Document Type : Applied Articale
Authors
1
Synoptic Meteorology expert, Kurdistan Province Meteorological Office, Sanandaj, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Sand & Dust Storm Internationa Research Center, Head of Research Institute of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3
Assistant of Meteorological Development and Forecasting, Kurdistan Province Meteorological Office, Sanandaj, Iran
4
Assistant of Technical and network of meteorological stations, Kurdistan Province Meteorological Office, Sanandaj, Iran
5
Weather forecasting expert, Kurdistan Province Meteorological Office, Sanandaj, Iran
6
Researcher, Sand & Dust Storm international Research Center, Research Institute of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science
7
Researcher, Sand & Dust Storm International research Center, , Assistant Professor, Research Institute of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science (RIMAS)
8
Associate Professor, Sand & Dust Storm Internationa Research Center, Research Institute of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science (RIMAS)
10.22067/geoeh.2025.85624.1434
Abstract
Kurdistan province, located in western Iran, has been affected by the dust phenomenon as one of the most important atmospheric and environmental hazards, causing major damage to the various infrastructures in the province every year. This research examined the conditions and origins of dust events in the Kurdistan province, which experienced an average of 32 dusty days annually, over the statistical period from 1992 to 2022. To achieve this objective, data were collected from eight synoptic stations, satellite imagery, aerosol optical depth (AOD) product, and re-analysis data across various atmospheric levels. The HYSPLIT model was employed to trace the trajectories of dust particle transmission; finally, the main sources of dust in the province were identified. The findings indicate that the prevalence of dust in Kurdistan province reaches its peak at 40% during the spring season, followed by a frequency of 27% in the summer. Spatially, dust frequency decreases from west to east and north to south. A synoptic analysis indicated that, in the majority of cases, the establishment of a low-pressure system over Iraq and Syria, coupled with the intensification of unstable atmospheric conditions in the desert areas of these regions, along with the positioning of the studied area in front of a deep trough, creates favorable conditions for the emission of dust and its subsequent transport within the region's atmosphere. Furthermore, research indicates that the dust events occurring in the Kurdistan province are derived from three main sources. These include the sediments from riverbeds and the arid wetlands located in the central and southern areas of Iraq, as well as the deserts found in Syria, Jordan, and the northern section of the Arabian Peninsula. The activity of these sources is notably heightened during the spring and summer months.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)
Send comment about this article