -- 14.4.1 Dense Fog and Smog -- 14.4.2 Chemical/Industrial Accidents -- 14.4.3 Dust and Sand Storms -- 14.4.4 Urban Air Pollution -- 14.4.5 Biomass Burning -- 14.4.6 Forest Fire -- 14.5 Air Pollution as Public Health Emergency -- 14.6 Existing Policies and Recommendations -- 14.7 Integrated Approach to Deal with Air Pollution as Disaster -- 14.8 Conclusion -- References -- 15: Cost-Effective Technologies for Control of Air Pollution and Atmospheric-Related Extremes -- 15.1 Introduction -- 15.2 Air Pollution Management -- 15.2.1 Step 1: Emissions Definition -- 15.2.2 Step 2: Define the Target Groups. , 15.2.3 Step 3: Determination of Acceptable Exposure Levels.