Investigating impacts of dust events on surface temperature and atmospheric radiative forcing in Zanjan, Kuwait, and, Karachi

Abstract

We studied the temporal correlation between the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and surface temperature during dust events at three locations in Southwest Asia. Dust events are characterized using AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) data recorded at three sites: IASBS in Northwest Iran (2007 - 2021), Kuwait University (2008 - 2021), and Karachi in Southwest Pakistan (2010 - 2020). The AOD at 870 nm, Ångström Exponent (AE), and Aerosol Radiative Forcing (ARF) at the top and bottom of the atmosphere are obtained from the recordings of these stations. Dust events are specified subject to the conditions; daily averaged values of AOD > 0.35 and AE < 0.5. The surface temperature is obtained from the closest synoptic recordings to each station. The AOD and temperature showed negative correlations at the IASBS and Kuwait stations, where their minima happen almost two days after the dust event and the temperature drops down 2±0.3°C and 3±0.7°C at these stations, respectively. At Karachi station, a significant impact of dust events on the surface temperature has not been observed. This can be due to its geographical location, which is on the coast of a very large water reservoir, i.e. the Arabian Sea. It also has quite a large population.