My Background:

PhD: Mechanisms of Peak Winds and PhD: Mechanisms of Peak Winds and Dust EmissionsDust Emissions

Sophie CowieSupervisors: Peter Knippertz, Kerstin Schepanski, Doug Parker

2004-20092007-2008 2009-2010

Funding: European Research Council (ERC), part of “Desert Storms” grant.

Mechanisms of Peak Winds and Dust Emissions

Motivation - Sahara largest source of dust into the atmosphere. - Mineral dust influences:Amazon rainforest fertilisation, global airquality, global radiation budget, the carbon cycle on land and in the ocean. - To fully utilise the complete surface observation archive alongside new satellitedata.

ObjectivesSeparate dust emission reports into mechanisms;

• Dust devils and convective plumes • Haboobs• Low Level Jets (LLJs)

Including a deduction of their relative importance

Engelstaedter et al, 2006

Convective Plume

Dust Devil

Koch&Renno, 2005

Mechanisms of Peak Winds and Dust Emissions

Low Level Jet(LLJ)mechanism for dustuplift

Haboobs: Density currents Produced by collapsingthunderstorms

Knippertz, 2008

SEVIRI satellite Imagery: Thermal IR RGB-composite, red: 12-10.8μm, green: 10.8-8.7μm, blue: 10.7 μm

Mali, Aug 2004Copyright AMMA/GUICHARD/KERGOAT

Mechanisms of Peak Winds and Dust Emissions

FENNEC

Mean June Temp, Khttp://www.ecmwf.int/products/forecasts/d/charts/monitoring/coverage/dcover/

FENNEC Supersites

Richard Washington, April 09

FENNEC field Campaign 2011

Will collect new observations from within the Central West Sahara (crucial for dust emissions)

Desperately need more surface data from within the Sahara to validate models and satellite products.

Current surface observation network

The End Questions?

Mechanisms of Peak Winds and Dust Emissions