Saharan and Arabian Dust Aerosols: A Comparative Case Study of Lidar Ratio

Abstract

This work presents a first comparative study of the Lidar Ratio (LR) values obtained for dust particles in two singular dust-influenced regions: the Canary Islands (Spain, close to the African coast in the North Atlantic Ocean), frequently affected by Saharan dust intrusions, and the Kuwait area (Arabian Peninsula) as usually influenced by Arabian dust storms. Synergetic lidar and sun-photometry measurements are carried out in two stations located in these particular regions for that purpose. Several dusty cases were observed during 2014 in both stations and, just for illustration, two specific dusty case studies have been selected and analyzed to be shown in this work. In general, mean LR values of 54 sr and 40 sr were obtained in these studies cases for Saharan and Arabian dust particles, respectively. Indeed, these results are in agreement with other studies performed for dust particles arriving from similar desert areas. In particular, the disparity found in Saharan and Arabian dust LR values can be based on the singular composition of the suspended dust aerosols over each station. These results can be useful for CALIPSO extinction retrievals, where a single LR value (40 sr) is assumed for pure dust particles independently on the dust source region.

Dust Events and Indoor Air Quality in Residential Homes in Kuwait

“…Kuwait is a Middle Eastern developed country located at the northeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula and surrounded by the Persian Gulf. Because of its geographical location and climate change, it has been affected by droughts and frequent dust storms [10][11][12]. In recent years, regional military conflicts have contributed to more desertification in the area [13].…”

Dust Lidar Ratios Retrieved from the CALIOP Measurements Using the MODIS AOD as a Constraint

“…Shin et al [37] reported similar results showing the lidar ratio is larger for Saharan dust than Arabian dust at different wavelengths of 440 nm and 675 nm using the AERONET inversion outputs. Córdoba-Jabonero et al [38] compared lidar ratios for Saharan dust and Arabian dust retrieved by a synergetic use of the micro-pulse lidar and AERONET measurements. Their mean lidar ratios are 54 ± 5 sr for Saharan dust and 46 ± 2 sr for Arabian dust.…”