Modeling Saharan Desert Dust Properties over the Iberia Peninsula and Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

One of the major atmospheric constituents that regulate the Earth radiation budget are aerosols. These particles strongly modulate the energy balance of the Earth through absorption and scattering of solar radiation and absorption and emission of terrestrial radiation (IPCC, 2007). The study and evaluation of aerosol effects may be done through the use of atmospheric models (Santos et. al, 2009). Nevertheless, aerosol properties must be reasonably represented in the models, in order to reproduce in the best possible way the actual atmospheric conditions.