Meteorological Phenomena Research Articles

The vernacularization of Paduan medicine and philosophy in the seventeenth century: Troilo Lancetta's Raccolta medica, et astrologica

AbstractIn 1645 Troilo Lancetta saw to the publication of a compilation of texts, Raccolta medica, et astrologica, under the anagrammatic and implausible pseudonym Lootri Nacattel. Most of these texts were translations into the Italian vernacular. They include writings by Girolamo Cardano; Hippocrates; Aristotle, and his commentators; Girolamo Fracastoro; Lancetta’s teacher, the philosopher Cesare Cremonini; and a handful of ancient Greek and Latin historians, in addition to excerpts from Lancetta’s medical writings. The presentation of the selected texts advances a set of polemics against the practice of bloodletting as a cure for fevers and against astrology, especially its use in medicine. The collection employs a range of authorities both classical and recent to bring anti‐Galenic and anti‐astrological teachings, already present in the University of Padua, to a broader readership. This transfer reinforced Lancetta’s identity as an erudite expert in philosophy and in medicine, an identity that he cultivated in other publishing endeavors, which included Latin editions of Cremonini’s psychological and dialectical writings. Lancetta’s Raccolta reflects a sophisticated employment of medical humanism, which used Aristotelian and Hippocratic texts to undermine interpretations of Galen and promoted Cremonini’s teachings about Meteorology as part of arguments about the subalternation of medicine to philosophy, the vanity of astrology, and the denial of the predictive power of prodigious meteorological phenomena.

Influence of particulate matter on air quality due to “Nortes” events in the Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico is a region of great international importance, as well as the movement of ships that occur in it, with the port of Veracruz being the most important and currently being expanded. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of the particulate matter resulting from this expansion, considering the “Nortes” effect that occurs annually from September to May in the Gulf of Mexico. Four periods of “Nortes” were evaluated from 2017 to 2020 were evaluated, identifying 52 events to examine their influence on air quality. Using in situ meteorological parameters and the HYSPLIT model's cluster reanalysis database, 15 “Nortes” events were linked to measurements from the air quality monitoring station located at the port. The results reveal that “Nortes” events influence poor air quality due to particulate matter within a 30 by 30 km grid, as simulated by the CALPUFF dispersion model. This was attributed to particulate matter resuspension caused by wind speeds exceeding 11 m/s within an 8 km downwind from the expansion area. A concentration range of particulate matter of 60–70 μg/m3 was associated with the effect “Nortes” at the air quality monitoring station and the CALPUFF model. However, maximum concentrations ranged from 1,030 to 2,800 μg/m3 at different receptors, as indicated by the CALPUFF model. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for the impact of meteorological phenomena on air quality during the expansion and operation of ports around the world.

Response and resilience of karst subterranean estuary communities to precipitation impacts.

The impact of meteorological phenomena on ecosystem communities of karst subterranean estuaries (KSEs) remains unknown. KSEs are characterized by vertically stratified groundwater separated by a halocline and host endemic aquatic cave-adapted fauna (stygobionts). In October 2015, 8 days of heavy precipitation caused the first recorded mortality event in the KSE. This event was marked by a halocline shift 5 m deeper. The present study aimed to provide insights into resilience of KSEs faunal communities to temporal shifts in temperature and precipitation. Cave water temperature decreased on average 0.0068°C per mm of accumulated precipitation over 4 days, which can add up to, and surpass, the interannual temperature variation in cases of heavy precipitations. Biological surveys (2012-2021) conducted within cave systems El Aerolito and La Quebrada, in Cozumel, indicated that change in community structure was not detected and stygobionts were resilient; however, marine species inhabiting the caves were impacted. Overall, the faunal community at KSEs remains resilient within short-term meteorological phenomena despite shifts of non-stygobionts.

A Framework for Comparisons of Downburst Precursor Observations Using an All-Digital Phased-Array Weather Radar

Abstract Downbursts are rapidly evolving meteorological phenomena with numerous vertically oriented precursor signatures, and the temporal resolution and vertical sampling of the current NEXRAD system are too coarse to observe their evolution and precursor signatures properly. A future all-digital polarimetric phased-array weather radar (PAR) should be able to improve both temporal resolution and spatial sampling of the atmosphere to provide better observations of rapidly evolving hazards such as downbursts. Previous work has been focused on understanding the trade-offs associated with using various scanning techniques on stationary PARs; however, a rotating, polarimetric PAR (RPAR) is a more feasible and cost-effective candidate. Thus, understanding the trade-offs associated with using various scanning techniques on an RPAR is vital in learning how to best observe downbursts with such a system. This work develops a framework for analyzing the trade-offs associated with different scanning strategies in the observation of downbursts and their precursor signatures. A proof-of-concept analysis—which uses a Cloud Model 1 (CM1)-simulated downburst-producing thunderstorm—is also performed with both conventional and imaging scanning strategies in an adaptive scanning framework to show the potential value and feasibility of the framework. Preliminary results from the proof-of-concept analysis indicate that there is indeed a limit to the benefits of imaging as an update time speedup method. As imaging is used to achieve larger speedup factors, corresponding data degradation begins to hinder the observations of various precursor signatures.

Evaluating the effect of deposition conditions on the local wear resistance of cold sprayed stainless steel coatings

The useful service life of metallic structures is affected by the exposure to the meteorological phenomena. In this sense, the continuous impact of particles suspended in the atmosphere could produce microscratches on the surfaces of these components, generating several wear degradations. These damaged surfaces can be repaired in order to increase their service life, avoiding component replacement and reducing the environmental impact. Recently, coatings deposition by cold spray has been revealed as a promising strategy for repairing damaged components. Therefore, the main objective of this work is focused on the analysis of wear resistance against micro-scratching in metallic coatings. For this purpose, 316L stainless steel powders were deposited onto low carbon steel S355J2 by cold spray, varying the pressure and temperature of the propellant gas. Nanoindentation tests were carried out to determine hardness and elastic modulus. The wear rates and the friction coefficients were measured through microscratch tests using a Berkovich tip. The wear mechanisms were analysed evaluating the scratch grooves in the scanning electron microscope. Finally, the relationship between hardness and wear rate was determined.

ҚАЗАҚСТАННЫҢ ШЫҒЫСЫНДА АҢЫЗАҚТАРДЫҢ ТАРАЛУ ЕРЕКШЕЛІКТЕРІ

In the research work, the peculiarities of the spread of a meteorological phenomenon dangerous for agriculture – the dry wind in the territory of Eastern Kazakhstan are considered. To achieve this goal, on the basis of long-term data, favorable conditions for the dry wind and the number of days that have passed with the dry season were calculated. In addition, the features of the distribution of the main climatic indicators in the East Kazakhstan region were described. According to the results of the study, during the year favorable meteorological conditions for dry wind are formed in the period from April to November, and the phenomenon of dry wind occurs in May-September. According to the results of calculations, on average, during the warm period of the year in the east of Kazakhstan, the number of favorable conditions for dry wind reaches 60 days, and the number of cases with dry wind reaches 30 days. And in mountainous areas, where there is no shortage of humidity, dry wind is not observed (MS Markakolsky Reserve, Leninogorsk). The areas where the dry wind phenomenon is most often observed correspond to flat and low-mountainous areas with low relative humidity and high wind speed (MS Akzhar, Ayagoz). The results obtained during the research work can be used by specialists working in the field of agriculture, climate research and forecasting of dangerous agrometeorological phenomena.

Modelling the impact of trapped lee waves on offshore wind farm power output

Abstract. Mesoscale meteorological phenomena, including atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) and including trapped lee waves (TLWs), can result from flow over topography or coastal transition in the presence of stable atmospheric stratification, particularly with strong capping inversions. Satellite images show that topographically forced TLWs frequently occur around near-coastal offshore wind farms. Yet current understanding of how they interact with individual turbines and whole farm energy output is limited. This parametric study investigates the potential impact of TLWs on a UK near-coastal offshore wind farm, Westermost Rough (WMR), resulting from westerly–southwesterly flow over topography in the southeast of England. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling (using Ansys CFX) of TLW situations based on real atmospheric conditions at WMR was used to better understand turbine level and whole wind farm performance in this parametric study based on real inflow conditions. These simulations indicated that TLWs have the potential to significantly alter the wind speeds experienced by and the resultant power output of individual turbines and the whole wind farm. The location of the wind farm in the TLW wave cycle was an important factor in determining the magnitude of TLW impacts, given the expected wavelength of the TLW. Where the TLW trough was coincident with the wind farm, the turbine wind speeds and power outputs were more substantially reduced compared with when the TLW peak was coincident with the location of the wind farm. These reductions were mediated by turbine wind speeds and wake losses being superimposed on the TLW. However, the same initial flow conditions interacting with topography under different atmospheric stability settings produce differing near-wind-farm flow. Factors influencing the flow within the wind farm under the different stability conditions include differing, hill and coastal transition recovery, wind farm blockage effects, and wake recovery. Determining how much of the differences in wind speed and power output in the wind farm resulted from the TLW is an area for future development.

Tactical Features of Operation of the Specialized Anti-Epidemic Team of the Rospotrebnadzor on the Territory of the Republic of Crimea under Conditions Characteristic of a Combined Emergency

The tactics of activities of the specialized anti-epidemic team (SAET) of the Rospotrebnadzor on the territory of the Republic of Crimea has been determined by the conditions of emergency situation of sanitary-epidemiological and natural character. The aim of the work was to analyze the features and effectiveness of the functional response of the Rospotrebnadzor SAET to the dynamics of epidemiological risks caused by emergency of combined nature in the Republic of Crimea in 2020–2021. Materials and methods. We used report materials of the Rospotrebnadzor SAET; information materials of the Interregional Rospotrebnadzor Administration in the Republic of Crimea and the Federal city of Sevastopol; “Coronavirus Monitor” service data. Results and discussion. Tactical decisions on the work of the SAET on the territory of the Republic of Crimea had the stage-by-stage nature. In the event of a complication of the epidemiological situation on the new coronavirus infection, a mobile group of the SAET was involved. Together with specialists from the Plague Control Station of the Republic of Crimea, it conducted 211 148 studies of clinical material to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA using PCR during the period of 2020–2021. In response to the emergence of additional risks caused by the consequences of a dangerous meteorological phenomenon, the group of SAET specialists was reinforced and mobile complex (MС) of the SAET was deployed. During the entire course of work, a prolonged target rotation of personnel was implemented in order to provide for adequate laboratory support for monitoring upon epidemiological indications in accordance with the nature of emerging risks. That tactics of operation made it possible to conduct 18 591 screening studies of clinical material for acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI), natural-focal and acute intestinal infections (AII), as well as the study of 280 water samples for cholera. Introduction of the sequence of operational procedures adapted for work in emergency situations resulted in isolation of 10 Vibrio cholerae O1 ctxA–</sup tcpA–/em> strains from water bodies. The phased involvement of the mobile group of SAET specialists, and later the MC of the SAET, in combination with the consistent operational target rotation of personnel in order to provide adequate laboratory support for monitoring studies, determined the tactical features of the SAET functioning. Prompt investigation, substantiation of potential and response to realized (actual) epidemiological risks associated with the extraordinary situation made it possible to prevent complications of the epidemiological situation in the territory of the tourist cluster of the Russian Federation.

ANALYSIS OF THE FEATURES OF PROCESSING ALGORITHMS OF EXTERNAL TRAJECTOR INFORMATION RECEIVED OF THE MFTR-2100/40 RADAR SYSTEM

The peculiarities of processing measurement information received by the MFTR-2100/40 radar system as part of a mobile polygon measuring and computing complex are considered. After processing, the results of external trajectory measurements obtained using the radar channel are used to determine the parameters of samples of weapons and military equipment.
 The factors that worsen the process of measurement by the radar system are analyzed. Analyzed processing parameters in the WinTrack software, which can be interpreted ambiguously by the operator and lead to false results. Recommendations are provided for the use of the MFTR-2100/40 radar system, taking into account meteorological phenomena.
 The presented results will provide an opportunity for more qualitative and effective testing and certification of weapons and military equipment offered for supply to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Towards the Accurate Automatic Detection of Mesoscale Convective Systems in Remote Sensing Data: From Data Mining to Deep Learning Models and Their Applications

Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) and associated hazardous meteorological phenomena cause considerable economic damage and even loss of lives in the mid-latitudes. The mechanisms behind the formation and intensification of MCSs are still not well understood due to limited observational data and inaccurate climate models. Improving the prediction and understanding of MCSs is a high-priority area in hydrometeorology. One may study MCSs either employing high-resolution atmospheric modeling or through the analysis of remote sensing images which are known to reflect some of the characteristics of MCSs, including high temperature gradients of cloud-top, specific spatial shapes of temperature patterns, etc. However, research on MCSs using remote sensing data is limited by inadequate (in size) databases of satellite-identified MCSs and poorly equipped automated tools for MCS identification and tracking. In this study, we present (a) the GeoAnnotateAssisted tool for fast and convenient visual identification of MCSs in satellite imagery, which is capable of providing AI-generated suggestions of MCS labels; (b) the Dataset of Mesoscale Convective Systems over the European Territory of Russia (DaMesCoS-ETR), which we created using this tool, and (c) the Deep Convolutional Neural Network for the Identification of Mesoscale Convective Systems (MesCoSNet), constructed following the RetinaNet architecture, which is capable of identifying MCSs in Meteosat MSG/SEVIRI data. We demonstrate that our neural network, optimized in terms of its hyperparameters, provides high MCS identification quality (mAP=0.75, true positive rate TPR=0.61) and a well-specified detection uncertainty (false alarm ratio FAR=0.36). Additionally, we demonstrate potential applications of the GeoAnnotateAssisted labelling tool, the DaMesCoS-ETR dataset, and the MesCoSNet neural network in addressing MCS research challenges. Specifically, we present the climatology of axisymmetric MCSs over the European territory of Russia from 2014 to 2020 during summer seasons (May to September), obtained using MesCoSNet with Meteosat MSG/SEVIRI data. The automated identification of MCSs by the MesCoSNet artificial neural network opens up new avenues for previously unattainable MCS research topics.

Weather as cinema

This article analyzes weather as enabler of, and able to make, cinematic art. I begin by exploring philosophies of weather and air, and then look at early films where meteoro-logical phenomena receive acute attention alongside related media analyses. Afterwards I analyze two artworks, by Madge Evers and Anna Scime. Each was made by mush-rooms sporifying on receptive media, respectively paper and analog film. This article includes original interviews with both artists.I identify fresh ways of understanding cinema but also weatherly and fungal creativity. Analyzing such artworks, I also think about how artists can develop art practices able to galvanize instead of eviscerate futurity. Consequently, I not only investigate more-than-human creativity, but explore how cinema can facilitate instead of block ecological heal-ing.

‘Meteorology’ and ‘meteors’ across centuries: a short history of two problematic terms

Abstract The article is dedicated to meaning variations and transformations in the terms meteorology and meteor from antiquity to the present. It is argued that the use of the word meteor as a noun denoting a specific meteorological phenomenon only became established in the Renaissance, as the Greek adjective μετέωρος ‘raised, aloft’ in the substantivized neuter form was originally used in the plural to denote objects in the high in a very general way and in the singular to denote an area, not an object. In the Middle Ages, in contrast, it was the Latin terms impressio or passio that were generally employed to denote meteorological phenomena. An emphasis is also placed on how the term meteorology was problematic in a way from the very beginning, rather than only today, when the term meteor has become more astronomical than meteorological in its first meaning, and efforts have been made to replace the name of the science with completely different terms.

Geolocalization of apiaries in areas at risk of natural disasters using Geographic Information Systems in Villa Clara, Cuba

The honey bee depends on environmental conditions for its optimal development, its food base must be in healthy ecosystems and in equilibrium with diverse and abundant blooms, as well as abundant water. Cuba is exposed to different natural hazards and is affected every year by extreme meteorological phenomena. The objective of the study was to georeferenced apiaries in areas at risk to natural disasters in order to establish beekeeping reorganization and mitigation measures based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The work was carried out in Villa Clara province, Cuba. 100% of the apiaries and beehives were identified and an informative platform was created to locate them with the agroecosystem and their environment. The program Quantum GIS (QGIS, 2013) version 3.2.1 was used, a commercial and free GIS package for the basics of geospatial research, which made it possible to create an interactive platform of thematic layers for the evaluation and geographic analysis in relation to the apiaries and their environmental surroundings. The design of the information platform with thematic layers based on GIS facilitated the visualization of areas densely populated by beehives with bee colonies, the integral analysis of beekeeping agroecosystems, the identification and georeferencing of apiaries in areas at risk from natural disasters, and made it possible to establish measures for beekeeping reorganization and mitigation of meteorological events, such as flooding due to heavy rains, sea penetration, strong winds, and forest fires.

Comparison of Ratioing and RCNA Methods in the Detection of Flooded Areas Using Sentinel 2 Imagery (Case Study: Tulun, Russia)

Climate change and natural disasters caused by hydrological, meteorological, and climatic phenomena have a significant impact on cities. Russia, a continental country with a vast territory of complex geographic–ecological environments and highly variable climatic conditions, is subject to substantial and frequent natural disasters. On 29 June 2019, an extreme precipitation event occurred in the city of Tulun in the Irkutsk oblast, Russian Federation, which caused flooding due to the increase in the water level of the Iya River that passes through the city, leaving many infrastructures destroyed and thousands of people affected. This study aims to determine the flooded areas in the city of Tulun based on two change detection methods: Radiometric Rotation Controlled by No-change Axis (RCNA) and Ratioing, using Sentinel 2 images obtained before the event (19 June 2019) and during the flood peak (29 June 2019). The results obtained by the two methodologies were compared through cross-classification, and a 98% similarity was found in the classification of the areas. The study was validated based on photointerpretation of Google Earth images. The methodology presented proved to be useful for the automatic precession of flooded areas in a straightforward, but rigorous, manner. This allows stakeholders to efficiently manage areas that are buffeted by flooding episodes.

Usage of Methanol Fuel Cells to Reduce Power Outages in the Etelä-Savo Region, Finland

The operation of the electricity grid can be heavily affected by unexpected meteorological phenomena which generate emergency situations that cause extensive outages. This often has to do with weather-related events. In several places in the world, an electricity network operator is responsible for fairly compensating end-users. In Finland, there are areas where these weather-related impacts are significantly harsher than those in other areas. Based on this and historic data, the applicability and viability of a high-temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) backup power system was studied in order to assess the opportunity for its installation in the affected municipalities and regions. When implemented on a larger scale, from both technoeconomic and social perspectives, such systems have the potential to yield significant benefits. Compared to a diesel generator, the HT-PEMFC produced nearly half of the volume of CO2 and its fuel costs were six times smaller; however, it remains inapplicable to individual detached households.

Geological elements in the in thirteenth-century treatise “La Composizione del Mondo” (The composition of the World) by Ristoro d’Arezzo

This contribution analyses the geological elements sensu lato found in the “La composizione del mondo colle sue cascioni” (The composition of the world with its causes) written by Ristoro d’Arezzo at the end of the thirteenth century. In the treatise is possible to find numerous references to ‘geological’ products and processes ranging, from the shape and structure of the Earth, distribution of emerged lands and seas, geomorphology, sedimentology, to earthquakes and meteorological phenomena, formation and erosion of mountains, references to specific lithotypes and their formation. Most of these phenomena and interpretative hypotheses are essentially inherited from the Meteorologica of the master Aristotle. The Composition of the Word represents an open window on the ‘scientific’ naturalistic-astronomical knowledge at the end of the thirteenth century, in a crucial stage of rediscovery of Aristotelian hypotheses and of his commentators, representing the foundation ofall the knowledge and advances of the western world. Even if in the opening Book Ristoro rejects the use ofmiracles to explain nature, the author resorts to the central action of the Heaven as the main shaping agent for Earth structure, living beings, mountains, and mines. Furthermore, God is present throughout the text along with the concept of the scala naturae, with humans representing the pinnacle of perfection among living beings. However, Ristoro can be considered among the first ‘disseminators’ of science, presenting in vernacular Italian the theories of ancient thinkers and thus allowing access to this interpretative world to a wider audience. Furthermore, Ristoro did not limit himself to simply report the theories of past authors, but especially with regard to geological processes (mountain formation, explanation of fossils, mineralizations), he provided completely original interpretations which indicate a direct analytical observation of the natural world. The treatise by Ristoro was certainly the basis for authors of the following centuries with regard to natural phenomena in general and astronomical ones in particular, with influences certainly on contemporary and slightly later authors such as Brunetto Latini and Dante Alighieri.

Machine Learning for Fog-and-Low-Stratus Nowcasting from Meteosat SEVIRI Satellite Images

Fog and low stratus (FLS) are meteorological phenomena that have a significant impact on all ways of transportation and public safety. Due to their similarity, they are often grouped together as a single category when viewed from a satellite perspective. The early detection of these phenomena is crucial to reduce the negative effects that they can cause. This paper presents an image-based approach for the short-term nighttime forecasting of FLS during the next 5 h over Morocco, based on geostationary satellite observations (Meteosat SEVIRI). To achieve this, a dataset of hourly night microphysics RGB product was generated from native files covering the nighttime cold season (October to April) of the 5-year period (2016–2020). Two optical flow techniques (sparse and dense) and three deep learning techniques (CNN, Unet and ConvLSTM) were used, and the performance of the developed models was assessed using mean squared error (MSE) and structural similarity index measure (SSIM) metrics. Hourly observations from Meteorological Aviation Routine Weather Reports (METAR) over Morocco were used to qualitatively compare the FLS existence in METAR, where it is also shown by the RGB product. Results analysis show that deep learning techniques outperform the traditional optical flow method with SSIM and MSE of about 0.6 and 0.3, respectively. Deep learning techniques show promising results during the first three hours. However, their performance is highly dependent on the number of filters and the computing resources, while sparse optical flow is found to be very sensitive to mask definition on the target phenomenon.

საშიში მეტეოროლოგიური მოვლენები მცხეთა-მთიანეთის რეგიონში

Dangerous and unfavorable meteorological phenomena that affect the economy of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region and the economic activity of the population are discussed: strong wind, snowstorm, fog, intense, heavy and catastrophic precipitation, hail. Statistical characteristics of these events (mean, largest, duration, intensity, probability) are established. The results obtained are recommended for use in planning civil and industrial buildings, communications, power lines and pipelines, and other works.

Attribution of Extreme Drought Events and Associated Physical Drivers across Southwest China Using the Budyko Framework

Drought is a meteorological phenomenon that negatively impacts agricultural production. In recent years, southwest China has frequently experienced agricultural droughts; these have significantly impacted the economy and the ecological environment. Although several studies have been conducted on agricultural droughts, few have examined the factors driving agricultural droughts from the perspective of water and energy balance. This study aimed to address this gap by utilizing the Standardized Soil Moisture Index (SSMI) and the Budyko model to investigate agricultural drought in southwest China. The study identified four areas in Southwest China with a high incidence of agricultural drought from 2000 to 2020. Yunnan and the Sichuan-Chongqing border regions experienced drought in 10% of the months during the study period, while Guangxi and Guizhou had around 8% of months with drought. The droughts in these regions exhibited distinct seasonal characteristics, with Yunnan experiencing significantly higher drought frequency than other periods from January to June, while Guizhou and other areas were prone to severe droughts in summer and autumn. The Budyko model is widely used as the mainstream international framework for studying regional water and energy balance. In this research, the Budyko model was applied to analyze the water and energy balance characteristics in several arid regions of southwest China using drought monitoring data. Results indicate that the water and energy balances in Yunnan and Sichuan-Chongqing are more moisture-constrained, whereas those in Guizhou and Guangxi are relatively stable, suggesting lower susceptibility to extreme droughts. Furthermore, during severe drought periods, evapotranspiration becomes a dominant component of the water cycle, while available water resources such as soil moisture decrease. After comparing the causes of drought and non-drought years, it was found that the average rainfall in southwest China is approximately 30% below normal during drought years, and the temperature is 1–2% higher than normal. These phenomena are most noticeable during the spring and winter months. Additionally, vegetation transpiration is about 10% greater than normal during dry years in Southwest China, and soil evaporation increases by about 5% during the summer and autumn months compared to normal conditions.

Economic and environmental solutions for the PV solar energy potential in Spain

Solar photovoltaic plants have become one of the most widely used installations for generating electricity in a sustainable manner. However, their optimization in terms of production and economics depends on various factors, such as meteorological phenomena specific to the selected site. Selecting the right location is fundamental, and therefore in this work we developed a geographical map for choosing the optimal sites on the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands (Spain) where build photovoltaic plants, considering the photovoltaic potential, the orography of the terrain and the losses caused by dust deposition on the modules, which can reach up to 10%. To calculate the losses due to dust deposition, the HSU model was used, which estimates the losses using variables such as accumulated precipitation or the concentration of particles. Consequently, economic profitability maps and amortization times were developed for a sized photovoltaic plant, obtaining figures of 806 M€ and amortizing the installation within 9 years in the worst case scenario. For this economic study, the investment cost (CAPEX) and the maintenance cost (OPEX), as well as the economic losses due to dust accumulation, were taken into account. As a complement, the savings in terms of tonnes of CO2 that would result from the construction of a dimensioned photovoltaic plant have been studied, arriving at a total annual saving figure of 3000M metric tonnes of CO2.