scholarly journals A Unique Case-Study of Near-Circular Saharan Dust Transport over the Atlantic Ocean

2014 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. 164-170
Author(s):  
Joseph Barkan ◽  
Pinhas Alpert
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Unique Case ◽  
Dust Transport

scholarly journals Synergetic monitoring of Saharan dust plumes and potential impact on surface: a case study of dust transport from Canary Islands to Iberian Peninsula

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 3067-3091 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Córdoba-Jabonero ◽  
M. Sorribas ◽  
J. L. Guerrero-Rascado ◽  
J. A. Adame ◽  
Y. Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Particle Deposition ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Dust Transport ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Potential Impact

Abstract. The synergetic use of meteorological information, remote sensing both ground-based active (lidar) and passive (sun-photometry) techniques together with backtrajectory analysis and in-situ measurements is devoted to the characterization of dust intrusions. A case study of air masses advected from the Saharan region to the Canary Islands and the Iberian Peninsula, located relatively close and far away from the dust sources, respectively, was considered for this purpose. The observations were performed over three Spanish geographically strategic stations within the dust-influenced area along a common dust plume pathway monitored from 11 to 19 of March 2008. A 4-day long dust event (13–16 March) over the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Observatory (SCO), and a linked short 1-day dust episode (14 March) in the Southern Iberian Peninsula over the Atmospheric Sounding Station "El Arenosillo" (ARN) and the Granada station (GRA) were detected. Meteorological conditions favoured the dust plume transport over the area under study. Backtrajectory analysis clearly revealed the Saharan region as the source of the dust intrusion. Under the Saharan air masses influence, AERONET Aerosol Optical Depth at 500 nm (AOD500) ranged from 0.3 to 0.6 and Ångström Exponent at 440/675 nm wavelength pair (AE440/675) was lower than 0.5, indicating a high loading and predominance of coarse particles during those dusty events. Lidar observations characterized their vertical layering structure, identifying different aerosol contributions depending on altitude. In particular, the 3-km height dust layer transported from the Saharan region and observed over SCO site was later on detected at ARN and GRA stations. No significant differences were found in the lidar (extinction-to-backscatter) ratio (LR) estimation for that dust plume over all stations when a suitable aerosol scenario for lidar data retrieval is selected. Lidar-retrieved LR values of 60–70 sr were obtained during the main dust episodes. These similar LR values found in all the stations suggest that dust properties were kept nearly unchanged in the course of its medium-range transport. In addition, the potential impact on surface of that Saharan dust intrusion over the Iberian Peninsula was evaluated by means of ground-level in-situ measurements for particle deposition assessment together with backtrajectory analysis. However, no connection between those dust plumes and the particle sedimentation registered at ground level is found. Differences on particle deposition processes observed in both Southern Iberian Peninsula sites are due to the particular dust transport pattern occurred over each station. Discrepancies between columnar-integrated and ground-level in-situ measurements show a clear dependence on height of the dust particle size distribution. Then, further vertical size-resolved observations are needed for evaluation of the impact on surface of the Saharan dust arrival to the Iberian Peninsula.

scholarly journals Transport of Saharan dust from the Bodélé Depression to the Amazon Basin: a case study

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 4345-4372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Ben-Ami ◽  
I. Koren ◽  
Y. Rudich ◽  
P. Artaxo ◽  
S. T. Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Amazon Forest ◽  
Close Link ◽  
Bodele Depression

Abstract. Through long-range transport of dust, the Sahara desert supplies essential minerals to the Amazon rain forest. Since Saharan dust reaches South America mostly during the Northern Hemisphere winter, the dust sources active during winter are the main contributors to the forest. Given that the Bodélé depression area in Southwestern Chad is the main winter dust source, a close link is expected between the Bodélé emission patterns and volumes and the mineral supply flux to the Amazon. Until now, the particular link between the Bodélé and the Amazon forest was based on sparse satellite measurements and modeling studies. In this study, we combine a detailed analysis of space-borne and ground data with reanalysis model data and surface measurements taken in the Central Amazon during the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (AMAZE-08) in order to explore the validity and the nature of the proposed link between the Bodélé depression and the Amazon forest. This case study follows the dust events of 11–16 and 18–27 February 2008, from the emission in the Bodélé over West Africa, the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, to the observed effects above the Amazon canopy about 10 days after the emission. The dust was lifted by surface winds stronger than 14 m s−1, usually starting early in the morning. The lofted dust mixed with biomass burning aerosols over Nigeria, was transported over the Atlantic Ocean, and arrived over the South American continent. The top of the aerosol layer reached above 3 km, and the bottom merged with the marine boundary layer. The arrival of the dusty air parcel over the Amazon forest increased the average concentration of aerosol crustal elements by an order of magnitude.

scholarly journals Compositional changes of present-day transatlantic Saharan dust deposition

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura F. Korte ◽  
Geert-Jan Brummer ◽  
Michèlle van der Does ◽  
Catarina V. Guerreiro ◽  
Rick Hennekam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
The West ◽  
Dust Transport ◽  
Mass Fluxes ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Particle Fluxes

Abstract. Massive amounts of Saharan dust are blown from the African coast across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Americas each year. This dust has, depending on its chemistry, direct and indirect effects on global climate including reflection and absorption of solar radiation as well as transport and deposition of nutrients and metals fertilizing both ocean and land. To determine the temporal and spatial variability of Saharan dust transport and deposition and their marine environmental effects across the equatorial North Atlantic Ocean, we have set up a monitoring experiment using deep-ocean sediment traps as well as land-based dust collectors. The sediment traps were deployed at five ocean sites along a transatlantic transect between northwest Africa and the Caribbean along 12⁰ N, in a down-wind extension of the land-based dust collectors placed at 19⁰ N on the Mauritanian coast in Iwik. In this paper, we lay out the setup of the monitoring experiment and present the particle fluxes from sediment trap sampling over 24 continuous and synchronised intervals from October 2012 through to November 2013. We establish the temporal distribution of the particle fluxes deposited in the Atlantic and compare chemical compositions with the land-based dust collectors propagating to the down-wind sediment trap sites, and with satellite observations of Saharan dust outbreaks. First-year results show that the total mass fluxes in the ocean are highest at the sampling sites in the east and west, closest to the African continent and the Caribbean, respectively. Element ratios reveal that the lithogenic particles deposited nearest to Africa are most similar in composition to the Saharan dust collected in Iwik. Down-wind increasing Al, Fe and K contents suggest a downwind change in the mineralogical composition of Saharan dust and indicate an increasing contribution of clay minerals towards the west. In the westernmost Atlantic, admixture of re-suspended clay-sized sediments advected towards the deep sediment trap cannot be excluded. Seasonality is most prominent near both continents but generally weak, with mass fluxes dominated by calcium carbonate and clear seasonal maxima of biogenic silica towards the west. The monitoring experiment is now extended with autonomous dust sampling buoys for better quantification Saharan dust transport and deposition from source to sink and its impact on fertilization and carbon export to the deep ocean.

scholarly journals Downward particle fluxes of biogenic matter and Saharan dust across the equatorial North Atlantic

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 6023-6040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura F. Korte ◽  
Geert-Jan A. Brummer ◽  
Michèlle van der Does ◽  
Catarina V. Guerreiro ◽  
Rick Hennekam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Dust Transport ◽  
Mass Fluxes ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Particle Fluxes

Abstract. Massive amounts of Saharan dust are blown from the coast of northern Africa across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Americas each year. This dust has, depending on its chemistry, direct and indirect effects on global climate which include reflection and absorption of solar radiation as well as transport and deposition of nutrients and metals fertilizing both ocean and land. To determine the temporal and spatial variability of Saharan dust transport and deposition and their marine environmental effects across the equatorial North Atlantic Ocean, we have set up a monitoring experiment using deep-ocean sediment traps as well as land-based dust collectors. The sediment traps were deployed at five ocean sites along a transatlantic transect between north-west Africa and the Caribbean along 12° N, in a downwind extension of the land-based dust collectors placed at 19° N on the Mauritanian coast in Iouîk. In this paper, we lay out the setup of the monitoring experiment and present the particle fluxes from sediment trap sampling over 24 continuous and synchronized intervals from October 2012 through to November 2013. We establish the temporal distribution of the particle fluxes deposited in the Atlantic and compare chemical compositions with the land-based dust collectors propagating to the downwind sediment trap sites, and with satellite observations of Saharan dust outbreaks. First-year results show that the total mass fluxes in the ocean are highest at the sampling sites in the east and west, closest to the African continent and the Caribbean, respectively. Element ratios reveal that the lithogenic particles deposited nearest to Africa are most similar in composition to the Saharan dust collected in Iouîk. Downwind increasing Al, Fe and K contents suggest a downwind change in the mineralogical composition of Saharan dust and indicate an increasing contribution of clay minerals towards the west. In the westernmost Atlantic Ocean, admixture of re-suspended clay-sized sediments advected towards the deep sediment trap cannot be excluded. Seasonality is most prominent near both continents but generally weak, with mass fluxes dominated by calcium carbonate and clear seasonal maxima of biogenic silica towards the west. The monitoring experiment is now extended, with autonomous dust sampling buoys for better quantification of Saharan dust transport and deposition from source to sink and their impact on fertilization and carbon export to the deep ocean.

scholarly journals Particle size traces modern Saharan dust transport and deposition across the equatorial North Atlantic

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michèlle van der Does ◽  
Laura F. Korte ◽  
Chris I. Munday ◽  
Geert-Jan A. Brummer ◽  
Jan-Berend W. Stuut
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Dust Cloud ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Dust Storms ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Dust Transport

Abstract. Mineral dust has a large impact on regional and global climate, depending on its particle size. Especially in the Atlantic Ocean downwind of the Sahara, the largest dust source on earth, the effects can be substantial but are poorly understood. This study focuses on seasonal and spatial variations in particle size of Saharan dust deposition across the Atlantic Ocean, using an array of submarine sediment traps moored along a transect at 12˚ N. We show that the particle size decreases downwind with increased distance from the Saharan source, due to higher gravitational settling velocities of coarse particles in the atmosphere. Modal grain sizes vary between 4 and 33 μm throughout the different seasons and at five locations along the transect. This is much coarser than previously suggested and incorporated into climate models. In addition, seasonal changes are prominent, with coarser dust in summer, and finer dust in winter and spring. Such seasonal changes are caused by transport at higher altitudes and at greater wind velocities during summer than in winter. Also the latitudinal migration of the dust cloud, associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone, causes seasonal differences in deposition as the summer dust cloud is located more to the north, and more directly above the sampled transect. Furthermore, increased precipitation and more frequent dust storms in summer coincide with coarser dust deposition. Our findings contribute to understanding Saharan dust transport and deposition relevant for the interpretation of sedimentary records for climate reconstructions, as well as for global and regional models for improved prediction of future climate.

scholarly journals The Implementation of a Mineral Dust Wet Deposition Scheme in the GOCART-AFWA Module of the WRF Model

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Tsarpalis ◽  
Anastasios Papadopoulos ◽  
Nikolaos Mihalopoulos ◽  
Christos Spyrou ◽  
Silas Michaelides ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wet Deposition ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Dust Transport ◽  
Wet Scavenging ◽  
Aerosol Module

The principal objective of this study is to present and evaluate an advanced dust wet deposition scheme in the Weather and Research Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). As far as the chemistry component is concerned, the Georgia Tech Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport of the Air Force Weather Agency (GOCART-AFWA) module is applied, as it supports a binary scheme for dust emissions and transport. However, the GOCART-AFWA aerosol module does not incorporate a wet scavenging scheme, nor does it interact with cloud processes. The integration of a dust wet deposition scheme following Seinfeld and Pandis into the WRF-Chem model is assessed through a case study of large-scale Saharan dust transport over the Eastern Mediterranean that is characterized by severe wet deposition over Greece. An acceptable agreement was found between the calculated and measured near surface PM10 concentrations, as well as when model estimated atmospheric optical depth (AOD) was validated against the AERONET measurements, indicating the validity of our dust wet deposition scheme.

scholarly journals Particle size traces modern Saharan dust transport and deposition across the equatorial North Atlantic

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (21) ◽  
pp. 13697-13710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michèlle van der Does ◽  
Laura F. Korte ◽  
Chris I. Munday ◽  
Geert-Jan A. Brummer ◽  
Jan-Berend W. Stuut
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Dust Cloud ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Dust Storms ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Dust Transport

Abstract. Mineral dust has a large impact on regional and global climate, depending on its particle size. Especially in the Atlantic Ocean downwind of the Sahara, the largest dust source on earth, the effects can be substantial but are poorly understood. This study focuses on seasonal and spatial variations in particle size of Saharan dust deposition across the Atlantic Ocean, using an array of submarine sediment traps moored along a transect at 12° N. We show that the particle size decreases downwind with increased distance from the Saharan source, due to higher gravitational settling velocities of coarse particles in the atmosphere. Modal grain sizes vary between 4 and 32 µm throughout the different seasons and at five locations along the transect. This is much coarser than previously suggested and incorporated into climate models. In addition, seasonal changes are prominent, with coarser dust in summer and finer dust in winter and spring. Such seasonal changes are caused by transport at higher altitudes and at greater wind velocities during summer than in winter. Also, the latitudinal migration of the dust cloud, associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone, causes seasonal differences in deposition as the summer dust cloud is located more to the north and more directly above the sampled transect. Furthermore, increased precipitation and more frequent dust storms in summer coincide with coarser dust deposition. Our findings contribute to understanding Saharan dust transport and deposition relevant for the interpretation of sedimentary records for climate reconstructions, as well as for global and regional models for improved prediction of future climate.

scholarly journals Dust transport and horizontal fluxes measurement with spaceborne lidars ALADIN, CALIOP and model reanalysis data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyao Dai ◽  
Kangwen Sun ◽  
Xiaoye Wang ◽  
Songhua Wu ◽  
Xiangying E ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Caribbean Sea ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Trade Wind ◽  
Development Phase ◽  
Dust Event ◽  
Dust Transport ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Emission Phase

Abstract. In this paper, a long-term large-scale Sahara dust transport event occurred during 14 June and 27 June 2020 is tracked with the spaceborne lidars ALADIN and CALIOP observations and the models ECMWF and HYSPLIT analysis. We evaluate the performance of the ALADIN and CALIOP on the observations of dust optical properties and wind fields and explore the capability in tracking the dust events and in calculating the dust horizontal mass fluxes with the combination of measurement data from ALADIN and CALIOP coupled with the products from ECMWF and HYSPLIT. Compared with the traditional assessments based on the data from CALIOP and models, the complement of Aeolus-produced aerosol optical properties and wind data will significantly improve the accuracy of dust horizontal flux estimations. The dust plumes are identified with AIRS/Aqua Dust Score Index and with the Vertical Feature Mask products from CALIPSO. The emission, dispersion, transport and deposition of the dust event are monitored using the data from HYSPLIT, CALIPSO and AIRS/Aqua. With the quasi-synchronization observations by ALADIN and CALIOP, combining the wind vectors and relative humidity, the dust horizontal fluxes are calculated. From this study, it is found that the dust event generated on 14 and 15 June 2020 from Sahara Desert in North Africa, and then dispersed and transported westward over the Atlantic Ocean, and finally deposited in the Atlantic Ocean, the Americas and the Caribbean Sea. During the transport and deposition processes, the dust plumes are trapped in the Northeasterly Trade-wind zone between the latitudes of 5° N and 30° N and altitudes of 0 km and 6 km (in this paper we name this space area as “Saharan dust eastward transport tunnel”). From the measurement results on 19 June 2020, influenced by the hygroscopic effect and mixing with other types aerosols, the backscatter coefficients of dust plumes are increasing along the transport routes, with 3.88 × 10−6 ± 2.59 × 10−6 m−1 sr−1 in “dust portion during emission phase”, 7.09 × 10−6 ± 3.34 × 10−6 m−1 sr−1 in “dust portion during development phase” and 7.76 × 10−6 ± 3.74 × 10−6 m−1 sr−1 in “dust portion during deposition phase”. Finally, the horizontal fluxes at different dust parts and heights on 19 June and on entire transport routine during transportation are computed. On 19 June, the dust horizontal fluxes are about 2.17 ± 1.83 mg m−2 s−1 in dust portion during emission phase, 2.72 ± 1.89 mg m−2 s−1 in dust portion during development phase and 3.01 ± 2.77 mg m−2 s−1 in dust portion during deposition phase. In the whole life-time of the dust event, the dust horizontal fluxes are about 1.30 ± 1.07 mg m−2 s−1 on 15 June 2020, 2.62 ± 1.88 mg m−2 s−1 on 16 June 2020, 2.72 ± 1.89 mg m−2 s−1 on 19 June 2020, 1.98 ± 1.41 mg m−2 s−1 on 24 June 2020 and 2.11 ± 1.74 mg m−2 s−1 on 27 June 2020. From this study, it is found that the minimum of the fluxes appears when the dust event is initially generated on 15 June. During the dust development stage, the horizontal fluxes gradually increase and reach to the maximum value on 19 June with the enhancement of the dust event. Then, the horizontal fluxes gradually decrease since most of the dust deposited in the Atlantic Ocean, the Americas and the Caribbean Sea. Combining the Chlorophyll concentrations data provided by MODIS-Aqua, the Saharan Dust is found transported across the oligotrophic regions Atlantic Ocean towards the Americas and Caribbean Sea, which are also oligotrophic regions. The mineral dust delivers micronutrients including soluble Fe and P to the deposition zones and has the potential to fertilizing the ocean and increase the primary productivity in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

A case study for Saharan dust transport over Turkey via RegCM4.1 model

2015 ◽  
Vol 153 ◽  
pp. 392-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tugba Agacayak ◽  
Tayfun Kindap ◽  
Alper Unal ◽  
Luca Pozzoli ◽  
Marc Mallet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Dust Transport
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