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Interactions Between Mineral Dust, Climate, and Ocean EcosystemsOver the past decade, technological improvements in the chemical and physical characterization of dust have provided insights into a number of phenomena that were previously unknown or poorly understood. In addition, models are now incorporating a wider range of physical processes, which will allow us to better quantify the climatic and ecological impacts of dust. For example, some models include the effect of dust on oceanic photosynthesis and thus on atmospheric CO 2 (Friedlingstein et al. 2006). The impact of long-range dust transport, with its multiple forcings and feedbacks, is a relatively new and complex area of research, where input from several disciplines is needed. So far, many of these effects have only been parameterized in models in very simple terms. For example, the representation of dust sources remains a major uncertainty in dust modeling and estimates of the global mass of airborne dust. This is a problem where Earth scientists could make an important contribution, by working with climate scientists to determine the type of environments in which easily erodible soil particles might have accumulated over time. Geologists could also help to identify the predominant mineralogical composition of dust sources, which is crucial for calculating the radiative and chemical effects of dust but is currently known for only a few regions. Understanding how climate and geological processes control source extent and characterizing the mineral content of airborne dust are two of the fascinating challenges in future dust research.
Document ID
20110007785
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Gasso, Santiago
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Baltimore, MD, United States)
Grassian, Vicki H.
(Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA, United States)
Miller, Ron L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 2010
Publication Information
Publication: Elements
Volume: 6
Subject Category
Geophysics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC5-494
CONTRACT_GRANT: ATM-06-20066
CONTRACT_GRANT: CHE-09-52605
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG05GQ79A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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