Saharan dust impacts West African monsoon precipitation
Monday, March 21, 2011 - 14:01
in Earth & Climate
(PhysOrg.com) -- Africa's Saharan Desert is the largest source of mineral dust in the world, covering more than 3 million square miles and causing dust particles to blanket African skies. According to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's climate scientist, Chun Zhao, dust particles in the air partially block sunlight and absorb heat during the day. In the nighttime, that heat radiates from the sky to the land below and warms the surface, making conditions ideal for nocturnal precipitation. This knowledge could help predict climate changes in West Africa and elsewhere by modeling potential changes in dust associated with increasing future aridity.