African Droughts and Dust Transport to the Caribbean: Climate Change Implications

Prospero, Joseph M.; Lamb, Peter

doi:10.1126/science.1089915

Cited by 917 publications

(844 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Figures 2a and 2b show the decadal differences in the soil moisture field in the United States and the sea surface temperature (SST) of the Pacific Ocean, respectively. In general, soil moisture in the southwestern United States is lower in the 2000s than in the 1990s, which favors the drought conditions needed for enhanced dust storm activity [ Prospero and Lamb , 2003; Gao et al ., 2014]. In turn, the persistent and/or frequent droughts in the southwestern United States have been upheld by Pacific SST distributions.…”

Section: Climate Conditions For Enhanced Dust Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Intensified dust storm activity and Valley fever infection in the southwestern United States

Tong

Wang

Gill

et al. 2017

Geophysical Research Letters

195

170

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Climate models have consistently projected a drying trend in the southwestern United States, aiding speculation of increasing dust storms in this region. Long‐term climatology is essential to documenting the dust trend and its response to climate variability. We have reconstructed long‐term dust climatology in the western United States, based on a comprehensive dust identification method and continuous aerosol observations from the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network. We report here direct evidence of rapid intensification of dust storm activity over American deserts in the past decades (1988–2011), in contrast to reported decreasing trends in Asia and Africa. The frequency of windblown dust storms has increased 240% from 1990s to 2000s. This dust trend is associated with large‐scale variations of sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean, with the strongest correlation with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. We further investigate the relationship between dust and Valley fever, a fast‐rising infectious disease caused by inhaling soil‐dwelling fungus (Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii) in the southwestern United States. The frequency of dust storms is found to be correlated with Valley fever incidences, with a coefficient (r) comparable to or stronger than that with other factors believed to control the disease in two endemic centers (Maricopa and Pima County, Arizona).

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Section: Climate Conditions For Enhanced Dust Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Intensified dust storm activity and Valley fever infection in the southwestern United States

Tong

Wang

Gill

et al. 2017

Geophysical Research Letters

195

170

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“…Some authors consider the Sahara as the main source of sediments transported by dust to far away areas such as Caribbean Islands [25,26], Russia, Germany or Great Britain [6]. The importance of these deposits (2 million metric tons of dust each year) can even influence the geological evolution of many soils [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal microbiota from rain water and pathogenicity of Fusarium species isolated from atmospheric dust and rainfall dust

Llamas

Rodríguez

Cara

et al. 2010

J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol

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In order to determine the presence of Fusarium spp. in atmospheric dust and rainfall dust, samples were collected during September 2007, and July, August, and October 2008. The results reveal the prevalence of airborne Fusarium species coming from the atmosphere of the South East coast of Spain. Five different Fusarium species were isolated from the settling dust: Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, F. equiseti, F. dimerum, and F. proliferatum. Moreover, rainwater samples were obtained during significant rainfall events in January and February 2009. Using the dilution-plate method, 12 fungal genera were identified from these rainwater samples. Specific analyses of the rainwater revealed the presence of three species of Fusarium: F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum and F. equiseti. A total of 57 isolates of Fusarium spp. obtained from both rainwater and atmospheric rainfall dust sampling were inoculated onto melon (Cucumis meló L.) cv. Piñonet and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv. San Pedro. These species were chosen because they are the main herbaceous crops in Almeria province. The results presented in this work indicate strongly that spores or propagules of Fusarium are able to cross the continental barrier carried by winds from the Sahara (Africa) to crop or coastal lands in Europe. Results show differences in the pathogenicity of the isolates tested. Both hosts showed root rot when inoculated with different species of Fusarium, although fresh weight measurements did not bring any information about the pathogenicity. The findings presented above are strong indications that long-distance transmission of Fusarium propagules may occur. Diseases caused by species of Fusarium are common in these areas. They were in the past, and are still today, a problem for greenhouses crops in Almeria, and many species have been listed as pathogens on agricultural crops in this region. Saharan air masses dominate the Mediterranean regions. The evidence of long distance dispersal of Fusarium spp. by atmospheric dust and rainwater together with their proved pathogenicity must be taken into account in epidemiological studies.

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“…The WAM regulates the seasonal cycle of dry and wet seasons in response to annual cycle in solar forcing. The Sahara desert over West Africa is the largest source of mineral dust aerosol in the world (e.g., Woodward, 2001;Prospero et al, 2003). The Saharan dust emitted during the WAM season can significantly affect the WAM development and precipitation, because it interacts with both shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiation, and modifies the radiative and physical properties of clouds (e.g., Miller et al, 2004;Yoshioka et al, 2007;Konare et al, 2008;Lau et al, 2009;Kim et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiative impact of mineral dust on monsoon precipitation variability over West Africa

et al. 2011

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Abstract. The radiative forcing of dust and its impact on precipitation over the West Africa monsoon (WAM) region is simulated using a coupled meteorology and aerosol/chemistry model (WRF-Chem). During the monsoon season, dust is a dominant contributor to aerosol optical depth (AOD) over West Africa. In the control simulation, on 24-h domain average, dust has a cooling effect (−6.11 W m −2 ) at the surface, a warming effect (6.94 W m −2 ) in the atmosphere, and a relatively small TOA forcing (0.83 W m −2 ). Dust modifies the surface energy budget and atmospheric diabatic heating. As a result, atmospheric stability is increased in the daytime and reduced in the nighttime, leading to a reduction of late afternoon precipitation by up to 0.14 mm/h (25%) and an increase of nocturnal and early morning precipitation by up to 0.04 mm/h (45%) over the WAM region. Dust-induced reduction of diurnal precipitation variation improves the simulated diurnal cycle of precipitation when compared to measurements. However, daily precipitation is only changed by a relatively small amount (−0.17 mm/day or −4%). The dust-induced change of WAM precipitation is not sensitive to interannual monsoon variability. On the other hand, sensitivity simulations with weaker to stronger absorbing dust (in order to represent the uncertainty in dust solar absorptivity) show that, at the lower atmosphere, dust longwave warming effect in the nighttime surpasses its shortwave cooling effect in the daytime; this leads to a less stable atmosphere associated with more convective precipitation in the nighttime. As a result, the dust-induced change of daily WAM precipitation varies from a significant reduction of −0.52 mm/day (−12%, weaker absorbing dust) to a small increase of 0.03 mm/day (1%, stronger absorbing dust). This variation originates from the competition between dust impact on daytime and nightCorrespondence to: C. Zhao (chun.zhao@pnl.gov) time precipitation, which depends on dust shortwave absorption. Dust reduces the diurnal variation of precipitation regardless of its absorptivity, but more reduction is associated with stronger absorbing dust.

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African Droughts and Dust Transport to the Caribbean: Climate Change Implications

Cited by 917 publications

References 29 publications

Intensified dust storm activity and Valley fever infection in the southwestern United States

Intensified dust storm activity and Valley fever infection in the southwestern United States

Fungal microbiota from rain water and pathogenicity of Fusarium species isolated from atmospheric dust and rainfall dust

Radiative impact of mineral dust on monsoon precipitation variability over West Africa

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