Speaker
Description
Sand and dust storms (SDS) and emissions are extreme weather events that can silently cross borders and impact millions globally. The SDS can pose threats to environmental and human health across all continents. These storms arise from complex interactions between atmospheric and land factors, with soil properties playing a pivotal role in their formation, intensity and consequence impacts. Soil, as a porous medium, governs the mobilization of SDS particles by wind, and its moisture content is a critical element in reducing erosion caused by winds. Soil moisture binds particles together, thereby reducing the likelihood of SDS events. On the other hand, dry and degraded soils become more vulnerable to wind erosion, increasing the frequency and intensity of SDS. Recognizing the importance of mitigating SDS events and impacts, the United Nations has declared 2025–2034 as the Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms.
Among various sources of data for monitoring SDS, NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) satellite provides valuable global-scale, daily observations of dust storm location and intensity. In this study, we analyze more than 47 terabytes of AIRS data spanning a 22-year period to identify spatiotemporal trends in dust storms at a global scale. This dataset comprises approximately 2 million HDF files, each with an average size of 25 MB. By employing a parallel computing scheme, we process these extensive datasets efficiently to estimate the global evolution of dust storm activity over time.
Our findings reveal a strong correlation between decreasing water equivalent height (WEH), decreasing soil moisture levels and the increasing occurrence of dust storms. Specifically, regions exhibiting more negative values in WEH are becoming significant sources of dust emissions. This indicates that water availability in the soil plays a crucial role in suppressing dust storms. Additionally, our study highlights the potential of satellite-based observations in providing actionable insights into SDS dynamics, contributing to more effective mitigation strategies. Understanding the interplay between soil moisture, land degradation, and dust storm emissions is essential for developing adaptive measures to reduce the environmental and societal impacts of these transboundary phenomena.
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Water & Porous Media Focused Abstracts | This abstract is related to Water |
| Acceptance of the Terms & Conditions | Click here to agree |
