Evaluation of WRF-Chem Model Forecasts of a Prolonged Saharan Dust Episode over the Eastern Alps

Baumann‐Stanzer, Kathrin; Greilinger, Marion; Kasper-Giebl, Anne; Flandorfer, Claudia; Hieden, Alexander; Lotteraner, Christoph; Ortner, Martin; Vergeiner, Johannes; Schauer, Gerhard; Piringer, Martin

doi:10.4209/aaqr.2018.03.0116

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…The event was associated to a particularly favourable atmospheric setting which could uplift a massive amount of Saharan dust from northern Africa and transport it toward Europe in association to south-westerly winds driven by an anticyclonic structure located on the central Mediterranean. Given the magnitude of the event, many studies reported it, spanning from microbiology (Meola et al, 2015;Weil et al, 2017) to remote and proximal sensing (Dumont et al, 2017;Di Mauro et al, 2015;Tuzet et al, 2017) and atmospheric chemistry and physics (Belosi et al, 2017;Telloli et al, 2018).…”

Section: Geochemical Characterization Of Dust In Snowmentioning

confidence: 99%

Saharan dust events in the European Alps: role in snowmelt and geochemical characterization

et al. 2019

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Abstract. The input of mineral dust from arid regions impacts snow optical properties. The induced albedo reduction generally alters the melting dynamics of the snowpack, resulting in earlier snowmelt. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of dust depositions on the melting dynamics of snowpack at a high-elevation site (2160 m) in the European Alps (Torgnon, Aosta Valley, Italy) during three hydrological years (2013–2016). These years were characterized by several Saharan dust events that deposited significant amounts of mineral dust in the European Alps. We quantify the shortening of the snow season due to dust deposition by comparing observed snow depths and those simulated with the Crocus model accounting, or not, for the impact of impurities. The model was run and tested using meteorological data from an automated weather station. We propose the use of repeated digital images for tracking dust deposition and resurfacing in the snowpack. The good agreement between model prediction and digital images allowed us to propose the use of an RGB index (i.e. snow darkening index – SDI) for monitoring dust on snow using images from a digital camera. We also present a geochemical characterization of dust reaching the Alpine chain during spring in 2014. Elements found in dust were classified as a function of their origin and compared with Saharan sources. A strong enrichment in Fe was observed in snow containing Saharan dust. In our case study, the comparison between modelling results and observations showed that impurities deposited in snow anticipated the disappearance of snow up to 38 d a out of a total 7 months of typical snow duration. This happened for the season 2015–2016 that was characterized by a strong dust deposition event. During the other seasons considered here (2013–2014 and 2014–2015), the snow melt-out date was 18 and 11 d earlier, respectively. We conclude that the effect of the Saharan dust is expected to reduce snow cover duration through the snow-albedo feedback. This process is known to have a series of further hydrological and phenological feedback effects that should be characterized in future research.

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Section: Geochemical Characterization Of Dust In Snowmentioning

confidence: 99%

Saharan dust events in the European Alps: role in snowmelt and geochemical characterization

et al. 2019

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“…As an example, an intensive desert dust episode in April 2016 is marked by a red star in Figure 2. The identification, intensity and duration of this event, covering large parts of Austria, was already thoroughly described by Baumann-Stanzer et al [12]. Still a number of less pronounced events took place.…”

Section: Pm 10 Levels At the Stations Graz Don Bosco (Db) And Graz Sümentioning

confidence: 57%

“…Still a number of less pronounced events took place. Such events, identified via the use of WRF-Chem model forecasts [12], FLEXTRA back-trajectories [25] as well as the dust ensemble forecasts and forecast comparisons provided by the WMO sand and dust storm warning advisory and assessment system (https://sds-was.aemet. es/forecast-products/dust-forecasts), are marked in orange in Figure 2.…”

Section: Pm 10 Levels At the Stations Graz Don Bosco (Db) And Graz Sümentioning

confidence: 99%

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Desert Dust Contribution to PM10 Loads in Styria (Southern Austria) and Impact on Exceedance of Limit Values from 2013–2018

2019

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From a legislators point of view, the contribution of natural sources to PM10 loads is relevant since their impact can be subtracted from the daily limit value of PM10 as regulated in a working staff paper by the European Commission (EC), supporting the European Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC). This work investigates its applicability for two stations in Austria over a time period of six years (2013 to 2018), as the occurrence of long-range transport of desert dust is observed on a regular base. Different stations and different statistical parameters were evaluated to determine the regional background load and subsequently the net dust load (NDL). Results reveal an adapted approach of the methodology described by the EC, using the +/− 15-day mean average of the PM10 at the regional background station, together with threshold criteria to identify only desert dust affected days. The results of calculated NDLs were in good agreement with crustal loads determined on filter samples during two desert dust events in 2016. Thus, the application of the EC method for a region in Central Europe, which experiences a regular but less pronounced impact of desert dust than stations in the Mediterranean, is discussed.

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“…The event was associated to a particularly favourable atmospheric setting which could uplift a massive amount of Saharan dust from northern Africa and transport it toward Europe in association to south-westerly winds driven by an anticyclonic structure located on the central Mediterranean. Given the magnitude of the event, many studies reported it, spanning from microbiology (Meola et al, 2015;Weil et al, 2017) to remote and proximal sensing Di Mauro et al, 2015;Tuzet et al, 2017) and atmospheric chemistry and physics (Belosi et al, 2017;Telloli et al, 2018).…”

Section: Geochemical Characterization Of Dust In Snowmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reply to Referee Comment by Dr. Kutuzov

Mauro¹

2019

Preprint

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The input of mineral dust from arid regions impacts snow optical properties. The induced albedo reduction generally alters the melting dynamics of the snowpack, resulting in earlier snowmelt. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of dust depositions on the melting dynamics of snowpack at a high-elevation site (2160 m) in the European Alps (Torgnon, Aosta Valley, Italy) during three hydrological years (2013)(2014)(2015)(2016). These years were characterized by several Saharan dust events that deposited significant amounts of mineral dust in the European Alps. We quantify the shortening of the snow season due to dust deposition by comparing observed snow depths and those simulated with the Crocus model accounting, or not, for the impact of impurities. The model was run and tested using meteorological data from an automated weather station. We propose the use of repeated digital images for tracking dust deposition and resurfacing in the snowpack. The good agreement between model prediction and digital images allowed us to propose the use of an RGB index (i.e. snow darkening index -SDI) for monitoring dust on snow using images from a digital camera. We also present a geochemical characterization of dust reaching the Alpine chain during spring in 2014. Elements found in dust were classified as a function of their origin and compared with Saharan sources. A strong enrichment in Fe was observed in snow containing Saharan dust. In our case study, the comparison between modelling results and observations showed that impurities deposited in snow anticipated the disappearance of snow up to 38 d a out of a total 7 months of typical snow duration. This happened for the season 2015-2016 that was characterized by a strong dust deposition event. During the other seasons considered here (2013-2014 and 2014-2015), the snow melt-out date was 18 and 11 d earlier, respectively. We conclude that the effect of the Saharan dust is expected to reduce snow cover duration through the snow-albedo feedback. This process is known to have a series of further hydrological and phenological feedback effects that should be characterized in future research.

show abstract

Evaluation of WRF-Chem Model Forecasts of a Prolonged Saharan Dust Episode over the Eastern Alps

Cited by 12 publications

References 30 publications

Saharan dust events in the European Alps: role in snowmelt and geochemical characterization

Saharan dust events in the European Alps: role in snowmelt and geochemical characterization

Desert Dust Contribution to PM10 Loads in Styria (Southern Austria) and Impact on Exceedance of Limit Values from 2013–2018

Reply to Referee Comment by Dr. Kutuzov

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