Sahara Dust
Dr Anjani Ganase, marine scientist, discusses the effects of Sahara Dust. Whether it is beneficial or harmful, the research is still all up in the air! Hazy skies, irritated eyes and dust everywhere is a sign that Sahara Dust is here. These days, with the advent of satellite technology capable of tracking the Saharan air layer across the Atlantic Basin, meteorologists can warn those that may be particularly sensitive to the dust and suffering from respiratory diseases. The Sahara Dust actually originates from multiple sources in the Sahel region in Africa that fringes the Sahara desert. The weather patterns in this area determine the transport of hundreds of million tonnes of dust a year across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. Periods of drought in the Sahel savannahs are typically associated with higher transportation of Saharan dust across the Atlantic Ocean. These dust-laden trade winds tend to be seasonal and are known as the Harmattan in West Africa. Interestingly, greater ...