Effect of the temperature variation between Mediterranean Sea and Syrian deserts on the dust storm occurrence in the western half of Iran

Abstract

Recent dust storms have caused crises in western Iran, which necessitate the prediction of these storms a few days before their occurrence. This is the first study of its type that analyzes the effect of temperature differences between the Mediterranean Sea surface and Syrian deserts (creation zone of the dusts storms) on the formation of dust storms in the west of Iran. The study also seeks to identify any changes in the atmospheric temperature created by the extreme dust storm of July 5, 2009 in west of Iran (Sanandaj City). In this study, the MODIS images from 2000 to 2008, and particulate matter data of the Sanandaj station from 2008 to 2012 were utilized to identify the dust storm days. The Mediterranean Sea surface temperature data were extracted from NOAA satellites for dust storm days up to four days preceding them. The web site of world weather was used to obtain the temperature of Damascus, Syria station as the selected land station. According to the results, significant differences were acquired between surface temperatures of Damascus station and the Mediterranean Sea in the dust storm days and up to three days before them. As the dust storm days approached, a rising trend was observed in changes of the temperature difference between land and sea. Thermal map analysis of the atmosphere of the Syrian deserts on July 5, 2009 showed significant decrease in the levels of 1000hPa and 500hPa but for the days preceding it no significant changes were observed. It can be concluded that the temperature difference between the Mediterranean Sea surface and the Syrian deserts four days before the dust storm occurrences is the important factor in predicting this event.