Radiation and temperature effects of the intensive injection of dust aerosol into the atmosphere

Abstract

Based on the measurements at the AERONET station (Ilorin, Nigeria), quantitative estimates of radiation and temperature effects of dust aerosol during the intensive sand storm in the Sahara Desert from January 28 to February 6, 2000, are obtained. The model used in calculations implies particles of dust aerosol being no more than 15 μm in radius (according to the data from AERONET station); another model takes into account large particles (LPs) up to 60 μm in radius and involves a spectral variation in the OPAC refraction index. In the short infrared region, the optical thickness of aerosol weakening increases with LPs taken into account in the aerosol model; the albedo of aerosol single scattering reduces in comparison to the respective optical parameters of the first model. Dust aerosol cools the earth’s surface. In the presence of LPs in dust aerosol, the surface-atmosphere system can both cool and warm, while if LPs less than 15 μm in size are not taken into account, the surface cools. The rate of cooling of the 10-m near-surface atmospheric layer ΔT/Δt changes in the interval of −(4–21)°C/day without the influence of LPs over 15 μm in size on solar radiation transfer taken into account; if this influence is taken into account, the rate is −(6–36)°C/day. In the long infrared region, the surface-atmosphere system warms more intensively if LPs are taken into account by the aerosol model. The heating rate of the 10-m near-surface atmospheric layer does not exceed ~0.5°C/day during the entire period of dust emission without LPs taken into account (AERONET algorithm); if LPs are taken into account (modeling results), heating rate reaches a maximal value of ~0.6°C/day.