Effects of dust storms on microwave radiation based on satellite observation and model simulation over the Taklamakan desert

Abstract. Effects of dust particles on microwave radiation over the Taklamakan desert are studied with use of measurements from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on the EOS Aqua satellite and a microwave radiation transfer model. Eight observed cases show that the signal from atmospheric dust can be separated from the surface radiation by the fact that the dust particles produce stronger scattering at high frequencies and depolarize the background desert signature. This result of satellite data is consistent with the model simulation.