Quantification of a long-range transport dust event in the Middle East

Abstract

A severe dust storm was triggered by a cyclonic system in the southern part of Turkey and in the region around the border of Iraq and Syria on 7 April 2022. The huge dust plume has been tracked using CALIOP recordings, ECMWF, and HYSPLIT analysis in this study. The emitted dust experienced a longrange transport from its emission sources and reached to the west, central, and even the northeast of Iran. In this work, this dust event has been investigated quantitatively to provide applicable information for governments and decision makers. Vertical dust mass concentration (DMC) and horizontal dust mass flux (DMF) have been obtained in three regions on the dust plume pathway. These three regions have been located on dust emission source, Tehran metropolitan area and the northeast of Iran. The maximum of corresponding DMC for three regions were 1703, 1543, and 1120 μg/m3at 1.2 km, 1 km, and 1.8 km above mean see level, and DMF were 22.4±2.3 Mg, 10±0.9 Mg, and 8.1±0.9 Mg per second, respectively.