THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT (ISC) IS HOME TO 25% OF THE WORLDS POPULATION WHERE RESIDENTS ARE SUBJECTED TO ANNUAL MEAN LEVELS OFPARTICULATE POLLUTION THAT EXCEED WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION STANDARDS BY SEVEN TO TEN-FOLD. DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2016 LEVEL OF HARMFUL PARTICULATE MATTERS MEASURED IN THE CAPITAL CITY OF INDIA WERE HIGHER THAN THOSE MEASURED DURING THE INFAMOUS 1952LONDON SMOG EVENT. THESE PARTICLES IN THE ISC NOT ONLY HARM HUMAN HEALTH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS BUT THEY ALSO AFFECT REGIONAL CLIMATE BY PERTURBING EARTHS RADIATION BUDGET.THE SOURCE OF THESE AEROSOL PARTICLES INCLUDE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS AND BIOFUELS AS WELL AS DUST IN SOME SEASONS BUT OF PARTICULARINTEREST ARE SMOKE AEROSOLS FROM BIOMASS BURNING IN THE FORM OF CROP RESIDUES FOREST AND OPEN FIRES. DUE TO THE MULTIPLE SOURCES OFPOLLUTION THE BIOMASS BURNING CONTRIBUTION TO TOTAL AEROSOL LOADING OFTEN BECOMES A TOPIC OF DEBATE AMONG SCIENTIFIC AND REGULATORYAGENCIES. INFORMED POLICY AND DECISION-MAKING REQUIRES NEW UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE OF BIOMASS BURNING IN THE AEROSOL LOADING OVERTHE ISC ITS SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL CHARACTERISTICS POSSIBILITY OF LONG-TERM TRENDS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE.WE PROPOSE A COMPREHENSIVE MULTI-SENSOR AND INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY OF THE FIRES AND SMOKE IN THE ISC MAKING USE OF A SUITE OFSTATE-OF-ART SATELLITE INSTRUMENTS (MODIS CERES VIIRS CALIPSO) UNTAPPED GROUND MEASUREMENTS (AOD PM2.5) AND NASASADVANCED MODELING AND DATA ASSIMILATION SYSTEM (GEOS). SPECIFICALLY WE PROPOSE TO 1) CHARACTERIZE THE FIRE PATTERNS ASSOCIATEDAEROSOL LOADING ITS SPATIAL SEASONAL AND LONG-TERM TRENDS; 2) EVALUATE COLUMN-TO-SURFACE RELATIONSHIP OF AEROSOLS DURING HIGH ANDLOW FIRE ACTIVITIES; 3) ESTIMATE THE AEROSOL RADIATIVE EFFECT AND EVALUATE THE LONG TERM CHANGES CORRESPONDING TO THE FIRES AND AEROSOLPATTERNS; 4) PERFORM MODEL SIMULATIONS TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACTS OF FIRES ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL AIR QUALITY; AND 5) CREATE AN ONLINE DATAANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION SYSTEM FOR POLICY AND DECISION MAKERS.WE EXPECT THAT THE OUTCOME OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL HELP US ADDRESS THE SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WHICH ISHOW DOESBIOMASS BURNING IN THE ISC AFFECT AEROSOL LOADING PM2.5 CONCENTRATIONS AND AEROSOL RADIATIVE EFFECTS AND HOW DO THESE EFFECTS VARYSPATIALLY AND SEASONALLY OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES?THE PROPOSED RESEARCH PLAN ALSO PROVIDES US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ON SEVERAL CHALLENGES INCLUDING: 1) SEPARATING BIOMASSBURNINGSIGNAL FROM TOTAL AEROSOL LOADING IN THE ATMOSPHERE; 2) RETRIEVAL UNCERTAINTIES ASSOCIATED WITH SATELLITE PRODUCTS; 3) LIMITEDGROUND MEASUREMENTS FOR VALIDATION; 4) CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH EMISSION INVENTORIES IN MODEL SIMULATIONS AND FINALLY DELIVERINGA COMPREHENSIVE DATA VISUALIZATION SYSTEM WHICH ENCOURAGES INFORMED POLICY AND DECISION MAKING ACTIVITIES FOR THE SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE PROPOSAL TEAM IS WELL EQUIPPED AND CAPABLE TO CARRY OUT THE PROPOSED WORKWITHIN THE STIPULATED TIME PERIOD.