Long-Term Aerosol Trends and Variability over Central Saudi Arabia Using Optical Characteristics from Solar Village AERONET Measurements

Authors

Mohammed Al Otaibi, Environment, Health & Safety Support Section, Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia
Ashraf Farahat, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
Bassam Tawabini, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
M. Hafidz Omar, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
Emad Ramadan, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
Abdelgadir Abuelgasim, United Arab Emirates University
Ramesh Singh, Chapman UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-28-2019

Abstract

Natural and anthropogenic aerosols over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) play a major role in affecting the regional radiation budget. The long-term variability of these aerosols’ physical and optical parameters, including aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström exponent (α), were measured at a location near central KSA using the Solar Village (SV) AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) station during the period December 1999–January 2013. The AERONET measurements show an overall increase in AOD on an annual basis. This upward trend is mainly attributed to a prolonged increase in the monthly/seasonal mean AOD during March–June and during August– September. In contrast, lower AOD values were observed during November–December. This can be attributed to a low frequency of dust outbreaks and higher precipitation rates. An overall, weak declining trend in α was observed, except during the summer. The spring and summer seasons experienced a pronounced increase in the number of coarse particles (~2 µm) during April 2006– January 2013 as compared to December 1999–March 2006, suggesting an increase in natural aerosol loadings. Using the HYSPLIT model, it was found that the March 2009 dust storm contributed to the mixing of long-transported dust with anthropogenic local emissions near the SV. The results suggest that extensive industrial activity contributed to the increase of anthropogenic emissions over KSA during the period April 2006–January 2013.

Comments

This article was originally published in Atmosphere, volume 10, in 2019. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10120752

Recommended Citation

Al Otaibi, M.; Farahat, A.; Tawabini, B.; Omar, M.H.; Ramadan, E.; Abuelgasim, A.; Singh, R.P. Long-term aerosol trends and variability over central Saudi Arabia using optical characteristics from Solar Village AERONET measurements. Atmosphere 2019, 10, 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10120752

Peer Reviewed

1

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