Advances in Disaster Modeling, Simulation and Visualization for Sandstorm Risk Management in North China

Dust storms in North China result in high concentrations of airborne dust particles, which cause detrimental effects on human health as well as social and economic losses and environmental degradation. To investigate the impact of land surface processes on dust storms, we simulate two dust storm eve...

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Main Authors: Hang Lei, Zhaohui Lin, Jason K. Levy, Michelle L. Bell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2012-05-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/4/5/1337
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author Hang Lei
Zhaohui Lin
Jason K. Levy
Michelle L. Bell
author_facet Hang Lei
Zhaohui Lin
Jason K. Levy
Michelle L. Bell
author_sort Hang Lei
collection DOAJ
description Dust storms in North China result in high concentrations of airborne dust particles, which cause detrimental effects on human health as well as social and economic losses and environmental degradation. To investigate the impact of land surface processes on dust storms, we simulate two dust storm events in North China during spring 2002 using two versions of a dust storm prediction system developed by the Institute for Atmospheric Physics (IAP) in Beijing, China. The primary difference between the IAP Sandstorm Prediction System (IAPS 1.0) and more recent version (IAPS 2.0) is the land surface modeling. IAPS 1.0 is based on the Oregon State University (OSU) land surface model, whereas the latest version of the dust storm prediction (IAPS 2.0) uses NOAH land surface schemes for land surface modeling within a meteorological model, MM5. This work investigates whether the improved land surface modeling affects modeling of sandstorms. It is shown that an integrated sandstorm management system can be used to aid the following tasks: ensure sandstorm monitoring and warning; incorporate weather forecasts; ascertain the risk of a sandstorm disaster; integrate multiple technologies (for example, GIS, remote sensing, and information processing technology); track the progress of the storm in real-time; exhibit flexibility, accuracy and reliability (by using multiple sources of data, including in-situ meteorological observations); and monitor PM<sub>10</sub> and PM<sub>2.5</sub> dust concentrations in airborne dustfalls. The results indicate that with the new land surface scheme, the simulation of soil moisture is greatly improved, leading to a better estimate of the threshold frictional velocity, a key parameter for the estimating surface dust emissions. In this study, we also discuss specific mechanisms by which land surface processes affect dust storm modeling and make recommendations for further improvements to numerical dust storm simulations.
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spelling doaj.art-0ccc8367f71248f29e167447398e6bf42022-12-21T17:15:30ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922012-05-01451337135410.3390/rs4051337Advances in Disaster Modeling, Simulation and Visualization for Sandstorm Risk Management in North ChinaHang LeiZhaohui LinJason K. LevyMichelle L. BellDust storms in North China result in high concentrations of airborne dust particles, which cause detrimental effects on human health as well as social and economic losses and environmental degradation. To investigate the impact of land surface processes on dust storms, we simulate two dust storm events in North China during spring 2002 using two versions of a dust storm prediction system developed by the Institute for Atmospheric Physics (IAP) in Beijing, China. The primary difference between the IAP Sandstorm Prediction System (IAPS 1.0) and more recent version (IAPS 2.0) is the land surface modeling. IAPS 1.0 is based on the Oregon State University (OSU) land surface model, whereas the latest version of the dust storm prediction (IAPS 2.0) uses NOAH land surface schemes for land surface modeling within a meteorological model, MM5. This work investigates whether the improved land surface modeling affects modeling of sandstorms. It is shown that an integrated sandstorm management system can be used to aid the following tasks: ensure sandstorm monitoring and warning; incorporate weather forecasts; ascertain the risk of a sandstorm disaster; integrate multiple technologies (for example, GIS, remote sensing, and information processing technology); track the progress of the storm in real-time; exhibit flexibility, accuracy and reliability (by using multiple sources of data, including in-situ meteorological observations); and monitor PM<sub>10</sub> and PM<sub>2.5</sub> dust concentrations in airborne dustfalls. The results indicate that with the new land surface scheme, the simulation of soil moisture is greatly improved, leading to a better estimate of the threshold frictional velocity, a key parameter for the estimating surface dust emissions. In this study, we also discuss specific mechanisms by which land surface processes affect dust storm modeling and make recommendations for further improvements to numerical dust storm simulations.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/4/5/1337remote sensingdust storm modelingland surface processessoil moisturedust-emissionnumerical simulation
spellingShingle Hang Lei
Zhaohui Lin
Jason K. Levy
Michelle L. Bell
Advances in Disaster Modeling, Simulation and Visualization for Sandstorm Risk Management in North China
Remote Sensing
remote sensing
dust storm modeling
land surface processes
soil moisture
dust-emission
numerical simulation
title Advances in Disaster Modeling, Simulation and Visualization for Sandstorm Risk Management in North China
title_full Advances in Disaster Modeling, Simulation and Visualization for Sandstorm Risk Management in North China
title_fullStr Advances in Disaster Modeling, Simulation and Visualization for Sandstorm Risk Management in North China
title_full_unstemmed Advances in Disaster Modeling, Simulation and Visualization for Sandstorm Risk Management in North China
title_short Advances in Disaster Modeling, Simulation and Visualization for Sandstorm Risk Management in North China
title_sort advances in disaster modeling simulation and visualization for sandstorm risk management in north china
topic remote sensing
dust storm modeling
land surface processes
soil moisture
dust-emission
numerical simulation
url http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/4/5/1337
work_keys_str_mv AT hanglei advancesindisastermodelingsimulationandvisualizationforsandstormriskmanagementinnorthchina
AT zhaohuilin advancesindisastermodelingsimulationandvisualizationforsandstormriskmanagementinnorthchina
AT jasonklevy advancesindisastermodelingsimulationandvisualizationforsandstormriskmanagementinnorthchina
AT michellelbell advancesindisastermodelingsimulationandvisualizationforsandstormriskmanagementinnorthchina