Mesoscale modeling and satellite observation of transport and mixing of smoke and dust particles over northern sub‐Saharan African region

Zhifeng Yang; Jun Wang; Charles Ichoku; Edward Hyer; Jing Zeng

doi:10.1002/2013JD020644

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Mesoscale modeling and satellite observation of transport and mixing of smoke and dust particles over northern sub‐Saharan African region

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Mesoscale modeling and satellite observation of transport and mixing of smoke and dust particles over northern sub‐Saharan African region

Zhifeng Yang, Jun Wang, Charles Ichoku, Edward Hyer and Jing Zeng

Journal of geophysical research. Atmospheres, Vol.118(21), pp.12,139-12,157

11/16/2013

DOI: 10.1002/2013JD020644

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Abstract

The transport and vertical distribution of smoke and dust aerosols over the northern sub‐Saharan African region are simulated in the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF‐Chem), which uses hourly dynamic smoke emissions from the Fire Locating and Modeling of Burning Emissions database derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) fire products. Model performance for February 2008 is evaluated using MODIS true color images, aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements from the Aerosol Robotic Network, MODIS AOD retrievals, and the Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar data with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) atmospheric backscattering and extinction products. Specification of smoke injection height of 650 m in WRF‐Chem yields aerosol vertical profiles that are most consistent with CALIOP observations of aerosol layer height. Between the equator and 10°N, Saharan dust is often mixed with smoke near the surface, and their transport patterns manifest the interplay of trade winds, subtropical highs, precipitation associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone, and the high mountains located near the Great Rift Valley region. At the 700 hPa level and above, smoke layers spread farther to the north and south and are often above the dust layers over the Sahel region. In some cases, transported smoke can also be mixed with dust over the Saharan region. Statistically, 5% of the CALIOP valid measurements in February 2007–2011 show aerosol layers either above or between the clouds, reinforcing the importance of the aerosol vertical distribution for quantifying aerosol impact on climate in the Sahel region. Key Points Mesoscale modeling of smoke and dust transport and mixing over the Sahel region Constrain smoke injection and model evaluation with CALIOP, MODIS, and AERONET data Smoke often over the dust/cloud layer in Sahel and can mix with dust over Sahara

Smoke and dust

WRFChem mesoscale modeling

MODIS, CALIPSO, and AERONET

Aerosol vertical mixing and transport

Sahel and Sahara

Aerosol above cloud

Details

Title: Subtitle: Mesoscale modeling and satellite observation of transport and mixing of smoke and dust particles over northern sub‐Saharan African region
Creators: Zhifeng Yang - University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Jun Wang - University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Charles Ichoku - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Edward Hyer - Naval Research Laboratory
Jing Zeng - University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of geophysical research. Atmospheres, Vol.118(21), pp.12,139-12,157
DOI: 10.1002/2013JD020644
ISSN: 2169-897X
eISSN: 2169-8996
Number of pages: 19
Language: English
Date published: 11/16/2013
Academic Unit: Electrical and Computer Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Iowa Technology Institute; Physics and Astronomy; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Record Identifier: 9984104910902771

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