The Effect of Particulate Matter Pollution of Saharan Dust Over Europe in May-2020: A Case Study of Karaman City Center, Turkey (original) (raw)
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Dust storm originate from Sahara covering Western Europe: A case study
Atmospheric Environment, 2008
Erosion, transport and deposition of atmospheric dust are largely determined by the nature and state of the earth's surface (the dust source) and the physical characteristics of the atmosphere. The state of the atmosphere is subject to important temporal variations related to diurnal and seasonal cycles and to synoptic conditions. The dynamic evolution of particulate concentrations measured at Brussels showed a significant peak in PM10 during 24-25 March 2007. The 4-day backward trajectories calculated for this peak attributed its cause to a dust storm that had occurred 2 days earlier in the Sahara. Chemical analysis showed a significant similarity to Saharan dust composition, primarily oxides of Si, Fe, and Al. On 29 March, another peak with a very high PM concentration and an elevated PM2.5-to-PM10 ratio was recorded in Brussels. Analysis of its PM profile showed that it was mainly caused by formation of secondary aerosols. r
Aerosol Science and Engineering, 2018
The eastern Mediterranean region is strongly influenced by long-range transported particulate matter such as desert dust from northern Africa. To investigate the dynamics of Saharan dust events and their origin, satellite images from the MODIS spectroradiometer of NASA's satellites Terra and Aqua, and back trajectories analysis of the HYSPLIT model were combined together with continuous ground-based field data. Field PM 10 and PM 2.5 measurements were performed in the period 2003-2013 at the Akrotiri monitoring station on the island of Crete (Greece). Furthermore, the mineralogical composition of a small number of samples was determined by X-ray powder diffraction, whereas elemental particle composition analysis was performed on the dust samples collected using the ICP-MS technique for a series of elements. The annual average percentage of days with Sahara dust outbreaks in the region of western Crete (Akrotiri station) was 9.3% for the period 2003-2013. Excluding the PM 10 exceedances caused by Sahara dust events, the average PM 10 monthly concentrations are decreased by 20.5% during the 8-month period November-June, with higher PM 10 concentration reduction (29.9%) in the period February-April. Mineralogical analysis showed that illite was the most abundant mineral identified in all samples, followed by quartz and calcite. Gypsum was detected only in the dry sample. Moreover, the elemental particle composition analysis showed that collected dust originated from Africa deserts.
The transport of Saharan dust to southern Europe: a scenario
Journal of Arid Environments, 1996
This paper discusses the emission, transport and deposition of Saharan dust in relation to southern Europe. Data obtained from dust traps and data on dust events are presented. With the help of a scenario, the stepwise movement of dust from central Sahara, via the peridesert areas of northern Africa, to southern Europe is discussed. The stages of emission, transport and deposition are related to variations in the climatic regimes.
Case Study of the Saharan Dust Effects on PM10 and PM2.5 Concentrations in Budapest in March 2022
Journal of Central European Green Innovation
The Earth's climatic system is greatly dependent on atmospheric mineral dust. Dust particles are regarded as one of the less well-known contributors to recent climatic changes, much like other aerosol constituents. Fifty to seventy percent of the world's budget for mineral dust comes from the Sahara Desert areas. These sources can produce dust-loaded air masses that can travel great distances and affect many parts of the world including Europe, the Middle East, North and South America. In March 2022 Europe faced two Saharan Dust storms (14-19 and 28-31), that affected many countries including Hungary. We used registered measurements of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations from urban background air quality station in Budapest and MONARCH model to assess the effects of the two Saharan Dust storms on Budapest. As measured by daily average concentrations, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations rose by 12 µg/m3 and 10 µg/m3 respectively during the first Saharan Dust event (SDE1), and by 14 µg/m3...
On the direct and semidirect effects of Saharan dust over Europe: A modeling study
Journal of Geophysical Research, 2007
1] On the basis of a new regional dust model system, the sensitivity of radiative forcing to dust aerosol properties and the impact on atmospheric dynamics were investigated. Uncertainties in optical properties were related to uncertainties in the complex spectral refractive index of mineral dust. The climatological-based distribution of desert-type aerosol in the radiation scheme of the nonhydrostatic regional model LM was replaced by dust optical properties from spectral refractive indices, derived from in situ measurements, remote sensing, bulk measurements, and laboratory experiments, employing Mie theory. The model computes changes in the solar and terrestrial irradiance from a spatially and temporally varying atmospheric dust load for five size classes. A model study of a Saharan dust outbreak in October 2001 was carried out when large amounts of Saharan dust were transported to Europe. The dust optical thickness computed from the simulation results in values of about 0.5 in large regions of the Saharan desert but can be larger than 5.0 near large dust sources (for example, Bodélé depression). During the dust outbreak, the aerosol in the southern Sahara causes a daytime reduction in 2-m temperature of 3 K in average with differences of 10% depending on used dust optical properties. The simulations indicated that the large variability in radiative properties due to different mixture of clay aggregates in Saharan dust can lead in regional average to differences of up to 48% in net forcing efficiency at top of the atmosphere. Citation: Helmert, J., B. Heinold, I. Tegen, O. Hellmuth, and M. Wendisch (2007), On the direct and semidirect effects of Saharan dust over Europe: A modeling study,
Dust–air pollution dynamics over the eastern Mediterranean
Interactions of desert dust and air pollution over the eastern Mediterranean (EM) have been studied, focusing on two distinct dust transport events on 22 and 28 Septem-ber 2011. The atmospheric chemistry–climate model EMAC has been used at about 50 km grid spacing, applying an on-line dust emission scheme and calcium as a proxy for dust reactivity. EMAC includes a detailed tropospheric chemistry mechanism, aerosol microphysics and thermodynam-ics schemes to describe dust " aging ". The model is evaluated using ground-based observations for aerosol concentrations and aerosol optical depth (AOD) as well as satellite observations. Simulation results and back trajectory analysis show that the development of synoptic disturbances over the EM can enhance dust transport from the Sahara and Ara-bian deserts in frontal systems that also carry air pollution to the EM. The frontal systems are associated with precipitation that controls the dust removal. Our results show the importance of chemical aging of dust, which increases particle size, dust deposition and scavenging efficiency during transport, overall reducing the lifetime relative to non-aged dust particles. The relatively long travel periods of Saharan dust result in more sustained aging compared to Arabian dust. Sensitivity simulations indicate 3 times more dust deposition of aged relative to pristine dust, which significantly decreases the dust lifetime and loading.
An Inclusive view of Saharan Dust Advections to Italy and the Central Mediterranean
Atmospheric Environment
We address observations of physical and chemical properties of Saharan dust advections (SDA) as observed in the Central Mediterranean basin, within the framework of the LIFE+10, DIAPASON project (www.diapason-life.eu). DIAPASON aimed at the definition of best practices and tools to detect and evaluate the contribution of Saharan dust to ground particulate matter (PM) loads. Polarization-sensitive, automated lidar-ceilometers (PLC) are one of the tools prototyped and used in the Rome area to reach this goal. The results presented in this study focus on: 1) the effectiveness of various observational tools at detecting and characterizing atmospheric dust plumes, and 2) processes and properties of Saharan dust advections reaching the central Mediterranean region. In this respect, the combination of numerical model forecasts and time-resolved (at least hourly) PLC or chemical observations was found to constitute an efficient way to predict and confirm the presence of Saharan dust. In the period 2011-2014, Saharan dust advections were observed to reach over Rome on about 32% of the days. In some 70% of these days the dust reached the ground in dry conditions, while 30% of advection days involved wet deposition. Dry (wet) deposition was found to maximize (minimize) in summer. The northern Sahara between Algeria and Tunisia (Grand Erg Oriental), was confirmed as the most frequent region of origin of the dust mobilized towards central Italy. Secondary source regions include northern Morocco and Libya. On a statistical basis, Saharan advections to Rome were preceded by increasing atmospheric pressure and stability. These conditions were found to favor the accumulation of aerosols related to local emission sources before the SDA reached the ground. Meteorology (precipitation and turbulence in primis) resulted to be an important modulator of PM concentrations during SDAs. Magnitude and timing of these factors should be well considered to correctly evaluate the dust share in PM loads or the related health effects. Saharan advections observed during DIAPASON affected particle concentrations down to diameters of about 0.6-1 μm, with number concentrations peaking at the 2.5 μm diameter range. These advections were associated with a significant increase in Si-rich particles containing a non-negligible fraction of water. Rainfall was observed to preferentially remove dust particles larger than 2 μm, causing a significant depletion in the Ca-rich fraction with respect to the Si-rich one. The increase in PLC depolarization ratios above 5%, as well as the hourly PIXE records of the Si/Ca ratio increasing above 1 were found to represent good markers for the actual presence of Saharan dust particulate matter, when Saharan advection conditions are occurring.
North African dust emissions and transport
Earth-science Reviews, 2006
The need for a better understanding of the role of atmospheric dust in the climate system and its impact on the environment has led to research of the underlying causes of dust variability in space and time in recent decades. North Africa is one of the largest dust producing regions in the world with dust emissions being highly variable on time scales ranging from diurnal to multiannual. Changes in the dust loading are expected to have an impact on regional and global climate, the biogeochemical cycle, and human environments. The development of satellite derived products of global dust distributions has improved our understanding of dust source regions and transport pathways in the recent years. Dust models are now capable of reproducing more realistic patterns of dust distributions due to an improved parameterization of land surface conditions. A recent field campaign has improved our understanding of the natural environment and emission processes of the most intense and persistent dust sources in the world, the Bodélé Depression in Chad. In situ measurements of dust properties during air craft observations in and down wind of source regions have led to new estimates of the radiative forcing effects which are crucial in predicting future climate change. With a focus on the North African desert regions, this paper provides a review of the understanding of dust source regions, the variability of dust emissions, climatic controls of dust entrainment and transport, the role of human impact on dust emission, and recent developments of global and regional dust models.