Long Range transport of dust across the Middle East and the Gulf region and its impact on the marine environment

The Middle East capitals are subjected to numerous dust storms along with local emissions and/or transported from biomass burning or industrial activities. A combination of these aerosols results in poor air quality and poses significant health hazards. We propose a 3-year project to investigate the impact of aerosols of natural and anthropogenic origin from both local emissions and long-range transport on the air quality and atmospheric composition during the 12-14 years that major NASA satellite data have been available over the Middle East region and its potential impact on the local climate at decadal scales through radiative forcing calculations. We propose to study and observe the long range transport of dust across the Middle East especially the Arabian Gulf region. Moreover, we aim to understand the physics of interaction between different atmospheric parameters, namely aerosols (mineral dust and black carbon), clouds and water vapor through comprehensive approaches during several individual events such as dust storm outbreaks over North Africa and the Gulf region. The conventional satellite data coupled with marine observations will serve towards the better understanding of the characteristics of the vertical profile of aerosol loadings due to transport of dust (regional or long range), and black carbon concentrations in the smoke plume and their impact on the atmospheric heating, algal blooms outbreak and primary net productivity over the region. The vertical aerosol mapping observations will also support the analysis of the potential link between dust storms (dust deposition -iron enrichment) and algal bloom (or harmful algal bloom) during spring season (April-May) over the coastal areas where coastal upwelling is considered to be the cause of such blooms. We will combine a wide range of satellite and in-situ observations together with the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) global model simulations, to gain the big-picture perspective, and utilize the WRF-Chem and NMM-DREAM models, as well as Hysplit trajectories for detailed analysis of the aerosol physics, chemistry, and dynamics. GOCART will provide global simulations of major tropospheric aerosol types at 1 deg resolution from 1997 to 2009 and at a coarser resolution (2.5x2.5) from 1980 to 2009. NMM-DREAM will simulate dust influx and long-range transport, which will be combined with WRF-Chem simulation of local/regional pollution and smoke particles to conduct the radiative forcing calculations focusing on the role of aerosols in affecting the marine environment and air quality in the Middle East. The study will also provide detailed investigation on the aerosols transportation between the Middle East capitals and its direct link to local climate changes.