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Initiation of a convective dust storm over North India on 21 April 2010 inferred using satellite data

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Abstract

Dust storms commonly occur during the pre-monsoon (summer) season in north and northwest parts of India. Characteristics of dust events of the pressure gradient type are well understood. However, comprehensive studies on mechanism of convective dust storms in India are few. A convective dust storm which occurred on 21 April 2010 in association with a western disturbance over North India was hence studied. In the absence of in situ data, we used available satellite data to study the event. Dust storm that occurred on 20 April 2010 on the surface of the Thar Desert transported dust to northern and northwestern parts of India (Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and some parts of Uttar Pradesh). This formed a background of aerosols that affected the thunderstorm formed in association with western disturbance and the strong updraft in the thunderstorm carried the dust lingering in the atmosphere to higher altitudes. Large amount of aerosols carried to higher altitude suppressed the chance of precipitation by affecting the cloud top microphysics. Enhancement in evaporation due to an increase in aerosol concentration and strong downdrafts during dissipation of the thunderstorm resulted in emission of dust particles which led to the convective dust event of 21 April 2010.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge NASA for the AIRS and MODIS data, and NOAA-CIRES Climate Diagnostic Centre, Boulder, USA for the NCEP reanalysis data. The authors would like to also thank EUMETSAT for providing half hourly images. We are also very grateful to the reviewers for their painstaking review and the useful suggestions made that resulted in improving the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, 462007, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Nirmala Devidas Desouza, Rajnish Kurchania & Muhammad Shums Qureshi

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  1. Nirmala Devidas Desouza
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  2. Rajnish Kurchania
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  3. Muhammad Shums Qureshi
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Correspondence to Nirmala Devidas Desouza.

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Responsible editor: J. Fasullo.

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Desouza, N.D., Kurchania, R. & Qureshi, M.S. Initiation of a convective dust storm over North India on 21 April 2010 inferred using satellite data. Meteorol Atmos Phys 122, 47–54 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-013-0271-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-013-0271-7

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