An improved limited area model for describing the dust cycle in the atmosphere

Abstract

[1] During the last decade, several numerical schemes have been deployed for the simulation of mineral dust processes in the atmosphere. The developed models have various deficiencies in the representation of dust particle physical properties and effects on climate. On the basis of the present status of the dust modeling tools, a combined effort was devoted to upgrading the SKIRON/Dust forecasting system by incorporating new features for the description of the lower boundary characteristics of the atmospheric model and the dust aerosol properties. In this paper, the updated model version is presented along with sensitivity simulations and evaluation of the model results with available observational data. The analysis is separated into two main parts, namely, the improvements that correspond to the atmospheric modeling system SKIRON and the upgrading of the physical mechanisms incorporated in the dust transport submodel. The analysis showed that the incorporation of the new model correction schemes led to a better and more accurate representation of the processes concerning meteorology and dust properties. The new soil characterization schemes significantly improve the energy-partitioning predictions at the surface and therefore the boundary layer processes that play a substantial role in the determination of the dust production mechanisms. Significant differences were detected in the radiation balance between atmosphere and ground surface by incorporating statistical corrections for the description of terrain slopes and azimuths, mainly in areas with highly rough terrain. Finally, the more accurate description of the transported dust aerosol distribution (eight size bins) and the new dust production and deposition schemes led to more efficient determination of the dust particle optical properties (aerosol optical depths).Citation: Spyrou, C., C. Mitsakou, G. Kallos, P. Louka, and G. Vlastou (2010), An improved limited area model for describing the dust cycle in the atmosphere,

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