Dust storms as an indicator of climatic and environmental changes in arid regions

Abstract

This study examines dust storms as a compound indicator of climatic and environmental change in arid and semi-arid regions within the general period 1995-2024, while using each dataset according to its actual temporal coverage. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach supported by statistical analysis and distinguishes between dust storms, locally raised dust, suspended dust, and sand or soil storms. It also differentiates between DSD, AOD, and NDVI indicators. The findings show that global dust sources are concentrated in limited land areas, representing about 5% of global land surface. North Africa and Asia dominate the spatial distribution of identified dust sources, accounting for 67% and 30%, respectively. Desert sources represent 65% of the identified sources, while vegetation-related and hydrological sources account for 26% and 9%. In China, dust-storm days declined in the Taklamakan Desert from 6.1 days in 2001 to 2.5 days in 2012, and in the Gobi Desert from 5.6 days in 2001 to 0.2 days in 2015, followed by a limited increasing trend. In the Middle East, AOD values increased during 2007-2013 and then declined relatively during 2014-2019. Correlation results indicate a clear negative relationship between NDVI and dust activity in areas such as Khuzestan, northern Iraq, and eastern Syria, while strong winds show a strong positive relationship with dust storms in the Gobi region. The study recommends strengthening monitoring and early-warning systems, restoring vegetation cover, improving land and water management, and harmonizing regional dust datasets.