Saharan dust transport
Saharan dust transport
 
 

The Saharan dust intrusions across the Mediterranean basin can cause an anomalous rise in the concentration of PM10 particles, and in some cases, it can contribute to pushing levels over the legal limits. When these excessive levels are due to natural causes, the latter can be deducted. It is important to identify this contribution, as its impact is significant in the region of Tuscany. 

The RAMS-DUSTEM-CAMx modelling system was developed to reconstruct the evolutionary dynamics of pollution from desert dust.
As part of the PATOS regional project, the system was used, together with chemical and physical measurements of samples, to identify the Saharan contribution to PM10.
A new modelling chain is under development, which use the meteorological model WRF-ARW instead of RAMS. This new modelling chain will allow a more efficient integration of the different activities performed by air quality section, in particular, the evaluation of the Saharan dust contribute to the total amount of the PM10 concentration simulated by SPARTA model.

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