The amount of these particles suspended in the atmosphere has increased by about 55% since the middle of the 19th century.e century, according to a study.
Have Sahara dust grains helped mask the extent of global warming? A study published on the Nature Reviews, Earth & Environment website deciphers how these aerosols carried by desert storms can influence the climate around the world, and reduce the warming effect of greenhouse gases.
The work carried out by researchers from the University of California (UCLA) focused on these mineral dusts less than 0.1 mm in diameter. According to their estimates, partly based on satellite measurements, the atmosphere contains about 26 million tons, “equivalent to the weight of 5 million African elephants floating in the sky”, illustrates the study’s lead author, Jasper Kok. Half come from the Sahara and Sahel regions. And, “although much of the dust settles near source regions, a significant fraction is transported over great distances,” the authors point out: thus…
This article is for subscribers only. You have 78% left to discover.
Pushing back the limits of science is also freedom.
Keep reading your article for €0.99 for the first month
Already subscribed? Login