These are some of the questions that dust researchers ask when investigating dust storms. Researchers are studying dust storms because these events can remove nutrient-rich soils from exposed fields, cause respiratory health problems, obscure visibility and cause highway accidents, gum up machinery, and be a nuisance by covering everything in sight with a fine grit. Worldwide, dust storms are additionally responsible for widespread air pollution and are implicated in changes in global and regional climate.
Dust storms need only two simple ingredients: fine grained soils and strong winds. So why don't we see more dust storms?
Vegetation, moist soils, rocks, and fine crusts on the soil surface all hold down the soil. These factors prevent strong winds from moving the soil and bringing fine dust particles into the atmosphere. Regions that get more rainfall have more vegetation and soil moisture and are therefore less likely to be vulnerable to wind erosion. Arid regions, especially where vegetation has been removed, are more likely to be good locations for dust storms. But you still need that first ingredient of fine-grained soils.
So take a look at the where, when, and how of the dust storm that you experienced. Was it during a dry part of the year, or even a long-term drought? Were you in an area with lots of exposed fine-grained soils? Were the winds strong that day?
You can find resources to learn more about dust storms and see satellite images of dust storms at the web sites below:
You can find data and information relevant to dust sources at the web sites below:
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/info/dust/inventory/info.html
Page Contact Information: ESP Web Team
Page Last Modified: Fri 12-Sep-2008 10:26:22 MDT
