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| Titel |
African dust outbreaks over the western Mediterranean Basin: 11-year characterization of atmospheric circulation patterns and dust source areas |
| VerfasserIn |
P. Salvador, S. Alonso-Pérez, J. Pey, B. Artíñano, J. J. de Bustos, A. Alastuey, X. Querol |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1680-7316
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ; 14, no. 13 ; Nr. 14, no. 13 (2014-07-03), S.6759-6775 |
| Datensatznummer |
250118861
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/acp-14-6759-2014.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
The occurrence of African dust outbreaks over different areas of the western
Mediterranean Basin were identified on an 11-year period (2001–2011). The
main atmospheric circulation patterns causing the transport of African air
masses were characterized by means of an objective classification methodology
of atmospheric variable fields. Next, the potential source areas of mineral
dust, associated to each circulation pattern were identified by trajectory
statistical methods. Finally, an impact index was calculated to estimate the
incidence of the African dust outbreaks produced during each circulation
pattern, in the areas of study.
Four circulation types were obtained (I–IV) and three main potential
source areas of African dust were identified (Western Sahara and Morocco;
Algeria; northeastern Algeria and Tunisia). The circulation pattern I
(24% of the total number of episodic days) produced the transport of dust
mainly in summer from Western Sahara, southern Morocco and Tunisia. The
circulation pattern IV (33%) brings dust mainly from areas of northern
and southern Algeria in summer and autumn, respectively. The circulation
pattern II (31%) favored the transport of dust predominantly from
northern Algeria, both in spring and summer. Finally, the circulation type III
was the less frequently observed (12%). It occurred mainly in spring
and with less intensity in winter, carrying dust from Western Sahara and
southern Morocco.
Our findings point out that the most intense episodes over the western
Mediterranean Basin were produced in the summer period by the circulation
type I (over the western side of the Iberian Peninsula) and the circulation
type IV (over the central and eastern sides of the Iberian Peninsula and the
Balearic Islands). |
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