General
Wind-blown mineral aerosol consists of micrometer-sized airborne soil dust particles. Estimates of modern global dust emissions range from 1,000 to 3,000 Mt yr–1 (Houghton et al., 2001). Dust aerosol has a high spatial and temporal variability; large uncertainties exist in quantitative estimates of large-scale dust loads. Modern global dust distribution and properties can be characterized by satellite retrievals and concentration measurements at surface stations. Dust deposition data from ice cores, marine sediments, and terrestrial sites provide information on dust in modern and past climate periods (Kohfeld and Harrison, 2001). Such records show that dustiness was increased 2- to 20-fold during glacial periods compared with interglacials, as a consequence of increased aridity, reduced vegetation, increased availability of fine, loose sediment, and more vigorous surface wind speeds in glacial climates.
Dust sources
Mineral aerosol is generated in arid and semi-arid continental...
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Tegen, I. (2009). Aerosol (Mineral). In: Gornitz, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Paleoclimatology and Ancient Environments. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4411-3_1
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