Journal article
Spatio-temporal changes of spring-summer dust AOD over the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East: Reversal of dust trends and associated meteorological effects
Atmospheric research, Vol.281, 106509
01/2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106509
Abstract
High dust concentrations in the Eastern Mediterranean - Middle East (EMME) region have serious effects on air quality, human health and climate. This study used long-term aerosol datasets during the main dusty season (April–July: AMJJ) over the EMME from 2000 to 2020, based on Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Terra-C6.1, Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2), and Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service Reanalysis (CAMSRA) retrievals and analyzed the spatio-temporal variations and trends of dust, as well as the influencing factors. The dust aerosol optical depth (DAOD) experienced a significant upward trend during 2000–2010, followed by a significant decrease during 2010–2017. After 2017 and till 2020, the DAOD presented rather a stable trend. Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) data in the EMME region display trends compatible to those of both MERRA-2 and CAMSRA DAOD. The DAOD trends were linked to changes in regional meteorological parameters in the EMME. A significant downward trend in AMJJ sea-level pressure (SLP) during the early period (2000−2010) induced hot and dry winds from desert regions towards the EMME, which reduced relative humidity (RH) and raised temperature, thus favored soil drying and dust outbreaks through enhancing evaporation. In contrast, a significant increase in winter SLP during the late period (2010–2017), accompanying an increase in North Atlantic Oscillation index, induced cold, wet winds from northwest regions, which increased RH and lowered temperature, thus reducing dust loading in EMME. Positive anomalies in winter soil moisture persisted in the following AMJJ, and consequently suppressed dust activity. DAOD variability over the dust-prone regions was linked to various meteorological parameters via a multiple linear regression (MLR) model. The results show that climatic variability strongly affects the dust trends and contribute to better understanding of meteorological – dust dynamics in the EMME region.
•Long-term aerosols trend over Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East was investigated using MODIS, CAMSRA, and MERRA-2.•The dust-AOD in the EMME region increased during 2000–2010, while dropped sharply afterward.•The trend reversal of dust-AOD during 2010–2017 was mainly attributed to the changes in last-year winter meteorology.•Historical dust-AOD variability was well reproduced.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Spatio-temporal changes of spring-summer dust AOD over the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East: Reversal of dust trends and associated meteorological effects
- Creators
- Abdallah Shaheen - Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources ResearchRenguang Wu - Zhejiang UniversityRobabeh Yousefi - Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources ResearchFang Wang - Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources ResearchQuansheng Ge - Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources ResearchDimitris G. Kaskaoutis - National Observatory of AthensJun Wang - University of IowaPinhas Alpert - Tel Aviv UniversityIqra Munawar - Nanjing University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Atmospheric research, Vol.281, 106509
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106509
- ISSN
- 0169-8095
- eISSN
- 1873-2895
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2023
- Academic Unit
- Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984319358102771
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