DESERT DUST REGIONAL MODELING OVER SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE

Abstract

The aim of the present work is the analysis of aerosol particles properties, from Saharan desert dust storms, at a regional scale, using atmospheric modelling, with the MesoNH model, as well as the evaluation of the model results through comparison with satellite-derived aerosol properties obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol product. The comparison between the simulated results and the satellite retrievals, allow to conclude that the model represents very well the desert dust aerosol plume pattern. The satellite-derived aerosol optical thickness is also in good agreement with the corresponding modelled values.