Dust Storm Event of February 2019 in Central and East Coast of Australia and Evidence of Long-Range Transport to New Zealand and Antarctica
Between 11 and 15 February 2019, a dust storm originating in Central Australia with persistent westerly and south westerly winds caused high particle concentrations at many sites in the state of New South Wales (NSW); both inland and along the coast. The dust continued to be transported to New Zeala...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-10-01
|
| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/11/653 |
| _version_ | 1828397645473775616 |
|---|---|
| author | Hiep Duc Nguyen Matt Riley John Leys David Salter |
| author_facet | Hiep Duc Nguyen Matt Riley John Leys David Salter |
| author_sort | Hiep Duc Nguyen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Between 11 and 15 February 2019, a dust storm originating in Central Australia with persistent westerly and south westerly winds caused high particle concentrations at many sites in the state of New South Wales (NSW); both inland and along the coast. The dust continued to be transported to New Zealand and to Antarctica in the south east. This study uses observed data and the WRF-Chem Weather Research Forecast model based on GOCART-AFWA (Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport−Air Force and Weather Agency) dust scheme and GOCART aerosol and gas-phase MOZART (Model for Ozone And Related chemical Tracers) chemistry model to study the long-range transport of aerosols for the period 11 to 15 February 2019 across eastern Australia and onto New Zealand and Antarctica. Wildfires also happened in northern NSW at the same time, and their emissions are taken into account in the WRF-Chem model by using the Fire Inventory from NCAR (FINN) as the emission input. Modelling results using the WRF-Chem model show that for the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, peak concentration of PM<sub>10</sub> (and PM<sub>2.5</sub>) as measured on 14 February 2019 at 05:00 UTC at the monitoring stations of Geraldine, Ashburton, Timaru and Woolston (Christchurch), and about 2 h later at Rangiora and Kaiapoi, correspond to the prediction of high PM<sub>10</sub> due to the intrusion of dust to ground level from the transported dust layer above. The Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) observation data from MODIS 3 km Terra/Aqua and CALIOP LiDAR measurements on board CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol LiDAR and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) satellite also indicate that high-altitude dust ranging from 2 km to 6 km, originating from this dust storm event in Australia, was located above Antarctica. This study suggests that the present dust storms in Australia can transport dust from sources in Central Australia to the Tasman sea, New Zealand and Antarctica. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T08:51:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-31b8af218dcd4231be4b44f71ebe090a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T08:51:30Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-31b8af218dcd4231be4b44f71ebe090a2022-12-22T01:55:34ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332019-10-01101165310.3390/atmos10110653atmos10110653Dust Storm Event of February 2019 in Central and East Coast of Australia and Evidence of Long-Range Transport to New Zealand and AntarcticaHiep Duc Nguyen0Matt Riley1John Leys2David Salter3Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, New South Wales, Lidcombe PO Box 29, AustraliaDepartment of Planning, Industry and Environment, New South Wales, Lidcombe PO Box 29, AustraliaDepartment of Planning, Industry and Environment, New South Wales, Lidcombe PO Box 29, AustraliaDepartment of Planning, Industry and Environment, New South Wales, Lidcombe PO Box 29, AustraliaBetween 11 and 15 February 2019, a dust storm originating in Central Australia with persistent westerly and south westerly winds caused high particle concentrations at many sites in the state of New South Wales (NSW); both inland and along the coast. The dust continued to be transported to New Zealand and to Antarctica in the south east. This study uses observed data and the WRF-Chem Weather Research Forecast model based on GOCART-AFWA (Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport−Air Force and Weather Agency) dust scheme and GOCART aerosol and gas-phase MOZART (Model for Ozone And Related chemical Tracers) chemistry model to study the long-range transport of aerosols for the period 11 to 15 February 2019 across eastern Australia and onto New Zealand and Antarctica. Wildfires also happened in northern NSW at the same time, and their emissions are taken into account in the WRF-Chem model by using the Fire Inventory from NCAR (FINN) as the emission input. Modelling results using the WRF-Chem model show that for the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, peak concentration of PM<sub>10</sub> (and PM<sub>2.5</sub>) as measured on 14 February 2019 at 05:00 UTC at the monitoring stations of Geraldine, Ashburton, Timaru and Woolston (Christchurch), and about 2 h later at Rangiora and Kaiapoi, correspond to the prediction of high PM<sub>10</sub> due to the intrusion of dust to ground level from the transported dust layer above. The Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) observation data from MODIS 3 km Terra/Aqua and CALIOP LiDAR measurements on board CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol LiDAR and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) satellite also indicate that high-altitude dust ranging from 2 km to 6 km, originating from this dust storm event in Australia, was located above Antarctica. This study suggests that the present dust storms in Australia can transport dust from sources in Central Australia to the Tasman sea, New Zealand and Antarctica.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/11/653dust transportaustraliatasman seanew zealandantarcticawrf-chemcalipsomodis |
| spellingShingle | Hiep Duc Nguyen Matt Riley John Leys David Salter Dust Storm Event of February 2019 in Central and East Coast of Australia and Evidence of Long-Range Transport to New Zealand and Antarctica Atmosphere dust transport australia tasman sea new zealand antarctica wrf-chem calipso modis |
| title | Dust Storm Event of February 2019 in Central and East Coast of Australia and Evidence of Long-Range Transport to New Zealand and Antarctica |
| title_full | Dust Storm Event of February 2019 in Central and East Coast of Australia and Evidence of Long-Range Transport to New Zealand and Antarctica |
| title_fullStr | Dust Storm Event of February 2019 in Central and East Coast of Australia and Evidence of Long-Range Transport to New Zealand and Antarctica |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dust Storm Event of February 2019 in Central and East Coast of Australia and Evidence of Long-Range Transport to New Zealand and Antarctica |
| title_short | Dust Storm Event of February 2019 in Central and East Coast of Australia and Evidence of Long-Range Transport to New Zealand and Antarctica |
| title_sort | dust storm event of february 2019 in central and east coast of australia and evidence of long range transport to new zealand and antarctica |
| topic | dust transport australia tasman sea new zealand antarctica wrf-chem calipso modis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/11/653 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hiepducnguyen duststormeventoffebruary2019incentralandeastcoastofaustraliaandevidenceoflongrangetransporttonewzealandandantarctica AT mattriley duststormeventoffebruary2019incentralandeastcoastofaustraliaandevidenceoflongrangetransporttonewzealandandantarctica AT johnleys duststormeventoffebruary2019incentralandeastcoastofaustraliaandevidenceoflongrangetransporttonewzealandandantarctica AT davidsalter duststormeventoffebruary2019incentralandeastcoastofaustraliaandevidenceoflongrangetransporttonewzealandandantarctica |