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Abstract
Small-scale pressure variations play a critical role in generating the strong “wind of 120 days” that frequently occurs in western Afghanistan. The Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry (WRF/Chem) model, alongside existing interpretations, was used to examine this wind phenomenon, dust storm activity over the Helmand Basin, and key sources of dust affecting Afghanistan and Balochistan. These winds are prevalent from mid-May to mid-September due to persistent high-pressure systems over the Hindu Kush mountains in northern Afghanistan, combined with a summertime thermal low over western Afghanistan’s desert lands. The resultant pressure gradient intensifies winds, which are further channeled by the region’s orography. A northerly low-level jet (LLJ) along the Afghanistan-Iran border peaks at 300–500 meters altitude and is most intense in July, with nighttime monthly averaged wind speeds reaching 20 m/s, spreading across a broad latitudinal area along the border.
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References
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References
Afghanistan Meteorological Department, http://www.amd.gov.af/sand-and-dust-stormsen/ (Accessed 2019)
O. Alizadeh-Choobari, P. Zawar-Reza, A. Sturman. The “wind of 120 days” and dust storm activity over the Sistan Basin. 2014
NCDC. Climate of Afghanistan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2008, Accessed December 21, 2011.
Prospero, J, Ginoux, P., Torres, O., Nicholson, S.E., and Gill, T.E. Environmental characterization of global sources of atmospheric soil dust identified with the Nimbus 7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) absorbing aerosol product. Reviews of Geophysics, 2002, February. 40 (1).
Watt, N. Dust storm forces Cameron to abandon visit to Cam Bastion in Afghanistan. The Guardian. 2011, December 20. Accessed December 21, 2011.
Nadafi K, Air pollution (its origin and control), Nas Scientific Institute, Inc, Tehran, Iran. 2010
Xuan J, Sokolik IN, Hao J, Guo F, Mao H, Yang G. Identification and characterization of sources of atmospheric mineral dust in East Asia, Atmospheric Environment. 2004; 38(36): 6239-6252.
Engelstaedter S, Tegen I, Washington R. North African dust emissions and transport, Earth-Science Reviews. 2006; 79(1-2): 73-100.
Wark K, Warner W. Air pollution (its origin and control). Wesley Longman, Inc, England. 1998
Wang S, Yuan Y, Shang K, The impacts of different kinds of dust events on PM10 pollution in northern China, Atmospheric Environment 2006; 40(40):75-79.
United Nations Environment Programm, Environmental News Emergencies, Available from: URL: http//: www unep org/depi/programmes/emergencies html, (Accessed: 2005).
You-zhi F, Kun-xun L, Rong D. The Causative Factors and Forecasting of the Black Storm in Hexi Corridor, Journal of Meteorology. 1994; 20(12): 50-53.
Cuevas, Emilio & Terradellas, enric & Zhang, Xiaoye & Farrel, Daviz & Nikovic, Slobadan & Baklanov, Alexander & Basart, Sara & Garcia-Castrillo, Gerardo & Lee, Sang & Noori, Faezeh & Ranjabr, Abbas & Sealy, Anderea & Sehatkashani, Saviz. WMO AIRBORNE DUST BULLETIN Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System. 2017
Middleton, N. The geography of dust storms [PhD thesis]. University of Oxford. 1986
Goudie, Andrew & Middleton, Nick. Changing Frequencies of Dust Storm. 2006; 10.1007/3-540-32355-4_7.
M.R. Ekhtesasia, Z. Gohari. Determining Area Affected by Dust Storms in Different Wind Speeds, Using Satellite Images (Case Study: Sistan Plain, Iran). 2013
Goudie, A. S., & Middleton, N. J. Dust storms in south west Asia. Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Supplement. 2000; 7383.
United Nations Environment Programm. Environmental News Emergencies, Available. 2005; from: URL: http//: www unep org/depi/programmes/emergencies html, (Accessed: 2005).
Griffin DW, Atmospheric Movement of Microorganisms in Clouds of Desert Dust and Implications for Human Health, Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 2007; 20(3): 459-577.
Leli M, Naddafi K, Nabizadeh R, Yonesiyan M, Mesdaghinia A, Concentration of suspended particles and the air quality index (AQI) Central area of Tehran. J School of Public Health and Institute of Health Research. 2009; 7(1):57-67.
NASA, Earth Obsevatory - December 20, 2011KMZ December 20, 2011JPEG December 20, 2011TIFF
Khosravi. Mahmood. A Survey on the Vertical Distribution of Dust and Particle to Arise from Storms in Middle East Case study: Sistan, Iran. 2010