Detection of anthropogenic dust using CALIPSO lidar measurements

Abstract

Abstract. Anthropogenic dusts are those produced by human activities on disturbed soils, which are mainly cropland, pastureland, and urbanized regions, and are a subset of the total dust load which includes natural sources from desert regions. Our knowledge of anthropogenic dusts is still very limited due to a lack of data. To understand the contribution of anthropogenic dust to the total global dust load, it is important to identify it apart from total dust. In this study, a new technique for distinguishing anthropogenic dust from natural dust is proposed by using Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) dust and planetary boundary layer (PBL) height retrievals along with a land use data set. Using this technique, the global distribution of dust is analyzed and the relative contribution of anthropogenic and natural dust sources to regional and global emissions are estimated. Results reveal that local anthropogenic dust aerosol due to human activity, such as agriculture, industrial activity, transportation, and overgrazing, accounts for about 25 % of the global continental dust load. Of these anthropogenic dust aerosols, more than 53 % come from semiarid and semi-wet regions. Annual mean anthropogenic dust column burden (DCB) values range from 0.42 g m −2 , with a maximum in India, to 0.12 g m −2 , with a minimum in North America. A better understanding of anthropogenic dust emission will enable us to focus on human activities in these critical regions and with such knowledge we will be more able to improve global dust models and to explore the effects of anthropogenic emission on radiative forcing, climate change, and air quality in the future.

Optical and microphysical properties of natural mineral dust and anthropogenic soil dust near dust source regions over Northwestern China

“…This assumption is consistent with the results of a recent study by Huang et al (2015a), who found that anthropogenic dust comprises 91.8% of regional emissions in eastern China and 76.1% of regional emissions in India (e.g., Figure 10 in Huang et al, 2015a). 5…”

“…This may be due to the larger population densities of eastern China and India, which are characterized by intense human activity (Huang et al, 2015a;Wang et al, 2013).…”

“…Recently, the potential impacts of anthropogenic soil dust have also received an increasing amount of attention (Prospero et al, 2002;Huang et al, 2015a;Tegen and Fung, 1995;Tegen et al, 2002;Shi et al, 2015;Pu et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2015). 5…”

“…Anthropogenic mineral dust can also influence air quality and human health through the processes of their emission, transport, removal, and deposition (Aleksandropoulou et al, 2011;Chen et al, 2013;Huang et al, 2014Huang et al, , 2015aHuang et al, , 2015bKim et al, 2009;Li et al, 2009;Mahowald and Luo, 2003;Zhang et al, 2005Zhang et al, , 2015. Ginoux et al (2010) estimated that anthropogenic dust accounts for 25% of all dust aerosols using 10 observational data from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Deep Blue satellite products combined with a land-use fraction dataset.…”

Variations in airborne bacterial communities at high altitudes over the Noto Peninsula (Japan) in response to Asian dust events

“…In the anthropogenic regions of eastern China, anthropogenic particles originating from human activities are expected to comprise more than 90 % of dust particles (Huang et al, 2015a). When the westerly winds are strongly blowing over the Noto Peninsula, the black carbon particles at upper altitudes (3000 m) are thought to mainly derive from continental anthropogenic regions.…”