Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget

<h3>ABSTRACT </h3><p dir="ltr">Particulate matter levels in large urban environments of the Middle East are affected by both anthropogenic and natural sources including frequent dust events which result in considerably enhanced aerosol concentrations with significant huma...

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Main Author: Christos Fountoukis (4722963) (author)
Other Authors: Harshvardhan Harshvardhan (19672735) (author), Ivan Gladich (1442929) (author), Luis Ackermann (18712109) (author), Mohammed A. Ayoub (19489366) (author)
Published: 2019
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author Christos Fountoukis (4722963)
author2 Harshvardhan Harshvardhan (19672735)
Ivan Gladich (1442929)
Luis Ackermann (18712109)
Mohammed A. Ayoub (19489366)
author2_role author
author
author
author
author_facet Christos Fountoukis (4722963)
Harshvardhan Harshvardhan (19672735)
Ivan Gladich (1442929)
Luis Ackermann (18712109)
Mohammed A. Ayoub (19489366)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Christos Fountoukis (4722963)
Harshvardhan Harshvardhan (19672735)
Ivan Gladich (1442929)
Luis Ackermann (18712109)
Mohammed A. Ayoub (19489366)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2019-12-04T12:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.4209/aaqr.2019.04.0165
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Anatomy_of_a_Severe_Dust_Storm_in_the_Middle_East_Impacts_on_Aerosol_Optical_Properties_and_Radiation_Budget/27021706
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Earth sciences
Atmospheric sciences
Environmental sciences
Environmental management
AOD
shortwave radiation
aerosols
WRF-Chem
Arabian Desert
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <h3>ABSTRACT </h3><p dir="ltr">Particulate matter levels in large urban environments of the Middle East are affected by both anthropogenic and natural sources including frequent dust events which result in considerably enhanced aerosol concentrations with significant human health concerns. In this work, an integrated analysis is conducted of one of the most severe dust storms of the last 20 years in the Middle East. Using WRF-Chem simulations along with satellite data, particulate matter surface measurements and AERONET observations, we study the impact of this event on optical properties and surface radiation. At the peak of the dust storm in Doha, Qatar, both the surface data and the model predictions showed PM10 concentrations in excess of 7,000 µg m–3. A 2-week simulation over the whole peninsula revealed the extent of the event and showed that the model was able to capture the temporal and spatial evolution of the dust storm and the associated variations in aerosol optical properties. The simulations and remotely sensed measurements showed good correlation for the aerosol optical depth parameter, which reached a value of 3.0 on 2 April 2015 in the region. In agreement with satellite-derived estimates, the model predicted a significant storm-induced reduction in the shortwave radiation (150 to 300 W m–2) reaching the eastern Arabian Peninsula, and the Gulf waters, and a considerable drop in the precipitable water (by a factor of 6) between 01 and 03 of April 2015. The domain-integrated maximum daily dust deposition rate that the model predicted was 27.5 Tg day–1 mostly over the eastern part of Arabian Peninsula. The performance of the model is encouraging for further use in operational forecasting of dust storms in the region.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Aerosol and Air Quality Research<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2019.04.0165" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2019.04.0165</a></p>
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
id Manara2_0a125984600be587e0435e1c557b7b98
identifier_str_mv 10.4209/aaqr.2019.04.0165
network_acronym_str Manara2
network_name_str Manara2
oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/27021706
publishDate 2019
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spelling Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation BudgetChristos Fountoukis (4722963)Harshvardhan Harshvardhan (19672735)Ivan Gladich (1442929)Luis Ackermann (18712109)Mohammed A. Ayoub (19489366)Earth sciencesAtmospheric sciencesEnvironmental sciencesEnvironmental managementAODshortwave radiationaerosolsWRF-ChemArabian Desert<h3>ABSTRACT </h3><p dir="ltr">Particulate matter levels in large urban environments of the Middle East are affected by both anthropogenic and natural sources including frequent dust events which result in considerably enhanced aerosol concentrations with significant human health concerns. In this work, an integrated analysis is conducted of one of the most severe dust storms of the last 20 years in the Middle East. Using WRF-Chem simulations along with satellite data, particulate matter surface measurements and AERONET observations, we study the impact of this event on optical properties and surface radiation. At the peak of the dust storm in Doha, Qatar, both the surface data and the model predictions showed PM10 concentrations in excess of 7,000 µg m–3. A 2-week simulation over the whole peninsula revealed the extent of the event and showed that the model was able to capture the temporal and spatial evolution of the dust storm and the associated variations in aerosol optical properties. The simulations and remotely sensed measurements showed good correlation for the aerosol optical depth parameter, which reached a value of 3.0 on 2 April 2015 in the region. In agreement with satellite-derived estimates, the model predicted a significant storm-induced reduction in the shortwave radiation (150 to 300 W m–2) reaching the eastern Arabian Peninsula, and the Gulf waters, and a considerable drop in the precipitable water (by a factor of 6) between 01 and 03 of April 2015. The domain-integrated maximum daily dust deposition rate that the model predicted was 27.5 Tg day–1 mostly over the eastern part of Arabian Peninsula. The performance of the model is encouraging for further use in operational forecasting of dust storms in the region.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Aerosol and Air Quality Research<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2019.04.0165" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2019.04.0165</a></p>2019-12-04T12:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.4209/aaqr.2019.04.0165https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Anatomy_of_a_Severe_Dust_Storm_in_the_Middle_East_Impacts_on_Aerosol_Optical_Properties_and_Radiation_Budget/27021706CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/270217062019-12-04T12:00:00Z
spellingShingle Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget
Christos Fountoukis (4722963)
Earth sciences
Atmospheric sciences
Environmental sciences
Environmental management
AOD
shortwave radiation
aerosols
WRF-Chem
Arabian Desert
status_str publishedVersion
title Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget
title_full Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget
title_fullStr Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget
title_full_unstemmed Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget
title_short Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget
title_sort Anatomy of a Severe Dust Storm in the Middle East: Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiation Budget
topic Earth sciences
Atmospheric sciences
Environmental sciences
Environmental management
AOD
shortwave radiation
aerosols
WRF-Chem
Arabian Desert