Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistry
Desert dust perturbs climate by directly and indirectly interacting with incoming solar and outgoing long wave radiation, thereby changing precipitation and temperature, in addition to modifying ocean and land biogeochemistry. While we know that desert dust is sensitive to perturbations in climate a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2010-11-01
|
| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/10/10875/2010/acp-10-10875-2010.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818359031449780224 |
|---|---|
| author | N. M. Mahowald S. Kloster S. Engelstaedter J. K. Moore S. Mukhopadhyay J. R. McConnell S. Albani S. C. Doney A. Bhattacharya M. A. J. Curran M. G. Flanner F. M. Hoffman D. M. Lawrence K. Lindsay P. A. Mayewski J. Neff D. Rothenberg E. Thomas P. E. Thornton C. S. Zender |
| author_facet | N. M. Mahowald S. Kloster S. Engelstaedter J. K. Moore S. Mukhopadhyay J. R. McConnell S. Albani S. C. Doney A. Bhattacharya M. A. J. Curran M. G. Flanner F. M. Hoffman D. M. Lawrence K. Lindsay P. A. Mayewski J. Neff D. Rothenberg E. Thomas P. E. Thornton C. S. Zender |
| author_sort | N. M. Mahowald |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Desert dust perturbs climate by directly and indirectly interacting with incoming solar and outgoing long wave radiation, thereby changing precipitation and temperature, in addition to modifying ocean and land biogeochemistry. While we know that desert dust is sensitive to perturbations in climate and human land use, previous studies have been unable to determine whether humans were increasing or decreasing desert dust in the global average. Here we present observational estimates of desert dust based on paleodata proxies showing a doubling of desert dust during the 20th century over much, but not all the globe. Large uncertainties remain in estimates of desert dust variability over 20th century due to limited data. Using these observational estimates of desert dust change in combination with ocean, atmosphere and land models, we calculate the net radiative effect of these observed changes (top of atmosphere) over the 20th century to be −0.14 ± 0.11 W/m<sup>2</sup> (1990–1999 vs. 1905–1914). The estimated radiative change due to dust is especially strong between the heavily loaded 1980–1989 and the less heavily loaded 1955–1964 time periods (−0.57 ± 0.46 W/m<sup>2</sup>), which model simulations suggest may have reduced the rate of temperature increase between these time periods by 0.11 °C. Model simulations also indicate strong regional shifts in precipitation and temperature from desert dust changes, causing 6 ppm (12 PgC) reduction in model carbon uptake by the terrestrial biosphere over the 20th century. Desert dust carries iron, an important micronutrient for ocean biogeochemistry that can modulate ocean carbon storage; here we show that dust deposition trends increase ocean productivity by an estimated 6% over the 20th century, drawing down an additional 4 ppm (8 PgC) of carbon dioxide into the oceans. Thus, perturbations to desert dust over the 20th century inferred from observations are potentially important for climate and biogeochemistry, and our understanding of these changes and their impacts should continue to be refined. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T20:38:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a97258376283451b867acefe5126d29c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T20:38:26Z |
| publishDate | 2010-11-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-a97258376283451b867acefe5126d29c2022-12-21T23:32:14ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242010-11-011022108751089310.5194/acp-10-10875-2010Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistryN. M. MahowaldS. KlosterS. EngelstaedterJ. K. MooreS. MukhopadhyayJ. R. McConnellS. AlbaniS. C. DoneyA. BhattacharyaM. A. J. CurranM. G. FlannerF. M. HoffmanD. M. LawrenceK. LindsayP. A. MayewskiJ. NeffD. RothenbergE. ThomasP. E. ThorntonC. S. ZenderDesert dust perturbs climate by directly and indirectly interacting with incoming solar and outgoing long wave radiation, thereby changing precipitation and temperature, in addition to modifying ocean and land biogeochemistry. While we know that desert dust is sensitive to perturbations in climate and human land use, previous studies have been unable to determine whether humans were increasing or decreasing desert dust in the global average. Here we present observational estimates of desert dust based on paleodata proxies showing a doubling of desert dust during the 20th century over much, but not all the globe. Large uncertainties remain in estimates of desert dust variability over 20th century due to limited data. Using these observational estimates of desert dust change in combination with ocean, atmosphere and land models, we calculate the net radiative effect of these observed changes (top of atmosphere) over the 20th century to be −0.14 ± 0.11 W/m<sup>2</sup> (1990–1999 vs. 1905–1914). The estimated radiative change due to dust is especially strong between the heavily loaded 1980–1989 and the less heavily loaded 1955–1964 time periods (−0.57 ± 0.46 W/m<sup>2</sup>), which model simulations suggest may have reduced the rate of temperature increase between these time periods by 0.11 °C. Model simulations also indicate strong regional shifts in precipitation and temperature from desert dust changes, causing 6 ppm (12 PgC) reduction in model carbon uptake by the terrestrial biosphere over the 20th century. Desert dust carries iron, an important micronutrient for ocean biogeochemistry that can modulate ocean carbon storage; here we show that dust deposition trends increase ocean productivity by an estimated 6% over the 20th century, drawing down an additional 4 ppm (8 PgC) of carbon dioxide into the oceans. Thus, perturbations to desert dust over the 20th century inferred from observations are potentially important for climate and biogeochemistry, and our understanding of these changes and their impacts should continue to be refined.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/10/10875/2010/acp-10-10875-2010.pdf |
| spellingShingle | N. M. Mahowald S. Kloster S. Engelstaedter J. K. Moore S. Mukhopadhyay J. R. McConnell S. Albani S. C. Doney A. Bhattacharya M. A. J. Curran M. G. Flanner F. M. Hoffman D. M. Lawrence K. Lindsay P. A. Mayewski J. Neff D. Rothenberg E. Thomas P. E. Thornton C. S. Zender Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistry Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistry |
| title_full | Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistry |
| title_fullStr | Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistry |
| title_short | Observed 20th century desert dust variability: impact on climate and biogeochemistry |
| title_sort | observed 20th century desert dust variability impact on climate and biogeochemistry |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/10/10875/2010/acp-10-10875-2010.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nmmahowald observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT skloster observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT sengelstaedter observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT jkmoore observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT smukhopadhyay observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT jrmcconnell observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT salbani observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT scdoney observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT abhattacharya observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT majcurran observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT mgflanner observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT fmhoffman observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT dmlawrence observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT klindsay observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT pamayewski observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT jneff observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT drothenberg observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT ethomas observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT pethornton observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry AT cszender observed20thcenturydesertdustvariabilityimpactonclimateandbiogeochemistry |