Articles | Volume 24, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11451-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11451-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
15 Oct 2024
Research article |
| 15 Oct 2024
| 15 Oct 2024
Dust aerosol from the Aralkum Desert influences the radiation budget and atmospheric dynamics of Central Asia
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany
Bernd Heinold
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), Leipzig, Germany
Kerstin Schepanski
Institute of Meteorology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Friederike Keil, Markus Quante, Bernd Heinold, and Volker Matthias
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 11561–11582, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11561-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11561-2026, 2026
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Using model simulations, we studied convective weather events to see how urban aerosol emissions influence cloud microphysics and precipitation. By tracing urban air volumes from convective clouds back to their emission sources, we could isolate the effects of emissions. The results show that urban emissions affect precipitation differently depending on the meteorological situation, highlighting the complex and case-dependent role of cities in shaping local rainfall.
Pascal Kunze, Bernd Heinold, and Ina Tegen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2121, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2121, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Geoscientific Model Development (GMD).
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Dust emission is mostly driven by wind speed and is often linked to convective events. However, the resolution of current climate models cannot resolve these events, which leads to uncertainties in dust emission modelling. This study compares global dust emissions in high-resolution and low-resolution models and shows large differences across major dust source regions. The results highlight that representing convection more realistically is crucial for improving global dust predictions.
Sofía Gómez Maqueo Anaya, Sudharaj Aryasree, Konrad Kandler, Eduardo José dos Santos Souza, Khanneh Wadinga Fomba, Dietrich Althausen, Maria Kezoudi, Matthias Faust, Bernd Heinold, Ina Tegen, Moritz Haarig, Holger Baars, and Kerstin Schepanski
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 9929–9966, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-9929-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-9929-2026, 2026
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During two 2022 measurement campaigns in Cape Verde, Saharan dust aerosols were collected and analyzed for mineral composition. Mineralogy is crucial for dust–radiation and dust–cloud interactions. We improve dust representation in an atmospheric model by refining the translation of soil into aerosol particle size distributions. Validation with mineral and elemental measurements shows improved representation of some minerals and reveals biases missed by mineral-only comparisons.
Bernd Heinold, Philipp Weiss, Sadhitro De, Anne Kubin, Jason Müller, Fabian Senf, Philip Stier, and Ina Tegen
Geosci. Model Dev., 19, 6167–6187, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6167-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6167-2026, 2026
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Understanding climate effects of airborne particles requires computer models that can represent small-scale dynamics. We introduce a new regional configuration of a kilometre-scale aerosol–climate model and apply it to air pollution in Central Europe, sea spray in the Atlantic Arctic, and smoke and dust over Australia. The simulations reproduce key particle patterns and variability, but also reveal limitations due to simplified sources and chemistry. The results guide future model improvements.
Friederike Keil, Markus Quante, Bernd Heinold, and Volker Matthias
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2934, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2934, 2026
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Using simulations of two differing rain events, we investigated how sensitive convective precipitation is to urban emission levels by varying emission strengths across a wide range. Low emissions produce only modest effects, but high levels can trigger systematic changes, including substantial increases in ice content and precipitation intensity accompanied by spatial and temporal shifts. The magnitude of these responses depends critically on the prevailing meteorological conditions.
Lingle Chen, Kerstin Schepanski, Kai Zhang, Anya J. Crocker, Chuang Xuan, and Paul A. Wilson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 7523–7538, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7523-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7523-2026, 2026
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East Asia is among the most dust-active regions globally, yet the atmospheric processes behind these dust emissions remain poorly understood. Using an hourly dust source activation record across East Asia, we identify two primary regions with distinct diurnal cycles: a northern region driven by low-pressure systems, a southern one linked to low-level jet breakdown and deep convection, and a third minor region on the Tibetan Plateau presumably driven by wintertime mountain-valley winds.
Moritz Zeising, Laurent Oziel, Silke Thoms, Özgür Gürses, Judith Hauck, Bernd Heinold, Svetlana N. Losa, Manuela van Pinxteren, Christoph Völker, Sebastian Zeppenfeld, and Astrid Bracher
Geosci. Model Dev., 19, 2077–2109, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-2077-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-2077-2026, 2026
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We assess the implementation of additional organic carbon pathways into a global setup of a numerical model, which simulates the ocean circulation, sea ice, and biogeochemical processes. With a focus on the Arctic Ocean, this model tracks the temporal and spatial dynamics of phytoplankton, exudation of organic carbon, and its aggregation to so-called transparent exopolymer particles. We evaluate the simulation using measurements from ship-based and remote-sensing campaigns in the Arctic Ocean.
Anisbel Leon-Marcos, Manuela van Pinxteren, Sebastian Zeppenfeld, Moritz Zeising, Astrid Bracher, Laurent Oziel, Ina Tegen, and Bernd Heinold
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 1109–1144, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1109-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1109-2026, 2026
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This study combines modelled ocean surface concentrations of major marine organic groups with the aerosol-climate model ECHAM-HAM to quantify species-resolved primary marine organic aerosol emissions from 1990 to 2019. Strong seasonality appears, driven by productivity and summer sea-ice loss. Emissions and burdens rise over time, with regional differences across the Arctic and aerosol species.
Agnesh Panta, Konrad Kandler, Kerstin Schepanski, Andres Alastuey, Pavla Dagsson Waldhauserova, Sylvain Dupont, Melanie Eknayan, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Martina Klose, Mara Montag, Xavier Querol, Jesús Yus-Díez, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 10457–10478, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10457-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10457-2025, 2025
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Iceland is among the most active dust source areas in the world. Dust properties are influenced by particle size, mineralogy, shape, and mixing state. This work characterizes freshly emitted individual aerosol particles of Icelandic dust using electron microscopy. Our study provides insights into critical particle-specific information and will contribute to better constraining climate models that consider mineralogical variations in their representation of the dust cycle.
Sofía Gómez Maqueo Anaya, Dietrich Althausen, Julian Hofer, Moritz Haarig, Ulla Wandinger, Bernd Heinold, Ina Tegen, Matthias Faust, Holger Baars, Albert Ansmann, Ronny Engelmann, Annett Skupin, Birgit Heese, and Kerstin Schepanski
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 9737–9764, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9737-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9737-2025, 2025
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This study investigates how hematite in Sahara dust affects how dust particles interact with radiation. Using lidar data from Cabo Verde (2021–2022) and hematite content from atmospheric model simulations, the results show that a higher hematite fraction leads to a decrease in the particle backscattering coefficients in a spectrally different way. These findings can improve the representation of mineral dust in climate models, particularly regarding their radiative effect.
Anisbel Leon-Marcos, Moritz Zeising, Manuela van Pinxteren, Sebastian Zeppenfeld, Astrid Bracher, Elena Barbaro, Anja Engel, Matteo Feltracco, Ina Tegen, and Bernd Heinold
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 4183–4213, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4183-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4183-2025, 2025
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This study represents the primary marine organic aerosol (PMOA) emissions, focusing on their sea–atmosphere transfer. Using the FESOM2.1–REcoM3 model, concentrations of key organic biomolecules were estimated and integrated into the ECHAM6.3–HAM2.3 aerosol–climate model. Results highlight the influence of marine biological activity and surface winds on PMOA emissions, with reasonably good agreement with observations improving aerosol representation in the southern oceans.
Andreas Walbröl, Janosch Michaelis, Sebastian Becker, Henning Dorff, Kerstin Ebell, Irina Gorodetskaya, Bernd Heinold, Benjamin Kirbus, Melanie Lauer, Nina Maherndl, Marion Maturilli, Johanna Mayer, Hanno Müller, Roel A. J. Neggers, Fiona M. Paulus, Johannes Röttenbacher, Janna E. Rückert, Imke Schirmacher, Nils Slättberg, André Ehrlich, Manfred Wendisch, and Susanne Crewell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8007–8029, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8007-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8007-2024, 2024
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To support the interpretation of the data collected during the HALO-(AC)3 campaign, which took place in the North Atlantic sector of the Arctic from 7 March to 12 April 2022, we analyze how unusual the weather and sea ice conditions were with respect to the long-term climatology. From observations and ERA5 reanalysis, we found record-breaking warm air intrusions and a large variety of marine cold air outbreaks. Sea ice concentration was mostly within the climatological interquartile range.
Cyrille Flamant, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Marco Gaetani, Kerstin Schepanski, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4265–4288, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, 2024
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In the austral dry season, the atmospheric composition over southern Africa is dominated by biomass burning aerosols and terrigenous aerosols (so-called mineral dust). This study suggests that the radiative effect of biomass burning aerosols needs to be taken into account to properly forecast dust emissions in Namibia.
Sofía Gómez Maqueo Anaya, Dietrich Althausen, Matthias Faust, Holger Baars, Bernd Heinold, Julian Hofer, Ina Tegen, Albert Ansmann, Ronny Engelmann, Annett Skupin, Birgit Heese, and Kerstin Schepanski
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 1271–1295, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-1271-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-1271-2024, 2024
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Mineral dust aerosol particles vary greatly in their composition depending on source region, which leads to different physicochemical properties. Most atmosphere–aerosol models consider mineral dust aerosols to be compositionally homogeneous, which ultimately increases model uncertainty. Here, we present an approach to explicitly consider the heterogeneity of the mineralogical composition for simulations of the Saharan atmospheric dust cycle with regard to dust transport towards the Atlantic.
Karine Desboeufs, Paola Formenti, Raquel Torres-Sánchez, Kerstin Schepanski, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Stefanie Feuerstein, Benoit Laurent, Danitza Klopper, Andreas Namwoonde, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Anaïs Feron, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, and Stuart J. Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1525–1541, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, 2024
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This study investigates the fractional solubility of iron (Fe) in dust particles along the coast of Namibia, a critical region for the atmospheric Fe supply of the South Atlantic Ocean. Our results suggest a possible two-way interplay whereby marine biogenic emissions from the coastal marine ecosystems into the atmosphere would increase the solubility of Fe-bearing dust by photo-reduction processes. The subsequent deposition of soluble Fe could act to further enhance marine biogenic emissions.
Michael Weger and Bernd Heinold
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13769–13790, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13769-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13769-2023, 2023
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This study investigates the effects of complex terrain on air pollution trapping using a numerical model which simulates the dispersion of emissions under real meteorological conditions. The additionally simulated aerosol age allows us to distinguish areas that accumulate aerosol over time from areas that are more influenced by fresh emissions. The Dresden Basin, a widened section of the Elbe Valley in eastern Germany, is selected as the target area in a case study to demonstrate the concept.
Suvarna Fadnavis, Bernd Heinold, T. P. Sabin, Anne Kubin, Katty Huang, Alexandru Rap, and Rolf Müller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10439–10449, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10439-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10439-2023, 2023
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The influence of the COVID-19 lockdown on the Himalayas caused increases in snow cover and a decrease in runoff, ultimately leading to an enhanced snow water equivalent. Our findings highlight that, out of the two processes causing a retreat of Himalayan glaciers – (1) slow response to global climate change and (2) fast response to local air pollution – a policy action on the latter is more likely to be within the reach of possible policy action to help billions of people in southern Asia.
Fabian Senf, Bernd Heinold, Anne Kubin, Jason Müller, Roland Schrödner, and Ina Tegen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8939–8958, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8939-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8939-2023, 2023
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Wildfire smoke is a significant source of airborne atmospheric particles that can absorb sunlight. Extreme fires in particular, such as those during the 2019–2020 Australian wildfire season (Black Summer fires), can considerably affect our climate system. In the present study, we investigate the various effects of Australian smoke using a global climate model to clarify how the Earth's atmosphere, including its circulation systems, adjusted to the extraordinary amount of Australian smoke.
Outi Meinander, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Pavel Amosov, Elena Aseyeva, Cliff Atkins, Alexander Baklanov, Clarissa Baldo, Sarah L. Barr, Barbara Barzycka, Liane G. Benning, Bojan Cvetkovic, Polina Enchilik, Denis Frolov, Santiago Gassó, Konrad Kandler, Nikolay Kasimov, Jan Kavan, James King, Tatyana Koroleva, Viktoria Krupskaya, Markku Kulmala, Monika Kusiak, Hanna K. Lappalainen, Michał Laska, Jerome Lasne, Marek Lewandowski, Bartłomiej Luks, James B. McQuaid, Beatrice Moroni, Benjamin Murray, Ottmar Möhler, Adam Nawrot, Slobodan Nickovic, Norman T. O’Neill, Goran Pejanovic, Olga Popovicheva, Keyvan Ranjbar, Manolis Romanias, Olga Samonova, Alberto Sanchez-Marroquin, Kerstin Schepanski, Ivan Semenkov, Anna Sharapova, Elena Shevnina, Zongbo Shi, Mikhail Sofiev, Frédéric Thevenet, Throstur Thorsteinsson, Mikhail Timofeev, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, Andreas Uppstu, Darya Urupina, György Varga, Tomasz Werner, Olafur Arnalds, and Ana Vukovic Vimic
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11889–11930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022, 2022
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High-latitude dust (HLD) is a short-lived climate forcer, air pollutant, and nutrient source. Our results suggest a northern HLD belt at 50–58° N in Eurasia and 50–55° N in Canada and at >60° N in Eurasia and >58° N in Canada. Our addition to the previously identified global dust belt (GDB) provides crucially needed information on the extent of active HLD sources with both direct and indirect impacts on climate and environment in remote regions, which are often poorly understood and predicted.
Bernd Heinold, Holger Baars, Boris Barja, Matthew Christensen, Anne Kubin, Kevin Ohneiser, Kerstin Schepanski, Nick Schutgens, Fabian Senf, Roland Schrödner, Diego Villanueva, and Ina Tegen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9969–9985, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9969-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9969-2022, 2022
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The extreme 2019–2020 Australian wildfires produced massive smoke plumes lofted into the lower stratosphere by pyrocumulonimbus convection. Most climate models do not adequately simulate the injection height of such intense fires. By combining aerosol-climate modeling with prescribed pyroconvective smoke injection and lidar observations, this study shows the importance of the representation of the most extreme wildfire events for estimating the atmospheric energy budget.
Michael Weger, Holger Baars, Henriette Gebauer, Maik Merkel, Alfred Wiedensohler, and Bernd Heinold
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 3315–3345, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-3315-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-3315-2022, 2022
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Numerical models are an important tool to assess the air quality in cities,
as they can provide near-continouos data in time and space. In this paper,
air pollution for an entire city is simulated at a high spatial resolution of 40 m.
At this spatial scale, the effects of buildings on the atmosphere,
like channeling or blocking of the air flow, are directly represented by diffuse obstacles in the used model CAIRDIO. For model validation, measurements from air-monitoring sites are used.
Mark Hennen, Adrian Chappell, Nicholas Webb, Kerstin Schepanski, Matthew Baddock, Frank Eckardt, Tarek Kandakji, Jeff Lee, Mohamad Nobakht, and Johanna von Holdt
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-423, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-423, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
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We use 90,000 dust point source observations (DPS), identified in satellite imagery across 9 global dryland environments to develop a novel dust emission model performance assessment. We evaluate the albedo-based dust emission model (AEM), which agrees with dust emission observations, or lack of emission 71 % of the time. Modelled dust occurs 27 % of the time with no observation, caused mostly by the incorrect assumption of infinite sediment supply and lack of dynamic dust entrainment thresholds.
Adrian Chappell, Nicholas Webb, Mark Hennen, Charles Zender, Philippe Ciais, Kerstin Schepanski, Brandon Edwards, Nancy Ziegler, Sandra Jones, Yves Balkanski, Daniel Tong, John Leys, Stephan Heidenreich, Robert Hynes, David Fuchs, Zhenzhong Zeng, Marie Ekström, Matthew Baddock, Jeffrey Lee, and Tarek Kandakji
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-337, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-337, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Dust emissions influence global climate while simultaneously reducing the productive potential and resilience of landscapes to climate stressors, together impacting food security and human health. Our results indicate that tuning dust emission models to dust in the atmosphere has hidden dust emission modelling weaknesses and its poor performance. Our new approach will reduce uncertainty and driven by prognostic albedo improve Earth System Models of aerosol effects on future environmental change.
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Short summary
The Aralkum is a new desert in Central Asia formed by the desiccation of the Aral Sea. This has created a source of atmospheric dust, with implications for the balance of solar and thermal radiation. Simulating these effects using a dust transport model, we find that Aralkum dust adds radiative cooling effects to the surface and atmosphere on average but also adds heating events. Increases in surface pressure due to Aralkum dust strengthen the Siberian High and weaken the summer Asian heat low.
The Aralkum is a new desert in Central Asia formed by the desiccation of the Aral Sea. This has...
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