Climate: Does atmospheric dust cause warming or cooling?

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

NASA research adds to understanding of dust events

NASA often captures images of dust storms from orbiting satellites, but one recent study looked at the dust from the ground up, finding that the events can have localized warming effect.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Desert dust storms blowing across the Colorado Rockies from the Southwest have already been implicated as a factor  in earlier snowmelt; now, new research by NASA suggests that airborne dust can have a significant, localized effect on atmpospheric temperatures.

The study was conducted in a semi-arid region between China’s Taklimakan and Gobi deserts, where the NASA team set up a field research site in Zhangye. Using an array of upward-looking instruments for measuring airborne dust particles, they assessed the impact of dust storms from the adjacent deserts. (more…)

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Climate: High latitude dust storms increasing

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

A NASA satellite image shows dust blowing off the north coast of Iceland.

Study shows more glacial dust as a result of global warming

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Cold-climate, high-latitude dust storms could become more frequent as the world grows warmer, creating yet another complex climate feedback loop.

Research on Iceland led by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science shows that large dust storms is both accelerating glacial melting and contributing important nutrients to the surrounding North Atlantic Ocean. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Environment, global warming, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

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