Desert dust deposition supplies essential bioelements to Red Sea corals

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice C.A. Blanckaert ◽  
Dario Omanović ◽  
Maoz Fine ◽  
Renaud Grover ◽  
Christine Ferrier‐Pagès
Keyword(s):  
Red Sea ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Desert Dust

scholarly journals Using the significant dust deposition event on the glaciers of Mt. Elbrus, Caucasus Mountains, Russia on 5 May 2009 to develop a method for dating and "provenancing" of desert dust events recorded in snow pack

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1797-1808 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Shahgedanova ◽  
S. Kutuzov ◽  
K. H. White ◽  
G. Nosenko
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Secondary Source ◽  
Snow Pack ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Hysplit Model ◽  
Pressure System ◽  
Desert Dust ◽  
Caucasus Mountains

Abstract. A significant desert dust deposition event occurred on Mt. Elbrus, Caucasus Mountains, Russia on 5 May 2009, where the deposited dust later appeared as a brown layer in the snow pack. An examination of dust transportation history and analysis of chemical and physical properties of the deposited dust were used to develop a new approach for high-resolution "provenancing" of dust deposition events recorded in snow pack using multiple independent techniques. A combination of SEVIRI red-green-blue composite imagery, MODIS atmospheric optical depth fields derived using the Deep Blue algorithm, air mass trajectories derived with HYSPLIT model and analysis of meteorological data enabled identification of dust source regions with high temporal (hours) and spatial (ca. 100 km) resolution. Dust, deposited on 5 May 2009, originated in the foothills of the Djebel Akhdar in eastern Libya where dust sources were activated by the intrusion of cold air from the Mediterranean Sea and Saharan low pressure system and transported to the Caucasus along the eastern Mediterranean coast, Syria and Turkey. Particles with an average diameter below 8 μm accounted for 90% of the measured particles in the sample with a mean of 3.58 μm, median 2.48 μm. The chemical signature of this long-travelled dust was significantly different from the locally-produced dust and close to that of soils collected in a palaeolake in the source region, in concentrations of hematite. Potential addition of dust from a secondary source in northern Mesopotamia introduced uncertainty in the "provenancing" of dust from this event. Nevertheless, the approach adopted here enables other dust horizons in the snowpack to be linked to specific dust transport events recorded in remote sensing and meteorological data archives.

Field measurements of desert dust deposition in Libya

2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (21) ◽  
pp. 3881-3897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah L. O’Hara ◽  
Michèle L. Clarke ◽  
Mokhtar S. Elatrash
Keyword(s):  
Field Measurements ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Desert Dust

scholarly journals Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistry

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 12585-12628 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. M. Mahowald ◽  
S. Kloster ◽  
S. Engelstaedter ◽  
J. K. Moore ◽  
S. Mukhopadhyay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Wave Radiation ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Desert Dust ◽  
Human Land Use ◽  
Ocean Productivity ◽  
Time Periods ◽  
Ocean Carbon ◽  
Precipitation And Temperature

Abstract. Desert dust perturbs climate by interacting with incoming solar and outgoing long wave radiation, thereby changing precipitation and temperature, in addition to modifying ocean and land biogeochemistry. While we know that desert dust is sensitive to perturbations in climate and human land use, previous studies have been unable to determine whether humans were in the net increasing or decreasing desert dust. Here we present observational estimates of desert dust based on paleodata proxies showing a doubling of desert dust during the 20th century over much, but not all the globe. Large uncertainties remain in estimates of desert dust variability over 20th century due to limited data. Using these observational estimates of desert dust change in combination with ocean, atmosphere and land models, we calculate the net radiative effect of these observed changes (top of atmosphere) over the 20th century to be −0.14±0.11 W/m2 (1990–1999 vs. 1905–1914). The estimated radiative change due to aerosols is especially strong between the dusty 1980–1989 and the less dusty 1955–1964 time periods (−0.57±0.46 W/m2), which model simulations suggest may have reduced the rate of temperature increase between these time periods by 0.11 °C. Model simulations also indicate strong regional shifts in precipitation and temperature from the desert dust changes, causing 6 ppm (12 Pg C) reduction in model carbon uptake by the terrestrial biosphere over the 20th century. Desert dust carries iron, an important micronutrient for ocean biogeochemistry that can modulate ocean carbon storage; here we show that dust deposition trends increase ocean productivity by an estimated 6% over the 20th century, drawing down an additional 4 ppm (8 Pg C) of carbon dioxide into the oceans. Thus, perturbations to desert dust over the 20th century inferred from observations are potentially important for climate and biogeochemistry, and our understanding of these changes and their impacts should continue to be refined.

scholarly journals Contribution of the world's main dust source regions to the global cycle of desert dust

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasper F. Kok ◽  
Adeyemi A. Adebiyi ◽  
Samuel Albani ◽  
Yves Balkanski ◽  
Ramiro Checa-Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aerosol Optical Depth ◽  
Optical Depth ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Deposition Flux ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
North African ◽  
Dust Source ◽  
Desert Dust ◽  
Source Regions ◽  
Dust Loading

Abstract. Even though desert dust is the most abundant aerosol by mass in Earth's atmosphere, the relative contributions of the world’s major dust source regions to the global dust cycle remain poorly constrained. This problem hinders accounting for the potentially large impact of regional differences in dust properties on clouds, the Earth's energy balance, and terrestrial and marine biogeochemical cycles. Here, we constrain the contribution of each of the world’s main dust source regions to the global dust cycle. We use an analytical framework that integrates an ensemble of global model simulations with observationally informed constraints on the dust size distribution, extinction efficiency, and regional dust aerosol optical depth. We obtain a data set that constrains the relative contribution of each of nine major source regions to size-resolved dust emission, atmospheric loading, optical depth, concentration, and deposition flux. We find that the 22–29 Tg (one standard error range) global loading of dust with geometric diameter up to 20 μm is partitioned as follows: North African source regions contribute ~50 % (11–15 Tg), Asian source regions contribute ~40 % (8–13 Tg), and North American and Southern Hemisphere regions contribute ~10 % (1.8–3.2 Tg). Current models might on average be overestimating the contribution of North African sources to atmospheric dust loading at ~65 %, while underestimating the contribution of Asian dust at ~30 %. However, both our results and current models could be affected by unquantified biases, such as due to errors in separating dust aerosol optical depth from that produced by other aerosol species in remote sensing retrievals in poorly observed desert regions. Our results further show that each source region's dust loading peaks in local spring and summer, which is partially driven by increased dust lifetime in those seasons. We also quantify the dust deposition flux to the Amazon rainforest to be ~10 Tg/year, which is a factor of 2–3 less than inferred from satellite data by previous work that likely overestimated dust deposition by underestimating the dust mass extinction efficiency. The data obtained in this paper can be used to obtain improved constraints on dust impacts on clouds, climate, biogeochemical cycles, and other parts of the Earth system.

scholarly journals Dust storm hazards

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 ◽  
pp. 04001
Author(s):  
Nick Middleton
Keyword(s):  
Power Plants ◽  
Physical Geography ◽  
Dust Storms ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Desert Dust ◽  
Aeolian Sediments ◽  
Range Transport ◽  
Solar Power Plants ◽  
Dust Events

Dust storms originate in many of the world's drylands and frequently present hazards to human society, both within the drylands themselves but also outside drylands due to long-range transport of aeolian sediments. Desert dust hazards can occur where dust is entrained, during the transport phase, and on deposition. This paper draws on studies in physical geography, medical geology and geomorphology to discuss case studies of accelerated soil erosion, the health effects of air pollution caused by desert aerosols, injuries related to transport accidents caused by poor visibility during desert dust events, the spread of disease, and problems with water supplies and at solar power plants caused by dust deposition.

Climatology of dust deposition in the Adriatic Sea and biological response of Rogoznica Lake (central Adriatic)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Mifka ◽  
Irena Ciglenečki ◽  
Maja Telišman Prtenjak
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Adriatic Sea ◽  
Biological Response ◽  
Direct Consequence ◽  
Reanalysis Data ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Dust Transport ◽  
Desert Dust ◽  
Dust Sources ◽  
Marine System

<p>Airborne desert dust is one of the most abundant aerosols and an important factor in climate<br>change. After deposition in the sea, mineral dust acts as the nutrient. In this study, the climatology<br>of desert dust deposition in the Adriatic Sea was investigated with special reference to the possible<br>source and mineralogical characteristics of transported dust from North Africa. The effect is<br>particularly examined in unique, isolated marine system, Rogoznica Lake (RL; 43° 32 ’N, 15° 58’<br>E) through its biological response.<br>For that purpose, the MERRA-2 reanalysis data for dust deposition in the period 1989-<br>2019 were used. Annual dust deposition cycle in the Adriatic Sea has maximum in spring and fall<br>with stronger deposition in central and south. Wet deposition accounts for 63-92% of total<br>deposition and 75% of data contains less than 1.5% of the mass. Intensity classes are defined for<br>the remaining 25% and each refers to about 30% of the mass. On average, over 73 days per year<br>is of weak, 14.6 of moderate, and 3.65 of extreme intensity, which varies spatially. In order to<br>detect the specific synoptic patterns for the dust transport in relation to the dust sources activity<br>and deposition in the Adriatic Sea, the EOF analysis on 850 hPa was utilized. Positive or negative<br>mode phases correspond to deposition anomalies in the Adriatic Sea and can be related to particular<br>dust sources in North Africa.<br>Given the seasonal strong physicochemical stratification, relatively small volume, and only<br>source of freshwater and nutrients through precipitation during stratification, the Rogoznica Lake<br>proved ideal for monitoring desert dust deposition events, by monitoring nutrient concentration in<br>the surface layer (0–2 m). For the 2000-2012 period no correlation with MERRA-2 deposition<br>time series were found, but biological activity as a direct consequence of nutrient increase was<br>observed during deposition events. Since the Adriatic Sea was proved to be phosphate (P) and iron<br>(Fe) limited, the mineralogical database was used to estimate the amount of deposited P and Fe<br>during intense deposition events.</p>

scholarly journals Phytoplanktonic Response to simulated Volcanic and Desert Dust Deposition Events in the South Indian and Southern Oceans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Geisen ◽  
Celine Ridame ◽  
Emilie Journet ◽  
Pierre Delmelle ◽  
Dominique Marie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dust Deposition ◽  
The South ◽  
Desert Dust ◽  
South Indian ◽  
Southern Oceans

scholarly journals Diversity and Sources of Airborne Eukaryotic Communities (AEC) in the Global Dust Belt over the Red Sea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nojood A. Aalismail ◽  
Rubén Díaz-Rúa ◽  
Nathan Geraldi ◽  
Michael Cusack ◽  
Carlos M. Duarte
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Red Sea ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Atmospheric Dust ◽  
Sampling Locations ◽  
Atmospheric Inputs ◽  
Surface Water Samples

AbstractAirborne eukaryotic communities (AEC), rank among the least studied aerobiological components, despite their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. Here, we describe the AECs in the global dust belt, the area between the west coast of North Africa and Central Asia, which supports the highest dust fluxes on the planet. We sampled atmospheric dust over 14 months (fall 2015–fall 2016) from onshore and offshore locations of the Red Sea, the only waterbody that entirely encompassed in the global dust belt. We also sampled surface water samples to determine the potential transfer of taxa across the air-sea interface. To target the eukaryotes, we performed Miseq sequencing of atmospheric dust and surface water samples. Analysis of amplicon sequencing indicates a total pool of 18,816 sequence variants (SVs). Among 33 unique eukaryotic phyla in the AEC over the Red Sea, the most dominant taxa were Streptophyta, Apicomplexa, and Ascomycota. Aerosol eukaryotes originated from various sources and formed more diverse communities than eukaryotic communities of the Red Sea surface water. AECs were dominated by phylotypes released from plant material and soils, and including taxa reported to be harmful to human health. The AEC composition was significantly influenced by sampling locations and seasonal conditions but not by the origin of the air masses nor dust loads. This work is original and uses state-of-the-art methods and very powerful NGS- bioinformatics and statistical approaches. The selected study site has high interest and it has been well chosen because of the unique combination of high loads of dust deposition, being the only fully contained seawater body in the area acting as a sink for the atmospheric dust, and the lack of riverine inputs and watershed effects empathizing the role of atmospheric inputs in the ecology of the system.

scholarly journals Desert dust and anthropogenic aerosol interactions in the Community Climate System Model coupled-carbon-climate model

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 387-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Mahowald ◽  
K. Lindsay ◽  
D. Rothenberg ◽  
S. C. Doney ◽  
J. K. Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Cycle ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Climate Feedback ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosols ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosol ◽  
Climate System Model ◽  
Desert Dust ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Coupled-carbon-climate simulations are an essential tool for predicting the impact of human activity onto the climate and biogeochemistry. Here we incorporate prognostic desert dust and anthropogenic aerosols into the CCSM3.1 coupled carbon-climate model and explore the resulting interactions with climate and biogeochemical dynamics through a series of transient anthropogenic simulations (20th and 21st centuries) and sensitivity studies. The inclusion of prognostic aerosols into this model has a small net global cooling effect on climate but does not significantly impact the globally averaged carbon cycle; we argue that this is likely to be because the CCSM3.1 model has a small climate feedback onto the carbon cycle. We propose a mechanism for including desert dust and anthropogenic aerosols into a simple carbon-climate feedback analysis to explain the results of our and previous studies. Inclusion of aerosols has statistically significant impacts on regional climate and biogeochemistry, in particular through the effects on the ocean nitrogen cycle and primary productivity of altered iron inputs from desert dust deposition.

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