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A new inventory for middle east dust source points

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Abstract

We use the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on both Terra and Aqua satellites to present new high-resolution mapping of major atmospheric dust source points in the Middle East region on the basis of the improved version of the recently developed Middle East Dust Index (MEDI) applied to 70 dust storms, which occurred during the period between 2001 and 2012. Results indicate that 247 different source points have participated in dust storm generation in the Middle East region in which Iraq and Syria are the highest efficient sites for dust storm generation in this region, respectively. Using extracted indices for Deep Blue algorithm, identified dust sources were classified into three levels of intensity. The frequency of occurrence approach, the relationship between high atmospheric dust content and its number of occurrences, is also used to identify sensitive source points. High-intensity dust storms are mainly located west of Iraq and the border of Iraq and Syria. We will discuss the implications of our results in understanding the global dust cycle.

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Abbreviations

AI:

Aerosol Index

AOT:

Aerosol Optical Thickness

BTD:

Brightness Temperature Difference

COAMPS:

Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System

DB:

Deep Blue

DOD:

Dust Optical Depth

EOS:

Earth Observing System

HYSPLIT:

HYbrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory

IDDI:

Infrared Difference Dust Index

IR:

InfraRed

M-DB2:

MODIS Deep Blue level 2

MEDI:

Middle East Dust Index

MODIS:

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

MSG:

Meteosat Second Generation

NCAR:

National Center for Atmospheric Research

NCEP:

Centers for Environmental Prediction

NDDI:

Normalized Difference Dust Index

OMI:

Ozone Monitoring Instrument

SEVIRI:

Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager

TIR:

Thermal Infrared

TOMS:

Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer

UV:

Ultraviolet

VIS:

Visible

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the following Canadian research grant agencies: NSERC, FRQNT and CFI. They thank Ms. Cavaliere for proofreading the manuscript. Also, Iran Meteorological Organization is acknowledged for sharing data with AM and NK. They also thank Dr. P. Ginoux who generously sent them the original data used for comparative work in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, H3A OB9, Canada

    Ali Moridnejad & Parisa A. Ariya

  2. Department of Water Resource Research, Water Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

    Neamat Karimi

  3. Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke St. W, Montreal, H3A OB9, Canada

    Parisa A. Ariya

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  1. Ali Moridnejad
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  2. Neamat Karimi
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  3. Parisa A. Ariya
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Correspondence to Ali Moridnejad or Parisa A. Ariya.

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Moridnejad, A., Karimi, N. & Ariya, P.A. A new inventory for middle east dust source points. Environ Monit Assess 187, 582 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4806-x

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