Enhancement of the emission of mineral dust aerosols by electric forces

Abstract

Climate forcing by mineral dust aerosols is one of the most uncertain processes in our current understanding of climate change. The main natural sources of dust aerosols are blowing dust, dust devils, and dust storms. Electric fields larger than 100 kV/m have been measured in these phenomena. Theoretical calculations and laboratory experiments show that these electric fields produce electric forces that can reduce the critical wind speed necessary to initiate dust lifting and can even directly lift mineral particles from the surface. Thus, we conclude that electric forces enhance the natural lifting of mineral dust aerosols.