A model for Saharan dust transport.

Abstract

An appropriate box model including the aerosol turbidity parameters, actual wind field data of the source regions, the general circulation pattern over Africa and dry and wet deposition reveals a total mass production of about 630 X 106 and 710 X 106 t yr-1 for all suspended particulate matter, 80 X 106 and 90 X 106 yr-1 for aerosol particles smaller than 5 micrometre radius for the years 1981 and 1982 respectively. About 60% of the mass moves southward to the Gulf of Guinea, 28% westward to the equatorial North Atlantic Ocean and 12% northward to Europe. A considerable part is deposited in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean forming deep-sea sediments. -from Author