Dust storms over the Arabian Gulf: A possible indicator of climate changes consequences

Waleed Hamza; Mohamed Rizk Enan; Huda Al-Hassini; Jan Berend Stuut; Dirk De-Beer

doi:10.1080/14634988.2011.601274

Dust storms over the Arabian Gulf: A possible indicator of climate changes consequences

Waleed Hamza^*
, Mohamed Rizk Enan
, Huda Al-Hassini
, Jan Berend Stuut
, Dirk De-Beer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Earth and Climate

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Dust storm frequencies and strengths were monitored during 2009 at various locations along the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as representative sites of the Arabian Gulf marine environment. The results have been compared with a pre-2009 five-year data set. Mineralogical components of dust samples collected during the 2009 study period were analyzed using both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques. The comparison of the 2009 and pre-2009 data revealed a shift in the characteristics of dust storms in the Arabian Gulf, which may constitute a sensitive indicator of climate change affecting the region. The range of mineral compositions of the collected dust samples is consistent with temporally and spatially variable dust sources, associated with changing wind patterns over the Arabian Gulf. From a positive perspective, the dust may deliver mineralogical nutrients enhancing microbial productivity in the marine ecosystem. Increasing productivity and liberation of iron from sediments will lead to an increase of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) in the atmosphere, which by oxidation will scatter solar radiation effectively with a consequent decrease in global temperature as a climate feedback.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	260-268
Number of pages	9
Journal	Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management
Volume	14
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/14634988.2011.601274
Publication status	Published - 1 Jul 2011

Funding

The present study was supported by the Emirates Foundation project fund (UAE-EF #2008/053) in collaboration with Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI-Bremen, Germany). The authors are grateful to the UAE-NCMS for supplying meteorological data and for the Ministry of Water and Environment of UAE as well as ADCO-Jebel Al-Dhanna Oil Farm for installing dust samplers and helping out in sample collection during the study period. A special thank to Ms Yolldes Idrizi (Laboratory specialist in Biology Department, Faculty of Science, UAE-University) for her valuable contribution to data harmonization and illustrations.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 14 Life Below Water

Keywords

Arabian peninsula
Dust precipitation
Marine ecosystem
Storm trajectories

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10.1080/14634988.2011.601274

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title = "Dust storms over the Arabian Gulf: A possible indicator of climate changes consequences",

abstract = "Dust storm frequencies and strengths were monitored during 2009 at various locations along the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as representative sites of the Arabian Gulf marine environment. The results have been compared with a pre-2009 five-year data set. Mineralogical components of dust samples collected during the 2009 study period were analyzed using both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques. The comparison of the 2009 and pre-2009 data revealed a shift in the characteristics of dust storms in the Arabian Gulf, which may constitute a sensitive indicator of climate change affecting the region. The range of mineral compositions of the collected dust samples is consistent with temporally and spatially variable dust sources, associated with changing wind patterns over the Arabian Gulf. From a positive perspective, the dust may deliver mineralogical nutrients enhancing microbial productivity in the marine ecosystem. Increasing productivity and liberation of iron from sediments will lead to an increase of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) in the atmosphere, which by oxidation will scatter solar radiation effectively with a consequent decrease in global temperature as a climate feedback.",

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AU - Enan, Mohamed Rizk

AU - Al-Hassini, Huda

AU - Stuut, Jan Berend

AU - De-Beer, Dirk

PY - 2011/7/1

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AB - Dust storm frequencies and strengths were monitored during 2009 at various locations along the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as representative sites of the Arabian Gulf marine environment. The results have been compared with a pre-2009 five-year data set. Mineralogical components of dust samples collected during the 2009 study period were analyzed using both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques. The comparison of the 2009 and pre-2009 data revealed a shift in the characteristics of dust storms in the Arabian Gulf, which may constitute a sensitive indicator of climate change affecting the region. The range of mineral compositions of the collected dust samples is consistent with temporally and spatially variable dust sources, associated with changing wind patterns over the Arabian Gulf. From a positive perspective, the dust may deliver mineralogical nutrients enhancing microbial productivity in the marine ecosystem. Increasing productivity and liberation of iron from sediments will lead to an increase of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) in the atmosphere, which by oxidation will scatter solar radiation effectively with a consequent decrease in global temperature as a climate feedback.

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KW - Dust precipitation

KW - Marine ecosystem

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Dust storms over the Arabian Gulf: A possible indicator of climate changes consequences

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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