Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015
The extreme dust storm that affected the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 resulted in record-breaking dust loads over Cyprus with aerosol optical depth exceeding 5.0 at 550 nm. We analyse this event using profiles from the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET)...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2017-03-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/4063/2017/acp-17-4063-2017.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818862932423868416 |
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| author | S. Solomos A. Ansmann R.-E. Mamouri I. Binietoglou P. Patlakas E. Marinou V. Amiridis |
| author_facet | S. Solomos A. Ansmann R.-E. Mamouri I. Binietoglou P. Patlakas E. Marinou V. Amiridis |
| author_sort | S. Solomos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The extreme dust storm that affected the Middle East and the
eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 resulted in record-breaking dust
loads over Cyprus with aerosol optical depth exceeding 5.0 at 550 nm. We
analyse this event using profiles from the European Aerosol Research Lidar
Network (EARLINET) and the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder
Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), geostationary observations from
the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared
Imager (SEVIRI), and high-resolution simulations from the Regional
Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). The analysis of modelling and remote sensing
data reveals the main mechanisms that resulted in the generation and
persistence of the dust cloud over the Middle East and Cyprus. A combination of
meteorological and surface processes is found, including (a) the development of a thermal low in the area of Syria that results in unstable atmospheric
conditions and dust mobilization in this area, (b) the convective activity
over northern Iraq that triggers the formation of westward-moving haboobs
that merge with the previously elevated dust layer, and (c) the changes in
land use due to war in the areas of northern Iraq and Syria that enhance
dust erodibility. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T10:07:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7c1a7d8af1d44a68aff9eb765df3c63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T10:07:43Z |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7c1a7d8af1d44a68aff9eb765df3c632022-12-21T20:26:27ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242017-03-011764063407910.5194/acp-17-4063-2017Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015S. Solomos0A. Ansmann1R.-E. Mamouri2I. Binietoglou3P. Patlakas4E. Marinou5V. Amiridis6Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing (IAASARS), National Observatory of Athens, Athens, GreeceLeibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, GermanyDepartment of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, CyprusInstitute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing (IAASARS), National Observatory of Athens, Athens, GreeceSchool of Physics, Division of Environment and Meteorology, University of Athens, Athens, GreeceInstitute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing (IAASARS), National Observatory of Athens, Athens, GreeceInstitute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing (IAASARS), National Observatory of Athens, Athens, GreeceThe extreme dust storm that affected the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 resulted in record-breaking dust loads over Cyprus with aerosol optical depth exceeding 5.0 at 550 nm. We analyse this event using profiles from the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) and the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), geostationary observations from the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI), and high-resolution simulations from the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). The analysis of modelling and remote sensing data reveals the main mechanisms that resulted in the generation and persistence of the dust cloud over the Middle East and Cyprus. A combination of meteorological and surface processes is found, including (a) the development of a thermal low in the area of Syria that results in unstable atmospheric conditions and dust mobilization in this area, (b) the convective activity over northern Iraq that triggers the formation of westward-moving haboobs that merge with the previously elevated dust layer, and (c) the changes in land use due to war in the areas of northern Iraq and Syria that enhance dust erodibility.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/4063/2017/acp-17-4063-2017.pdf |
| spellingShingle | S. Solomos A. Ansmann R.-E. Mamouri I. Binietoglou P. Patlakas E. Marinou V. Amiridis Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 |
| title_full | Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 |
| title_fullStr | Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 |
| title_short | Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 |
| title_sort | remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the middle east and eastern mediterranean in september 2015 |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/4063/2017/acp-17-4063-2017.pdf |
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