Senegalese dust squall, summer season 2021Karen Coker/ Penn StateWhen enough winds blow throughout deserts, dust is lifted from the ground and can wind up in far-flung places. Dust storms can result if the winds are strong enough, minimizing visibility and triggering breathing problems. So its important for researchers to much better understand these dirty winds and the capacity for pathogens to be carried in addition to windblown sediments. Researchers at Penn State and a university in Senegal published a study just recently in Atmospheric Environment suggesting that the level of fine particle matter from squalls coming from Africa and crossing the Atlantic has actually been increasing for the last 40 years, with noteworthy upticks throughout summer season. The scientists reveal a requirement for more instruments– like the global network of particulate-detecting tools they utilized in the study– in West Africa and presume that environment modification could change the nature of this dusty circulation and might negatively affect human health.
