Shirgholami et al. (2025) Tracing the Dust: Two Decades of Dust Storm Dynamics in Yazd Province from Ground-Based and Satellite Aerosol Observations

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Identification

• Journal: Atmosphere
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-10-28
• Authors: Mohammadreza Shirgholami, Imán Rousta, Haraldur Ólafsson, Francesco Petracchini, Jaromir Krzyszczak
• DOI: 10.3390/atmos16111242

Research Groups

Not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Short Summary

This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of dust storms in Yazd, Iran, from 2003 to 2022, revealing an increasing trend in dusty days and aerosol load, primarily affecting central and northern regions, driven by a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors.

Objective

• To investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of dust storms in Yazd province, central Iran, over the period 2003–2022.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Yazd province, central Iran, focusing on central and northern regions.
• Temporal Scale: 2003–2022, analyzed at monthly, seasonal, and annual scales.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly mentioned.
• Data sources: Ground-based meteorological station records (from ten synoptic stations) and satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from MODIS (MYD08_D3 v6.1).

Main Results

• Ground-based data revealed an increasing trend of approximately 0.5 dusty days per year.
• The highest dust storm frequency occurred in spring and winter, particularly from March to May.
• MODIS AOD data confirmed these patterns and indicated a rising annual aerosol load, peaking in May.
• Spatial analysis consistently identified central and northern regions as most affected.
• The increasing frequency and intensity are attributed to regional drought, desertification, drying wetlands, land use changes, and transboundary dust transport from Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.

Contributions

• Demonstrates the value of integrating in situ and remote sensing observations for comprehensive dust event monitoring.
• Provides actionable insights for policymakers to develop mitigation strategies, enhance environmental resilience, and protect public health in arid regions.

Funding

• Not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Shirgholami2025Tracing,
  author = {Shirgholami, Mohammadreza and Rousta, Imán and Ólafsson, Haraldur and Petracchini, Francesco and Krzyszczak, Jaromir},
  title = {Tracing the Dust: Two Decades of Dust Storm Dynamics in Yazd Province from Ground-Based and Satellite Aerosol Observations},
  journal = {Atmosphere},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.3390/atmos16111242},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16111242}
}