scholarly journals Identifying Source Region Elemental Indicators in Aged Saharan Dust Plumes Over the Tropical Atlantic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Yeager ◽  
Vernon R. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Dust Aerosol ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Back Trajectory ◽  
Tropical Atlantic ◽  
Aerosol Composition ◽  
Western Sahara ◽  
Ocean Science ◽  
Dust Events

Abstract. This work examines the spatial dependency of Saharan dust aerosol composition over the Tropical Atlantic Ocean using observations collected during the 2015 Aerosols and Ocean Science Expedition (AEROSE). Regionally specific elemental indicators remain detectable in the dust samples collected along the Saharan air layer trajectory far into the Tropical Atlantic marine boundary layer. Saharan dust transport characteristics and elemental composition were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometric (ICP-MS) analysis of airborne dust samples, ship-based radiometry, satellite aerosol retrievals, and atmospheric back-trajectory analysis. Three strong dust events (SDEs) and two trace dust events (TDEs) were detected during the campaign. The associated mineral dust arrived from potentially 7 different north African countries within 5 to 15 days of emission, according to transport analysis. Peak Na / Al and Ca / Al ratios (>1 and >1.5, respectively) in dust samples were traced to northern Saharan source regions in Western Sahara and Libya. In contrast, peak Fe / Al ratios (0.4–0.8) were traced to surface sources in southern Saharan regions in central Mauritania. We observe the highest ratios of (3–10) at sampling latitudes north of 15N in the Atlantic. Additionally, the sub-micron fraction of dust particulate settling over the Atlantic showed significant temporal and spatial variability, with coarse-fine Al ratios (at 0.8 microns) of 1.05, 0.65, and 0.95 for SDE1 (11/21–23), SDE2 (11/25–26), and SDE3 (11/28), respectively. This was consistent with elemental concentrations of Ca, Na, K, Ti, and Sr, per Al, that exhibited coarser size tendencies per dust event. These observations could validate spatially-sensitive aerosol models by predicting dust aerosol abundance and composition within the tropical Atlantic. Such predictions are critical towards understanding Saharan dust effects on regional climate, Atlantic Ocean biogeochemistry, satellite observations, and air quality modeling.

scholarly journals Seasonal provenance changes in present-day Saharan dust collected in and off Mauritania

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 10163-10193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen A. Friese ◽  
Johannes A. van Hateren ◽  
Christoph Vogt ◽  
Gerhard Fischer ◽  
Jan-Berend W. Stuut
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Local Source ◽  
Trade Wind ◽  
Back Trajectory ◽  
Dust Source ◽  
Western Sahara ◽  
Source Areas ◽  
Source Regions ◽  
Dust Sources

Abstract. Saharan dust has a crucial influence on the earth climate system and its emission, transport and deposition are intimately related to, e.g., wind speed, precipitation, temperature and vegetation cover. The alteration in the physical and chemical properties of Saharan dust due to environmental changes is often used to reconstruct the climate of the past. However, to better interpret possible climate changes the dust source regions need to be known. By analysing the mineralogical composition of transported or deposited dust, potential dust source areas can be inferred. Summer dust transport off northwest Africa occurs in the Saharan air layer (SAL). In continental dust source areas, dust is also transported in the SAL; however, the predominant dust input occurs from nearby dust sources with the low-level trade winds. Hence, the source regions and related mineralogical tracers differ with season and sampling location. To test this, dust collected in traps onshore and in oceanic sediment traps off Mauritania during 2013 to 2015 was analysed. Meteorological data, particle-size distributions, back-trajectory and mineralogical analyses were compared to derive the dust provenance and dispersal. For the onshore dust samples, the source regions varied according to the seasonal changes in trade-wind direction. Gibbsite and dolomite indicated a Western Saharan and local source during summer, while chlorite, serpentine and rutile indicated a source in Mauritania and Mali during winter. In contrast, for the samples that were collected offshore, dust sources varied according to the seasonal change in the dust transporting air layer. In summer, dust was transported in the SAL from Mauritania, Mali and Libya as indicated by ferroglaucophane and zeolite. In winter, dust was transported with the trades from Western Sahara as indicated by, e.g., fluellite.

scholarly journals Global dust optical depth climatology derived from CALIOP and MODIS aerosol retrievals on decadal timescales: regional and interannual variability

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 13369-13395
Author(s):  
Qianqian Song ◽  
Zhibo Zhang ◽  
Hongbin Yu ◽  
Paul Ginoux ◽  
Jerry Shen
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Optical Depth ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Dust Aerosol ◽  
Orthogonal Polarization ◽  
Northwestern Pacific ◽  
Gobi Desert ◽  
Tropical Atlantic ◽  
Shape Information ◽  
Tropical Atlantic Ocean

Abstract. We derived two observation-based global monthly mean dust aerosol optical depth (DAOD) climatological datasets from 2007 to 2019 with a 2∘ (latitude) × 5∘ (longitude) spatial resolution, one based on Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) and the other on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations. In addition, the CALIOP climatological dataset also includes dust vertical extinction profiles. Dust is distinguished from non-dust aerosols based on particle shape information (e.g., lidar depolarization ratio) for CALIOP and on dust size and absorption information (e.g., fine-mode fraction, Ångström exponent, and single-scattering albedo) for MODIS, respectively. The two datasets compare reasonably well with the results reported in previous studies and the collocated Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) coarse-mode AOD. Based on these two datasets, we carried out a comprehensive comparative study of the spatial and temporal climatology of dust. On a multi-year average basis, the global (60∘ S–60∘ N) annual mean DAOD is 0.032 and 0.067 according to CALIOP and MODIS retrievals, respectively. In most dust-active regions, CALIOP DAOD generally correlates well (correlation coefficient R>0.6) with the MODIS DAOD, although the CALIOP value is significantly smaller. The CALIOP DAOD is 18 %, 34 %, 54 %, and 31 % smaller than MODIS DAOD over the Sahara, the tropical Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Arabian Sea, respectively. Applying a regional specific lidar ratio (LR) of 58 sr instead of the 44 sr used in the CALIOP operational retrieval reduces the difference from 18 % to 8 % over the Sahara and from 34 % to 12 % over the tropical Atlantic Ocean. However, over eastern Asia and the northwestern Pacific Ocean (NWP), the two datasets show weak correlation. Despite these discrepancies, CALIOP and MODIS show similar seasonal and interannual variations in regional DAOD. For dust aerosol over the NWP, both CALIOP and MODIS show a declining trend of DAOD at a rate of about 2 % yr−1. This decreasing trend is consistent with the observed declining trend of DAOD in the southern Gobi Desert at a rate of 3 % yr−1 and 5 % yr−1 according to CALIOP and MODIS, respectively. The decreasing trend of DAOD in the southern Gobi Desert is in turn found to be significantly correlated with increasing vegetation and decreasing surface wind speed in the area.

scholarly journals The transport history of two Saharan dust events archived in an Alpine ice core

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 7497-7545 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Sodemann ◽  
A. S. Palmer ◽  
C. Schwierz ◽  
M. Schwikowski ◽  
H. Wernli
Keyword(s):  
Phytoplankton Bloom ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Swiss Alps ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Back Trajectory ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
The Alps ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Dust Events

Abstract. Mineral dust from the Saharan desert can be transported across the Mediterranean towards the Alpine region several times a year. Occasionally, the dust is deposited with snowfall on Alpine glaciers and appears then as yellow or red layers in ice cores. Two such significant dust events were identified in an ice core drilled at the high-accumulation site Piz Zupó in the Swiss Alps (46°22' N, 9°55' E, 3850 m a.s.l.). From stable oxygen isotopes and major ion concentrations, the events were approximately dated as October and March 2000. In order to link the dust record in the ice core to the meteorological situation that led to the dust events, a novel methodology based on back-trajectory analysis was developed. It allowed for the identification of source regions, the atmospheric transport pathways, and wet deposition periods for both dust events. Furthermore, differences in the chemical signature of the two dust events could be interpreted with respect to contributions from the dust sources and aerosol scavenging during the transport. The dust deposition during the October event took place during 13–16 October 2000. Mobilisation areas of dust were mainly identified in the Algerian and Libyan deserts. A combination of an upper-level potential vorticity streamer and a midlevel jet across Algeria first brought moist Atlantic air and later mixed air from the tropics and Saharan desert across the Mediterranean towards the Alps. The March event consisted of two different deposition phases which took place during 18–20 and 23–26 March 2000. The first phase was associated with an exceptional transport pattern past Iceland and towards the Alps from northerly directions. The second phase was similar to the October event. A significant peak of methanesulphonic acid associated with the March dust event was most likely caused by incorporation of biogenic aerosol while passing through the marine boundary layer of the western Mediterranean during a local phytoplankton bloom. From this study, we conclude that the whole sequence of mobilisation, transport, and deposition of mineral aerosol should be considered for a detailed understanding of the chemical signal recorded in the ice core at Piz Zupó.

scholarly journals Seasonal provenance changes of present-day Saharan dust collected on- and offshore Mauritania

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen A. Friese ◽  
Hans van Hateren ◽  
Christoph Vogt ◽  
Gerhard Fischer ◽  
Jan-Berend W. Stuut
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Local Source ◽  
Trade Wind ◽  
Back Trajectory ◽  
Dust Source ◽  
Dust Transport ◽  
Western Sahara ◽  
Source Areas ◽  
Source Regions

Abstract. Saharan dust has a crucial influence on the earth climate system and its emission, transport, and deposition are intimately related to environmental parameters. The alteration in the physical and chemical properties of Saharan dust due to changes in environmental parameters is often used to reconstruct the climate of the past. However, to better interpret possible climate changes the dust source regions need to be known. By analysing the mineralogical composition of transported or deposited dust, potential dust source areas can be inferred. Summer dust transport offshore Northwest Africa occurs in the Saharan air layer (SAL). In contrast, dust transport in continental dust source areas occurs predominantly with the trade winds. Hence, the source regions and related mineralogical tracers differ with season and sampling location. To test this, dust collected in traps onshore and in oceanic sediment traps offshore Mauritania during 2013 to 2015 was analysed. Meteorological data, particle-size distributions, back-trajectory and mineralogical analyses were compared to derive the dust provenance and dispersal. For the onshore dust samples, the source regions varied according to the seasonal changes in trade-wind direction. Gibbsite and dolomite indicated a Western Saharan and local source during summer, while chlorite, serpentine and rutile indicated a source in Mauritania and Mali during winter. In contrast, for the samples that were collected offshore, dust sources varied according to the seasonal change in the dust transporting air layer. In summer, dust was transported in the SAL from Mauritania, Mali and Libya as indicated by ferryglaucophane and zeolite. In winter, dust was transported with the Trades from the Western Sahara as indicated by e.g. sepiolite and fluellite.

scholarly journals Saharan dust as a causal factor of hemispheric asymmetry in aerosols and cloud cover over the tropical Atlantic Ocean

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (13) ◽  
pp. 3423-3445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Kishcha ◽  
Arlindo da Silva ◽  
Boris Starobinets ◽  
Charles Long ◽  
Olga Kalashnikova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Hemispheric Asymmetry ◽  
Causal Factor ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Tropical Atlantic ◽  
Tropical Atlantic Ocean

scholarly journals Saharan dust and giant quartz particle transport towards Iceland

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
György Varga ◽  
Pavla Dagsson-Walhauserová ◽  
Fruzsina Gresina ◽  
Agusta Helgadottir
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Models ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Atmospheric Environment ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Atmospheric Flow ◽  
Dust Transport ◽  
Strong Winds ◽  
Dust Events ◽  
Local Dust

AbstractMineral dust emissions from Saharan sources have an impact on the atmospheric environment and sedimentary units in distant regions. Here, we present the first systematic observations of long-range Saharan dust transport towards Iceland. Fifteen Saharan dust episodes were identified to have occurred between 2008 and 2020 based on aerosol optical depth data, backward trajectories and numerical models. Icelandic samples from the local dust sources were compared with deposited dust from two severe Saharan dust events in terms of their granulometric and mineralogical characteristics. The episodes were associated with enhanced meridional atmospheric flow patterns driven by unusual meandering jets. Strong winds were able to carry large Saharan quartz particles (> 100 µm) towards Iceland. Our results confirm the atmospheric pathways of Saharan dust towards the Arctic, and identify new northward meridional long-ranged transport of giant dust particles from the Sahara, including the first evidence of their deposition in Iceland as previously predicted by models.

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