TITLE:
Dustfall Associated with Dust Storms in the Al-Ahsa Oasis of Saudi Arabia
AUTHORS:
Emad A. Almuhanna
KEYWORDS:
Saudi Arabia, Dust Storm, Sandstorm, Dustfall, Visibility, Atmospheric Deposition
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Air Pollution,
Vol.4 No.2,
May
20,
2015
ABSTRACT: Dustfall is a major threat to agricultural and industrial
infrastructures, as well as to other aspects of livelihood. Dustfall associated
to a severe dust storm that hit the Al-Ahsa Oasis of Saudi Arabia during 12-13
March 2014 is discussed in this paper. The storm caused widespread and heavy
dust deposition. A dramatic decrease in the visibility coincided with the
storm, and the average dust concentrations recorded during a peak 10-hour
period were 6772, 5862.4 and 451.1 μg/m3 for total suspended
particles (TSP), particulate matter smaller than or equal to 10 μm (PM10)
and those smaller than or equal to 2.5 μm (PM2.5), respectively. The
lowest visibility was 200 m, and the wind speed increased to 17.5 m/s from the
north. The average daily dust deposited in the study area during the event was
12.84 (SD = 1.2) g/(m2?d). The dust
samples comprised insoluble dust (48.5%) and soluble dust (51.5%). Based on the
Munsell color system, the final color description of the falling dust was 10 YR/6/3.
A microphotograph of the dustfall (settleable particulate matter) captured by a
stereo dissection microscope shows that the dust particles had various colors
and sizes, and they contained fibers and vegetative debris).