Massive Saharan Dust Aerosol Blanket Analyzed by NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP Satellite

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Suomi NPP OMPS Aerosol Index June 24 2020

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This June 24, 2020 image is from the Suomi NPP OMPS aerosol index. The dust plume moved over the Yucatan Peninsula and up through the Gulf of Mexico. The biggest and thickest part of the plume shows up over the eastern and main Atlantic. Credit: NASA/NOAA, Colin Seftor

Dust storms from Africa’s Saharan Desert taking a trip throughout the Atlantic Ocean are absolutely nothing brand-new, however the present dust storm has actually been rather extensive and NASA satellites have actually offered a take a look at the enormous June plume. NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite revealed the blanket of dust had actually moved over the Gulf of Mexico and extended into Central America and over part of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

NASA utilizes satellites and other resources to track aerosol particles made from desert dust, smoke, and ashes. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard Suomi NPP offered a noticeable image while the Ozone Mapping and Profiling Suite (OMPS) Nadir-Mapper (NM) instrument aboard the Suomi-NPP satellite offered soaking up aerosol index worths. The OMPS index shows the existence of light soaking up aerosol particles (ultraviolet (UV)-soaking up particles in the air) such as desert dust. The soaking up aerosol index is connected to both the density and height of the aerosol layer.

The Absorbing Aerosol Index works for determining and tracking the long-range transportation of ashes from volcanic eruptions, smoke from wildfires or biomass burning occasions and dust from desert dust storms. These aerosol particals can even be tracked over clouds and locations covered by snow and ice.

Suomi NPP Composite June 24 2020

This image is a composite of the OMPS aerosol index and the VIIRS noticeable image both from NASA/NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite on June 24. The image reveals the dust plume moved over the Yucatan Peninsula and up through the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: NASA/NOAA, Colin Seftor

Colin Seftor, a climatic researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., produced images from the Suomi NPP OMPS soaking up aerosol index and noticeable images from the VIIRS instrument He stated that on June 23 and 24 the dust plume had actually moved totally over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, up through the Gulf of Mexico and into southern Texas. “At that point, the situation becomes more complicated because the absorbing aerosol index signal seen further north into Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc., is probably a mix of dust and smoke from the numerous fires burning in the southwest U.S. You can also see that the dust traveled over Central America and out into the Eastern Pacific Ocean.”

On June 25, an animation that integrated OMPS aerosol index and VIIRS noticeable images from NASA/NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite was produced at NASA Goddard revealing the motion the Saharan dust cloud from June 15 to 25, 2020,. The animation revealed the dust plume streamed from Africa’s west coast over the Atlantic into the Caribbean Sea and up through the Gulf of Mexico over a few of the Gulf states.

Aerosol particles soak up and spread inbound sunshine, which lowers exposure and increases the optical depth. Aerosol particles have an impact on human health, weather condition and the environment. Aerosol particles are produced from lots of occasions consisting of human activities such as contamination from factories and natural procedures such as smoke from fires, dust from dust storms, sea salt from breaking waves, and ashes from volcanoes. Aerosol particles compromise human health when breathed in by individuals with asthma or other breathing health problems. Aerosol particles likewise impact weather condition and environment by cooling or warming the earth in addition to boosting or avoiding cloud development.

Saharan Dust Plume June 24 2020

This “true-color” composite picture of the Saharan Dust plume was caught by the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA/NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite on June 24, 2020. The intense streaks seen at routine periods are because of sun sparkle off of the ocean surface area. Credit: NASA/NOAA, Colin Seftor

On June 18, NASA’s Earth Observatory kept in mind the thickest parts of the plume appeared to extend about 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles) throughout the Atlantic Ocean. By June 24, the plume crossed 5,000 miles.

Dust from Africa can impact air quality as far as North and South America if it is blended down to ground level. But dust can likewise play an essential environmental function, such as, fertilizing soils in the Amazon and structure beaches in the Caribbean. The dry, warm, and windy conditions connected with Saharan Air Layer break outs from Africa can likewise reduce the development and accumulation of cyclones.

“While Saharan dust transport across the ocean to the Americas is not uncommon, the size and strength of this particular event is quite unusual,” Seftor stated. “Also, if you look off the coast of Africa you can see yet another large cloud coming off the continent, continuing to feed the long chain of dust traveling across the Atlantic.”

Animated GIFs of the dust storm’s activity:

Saharan Dust Plume Aerosols

This animation reveals the aerosols in the Saharan dust plume from June 15 to 25, 2020. It was produced from the Suomi NPP OMPS aerosol index. The dust plume moved from Africa’s west coast over the Atlantic Ocean into the Caribbean Sea and up through the Gulf of Mexico. The biggest and thickest part of the plume shows up over the eastern and main Atlantic. Credit: NASA/NOAA, Colin Seftor

Saharan Dust Plume Composite

This “true-color” composite animation of noticeable satellite images reveals the motion of the Saharan Dust plume from June 15 to 25, 2020. It was caught by the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA/NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite. The intense streaks seen at routine periods are because of sun sparkle off the ocean surface area. Credit: NASA/NOAA, Colin Seftor

Saharan Dust Cloud Progression

This animation of the development Saharan dust cloud throughout the Atlantic Ocean from June 15 to 25, 2020 integrates OMPS aerosol index and VIIRS noticeable images from NASA/NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite. The dust plume moved from Africa’s west coast over the Atlantic into the Caribbean Sea and up through the Gulf of Mexico. The biggest and thickest part of the plume shows up over the eastern and main Atlantic Ocean. Credit: NASA/NOAA, Colin Seftor