Quantification of the Impacts of Saharan Dust on Atlantic Hurricanes Using Satellite Observations and Coupled Atmosphere-Ocean Model

Abstract

Abstract: The radiative and microphysical effects of Saharan dust are believed to exert substantial impacts on the regional weather systems and climate in the Atlantic, but the current understanding of the dust effects on tropical cyclones (TCs) remains inadequate. This project aims at quantification of the impacts of Saharan dust on the evolution of Atlantic TCs by combining observational analysis and simulations with coupled atmosphere-ocean models. The dust impacts on TCs will be assessed from analysis of NASA satellite and aircraft measurements of aerosol and cloud properties in this region and simulations using a cloud-resolving Weather Research and Forecasting Model coupled with Regional Ocean Modeling System (CR-WRFROMS) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) coupled-Community Earth System Model (CESM). Specifically, the following research tasks are proposed: (1) analysis of dust measurements from the Multi-angle imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), dust and cloud vertical profiles from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) and CloudSat, and aircraft observational data from the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Activities Experiment (NAMMA) field campaign, Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3), and Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) missions to evaluate the interaction between Saharan dust and TCs, select the case for model simulations, and perform inter-comparison between the model and observation, (2) quantification of the dust direct and indirect effects on Atlantic TCs using the CR-WRF-ROMS, and (3) assessment of the impacts of Saharan Air Layer (SAL) and African Easterly Waves (AEWs) on the TC trend using the coupled-CESM. Ultimately, the results from this proposed research will provide quantitative assessment of the impacts of Saharan dust on the genesis and intensification of Atlantic TCs and will facilitate more accurate future forecasting and climate projections of TCs in the Atlantic Basin.