A meandering polar jet caused the development of a Saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward Greenland

<p>In this study, we identify a new mechanism by which dust aerosols travel over long distances across the eastern side of the North Atlantic Ocean toward the Arctic. The meandering polar jet was at the origin of both dust emission through cyclogenesis over Northwest Africa and poleward transp...

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Main Authors: D. Francis, C. Eayrs, J.-P. Chaboureau, T. Mote, D. M. Holland
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2019-04-01
Series:Advances in Science and Research
Online Access:https://www.adv-sci-res.net/16/49/2019/asr-16-49-2019.pdf
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author D. Francis
C. Eayrs
J.-P. Chaboureau
T. Mote
D. M. Holland
D. M. Holland
author_facet D. Francis
C. Eayrs
J.-P. Chaboureau
T. Mote
D. M. Holland
D. M. Holland
author_sort D. Francis
collection DOAJ
description <p>In this study, we identify a new mechanism by which dust aerosols travel over long distances across the eastern side of the North Atlantic Ocean toward the Arctic. The meandering polar jet was at the origin of both dust emission through cyclogenesis over Northwest Africa and poleward transport of the uplifted dust towards the Arctic, through cut-off circulation. The dust emission was associated with an intense Saharan cyclone that formed over Northwest Africa in early April 2011. The formation of the cyclone was caused by the intrusion into subtropics, of a high-latitude-upper-level trough, linked to the meandering polar jet. The trough initiated cyclogenesis over Northwest Africa after orographic blocking by the Anti-Atlas Mountains. The still meandering polar jet led to the formation of a cut-off low further south with which the Saharan dust-cyclone merged 2&thinsp;d later and moved northward with the main stream. Beside satellite observations, a simulation at high resolution was performed using the prognostic-dust permitting model MesoNH. The total dust load carried during this event to areas located north of 40<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>&thinsp;N was estimated by the model to be 38&thinsp;Tg and dust deposition was estimated to be 1.3&thinsp;Tg. The Saharan dust reaching Greenland was accompanied by warm and moist air masses that caused a rise in surface temperature of about 10&thinsp;<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C for more than 3 consecutive days over the southeastern Greenland. Ice melt over this area of Greenland was detected in the brightness temperature observations.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-0c339622067e46389c391ae94137c24c2022-12-21T22:33:17ZengCopernicus PublicationsAdvances in Science and Research1992-06281992-06362019-04-0116495610.5194/asr-16-49-2019A meandering polar jet caused the development of a Saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward GreenlandD. Francis0C. Eayrs1J.-P. Chaboureau2T. Mote3D. M. Holland4D. M. Holland5Center for Global Sea Level Change, NYUAD Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesCenter for Global Sea Level Change, NYUAD Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesLaboratoire d'Aérologie, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, FranceDepartment of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USACenter for Global Sea Level Change, NYUAD Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesCenter for Atmosphere Ocean Science, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, USA<p>In this study, we identify a new mechanism by which dust aerosols travel over long distances across the eastern side of the North Atlantic Ocean toward the Arctic. The meandering polar jet was at the origin of both dust emission through cyclogenesis over Northwest Africa and poleward transport of the uplifted dust towards the Arctic, through cut-off circulation. The dust emission was associated with an intense Saharan cyclone that formed over Northwest Africa in early April 2011. The formation of the cyclone was caused by the intrusion into subtropics, of a high-latitude-upper-level trough, linked to the meandering polar jet. The trough initiated cyclogenesis over Northwest Africa after orographic blocking by the Anti-Atlas Mountains. The still meandering polar jet led to the formation of a cut-off low further south with which the Saharan dust-cyclone merged 2&thinsp;d later and moved northward with the main stream. Beside satellite observations, a simulation at high resolution was performed using the prognostic-dust permitting model MesoNH. The total dust load carried during this event to areas located north of 40<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>&thinsp;N was estimated by the model to be 38&thinsp;Tg and dust deposition was estimated to be 1.3&thinsp;Tg. The Saharan dust reaching Greenland was accompanied by warm and moist air masses that caused a rise in surface temperature of about 10&thinsp;<span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C for more than 3 consecutive days over the southeastern Greenland. Ice melt over this area of Greenland was detected in the brightness temperature observations.</p>https://www.adv-sci-res.net/16/49/2019/asr-16-49-2019.pdf
spellingShingle D. Francis
C. Eayrs
J.-P. Chaboureau
T. Mote
D. M. Holland
D. M. Holland
A meandering polar jet caused the development of a Saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward Greenland
Advances in Science and Research
title A meandering polar jet caused the development of a Saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward Greenland
title_full A meandering polar jet caused the development of a Saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward Greenland
title_fullStr A meandering polar jet caused the development of a Saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward Greenland
title_full_unstemmed A meandering polar jet caused the development of a Saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward Greenland
title_short A meandering polar jet caused the development of a Saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward Greenland
title_sort meandering polar jet caused the development of a saharan cyclone and the transport of dust toward greenland
url https://www.adv-sci-res.net/16/49/2019/asr-16-49-2019.pdf
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