Impact of Dust Storm Intensity on Some Metrological Elements and Aerosol Optical Properties (Case Study: Baghdad, Iraq)

Based on diurnal horizontal visibility and wind speed, three dust storms types and non-dusty days are identified in spring and summer seasons during 2005-2013 for Baghdad city to evaluate the impact of dust storm (DS) intensity on some meteorological elements and aerosol optical properties (AOP). The frequency of westerly and northwesterly winds increases significantly in three DS type days. The mean air temperature have (lower/higher) values in DS days during the (day/night) than non-dusty days while the relative humidity values have opposite phase. The maximum difference in air temperature and relative humidity in dusty days from its values in non-dusty days is higher in severe DS than in moderate and light DS at night time. The solar radiation has very good correlations with dust particles during the daytime where the high percentage of reduction of solar radiation in severe DS is about (45%) while reductions is about 32% in moderate DS and 23% in light DS. The variations in AOP are proportional to intensity of the DS. Increase in aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD), aerosol extinction optical depth (AOD) at 388 nm and 500 nm and aerosol index (AI) while for aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) show decrease during dust storm that means the process of aerosols absorption is more active than scattering during DS. This paper is interesting and the presented results may be particularly useful in the development of optical communication systems in the studied area.