Influence of winter Saharan dust on equatorial Atlantic variability
Abstract While Saharan dust’s influence on sea surface temperature variability in the tropical North Atlantic is well-documented, its effects on the equatorial region remain underexplored. This relationship is particularly important due to the strong influence of equatorial Atlantic variability on b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01926-2 |
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| author | Ignasi Vallès-Casanova Ori Adam Marta Martín Rey |
| author_facet | Ignasi Vallès-Casanova Ori Adam Marta Martín Rey |
| author_sort | Ignasi Vallès-Casanova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract While Saharan dust’s influence on sea surface temperature variability in the tropical North Atlantic is well-documented, its effects on the equatorial region remain underexplored. This relationship is particularly important due to the strong influence of equatorial Atlantic variability on both local and remote climates. Here, we use observational and reanalysis data to investigate Saharan dust’s role in boreal winter, a period when dust transport is typically near the equator. A unique footprint of Saharan dust forcing is revealed, as well as a complex, non-monotonic response. Specifically, in contrast to the expected cooling due to shortwave blocking by Saharan dust, lower tropospheric warming, and stabilization lead to a strong sea surface warming off the coast of northwestern Africa and to the development of an off-equatorial warm front. The front drives cross-equatorial winds that induce a northward shift of the Atlantic rain belt, equatorial cooling, and equatorial wave activity leading to delayed equatorial warming. Winter Saharan dust is therefore an important contributor to equatorial Atlantic variability, with cross-regional implications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f1bc98d7392f419a99ba071700eb5c61 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-f1bc98d7392f419a99ba071700eb5c612025-01-19T12:40:02ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-01-016111210.1038/s43247-024-01926-2Influence of winter Saharan dust on equatorial Atlantic variabilityIgnasi Vallès-Casanova0Ori Adam1Marta Martín Rey2Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of JerusalemInstitute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of JerusalemDepartmento de Física de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense de MadridAbstract While Saharan dust’s influence on sea surface temperature variability in the tropical North Atlantic is well-documented, its effects on the equatorial region remain underexplored. This relationship is particularly important due to the strong influence of equatorial Atlantic variability on both local and remote climates. Here, we use observational and reanalysis data to investigate Saharan dust’s role in boreal winter, a period when dust transport is typically near the equator. A unique footprint of Saharan dust forcing is revealed, as well as a complex, non-monotonic response. Specifically, in contrast to the expected cooling due to shortwave blocking by Saharan dust, lower tropospheric warming, and stabilization lead to a strong sea surface warming off the coast of northwestern Africa and to the development of an off-equatorial warm front. The front drives cross-equatorial winds that induce a northward shift of the Atlantic rain belt, equatorial cooling, and equatorial wave activity leading to delayed equatorial warming. Winter Saharan dust is therefore an important contributor to equatorial Atlantic variability, with cross-regional implications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01926-2 |
| spellingShingle | Ignasi Vallès-Casanova Ori Adam Marta Martín Rey Influence of winter Saharan dust on equatorial Atlantic variability Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Influence of winter Saharan dust on equatorial Atlantic variability |
| title_full | Influence of winter Saharan dust on equatorial Atlantic variability |
| title_fullStr | Influence of winter Saharan dust on equatorial Atlantic variability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of winter Saharan dust on equatorial Atlantic variability |
| title_short | Influence of winter Saharan dust on equatorial Atlantic variability |
| title_sort | influence of winter saharan dust on equatorial atlantic variability |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01926-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ignasivallescasanova influenceofwintersaharandustonequatorialatlanticvariability AT oriadam influenceofwintersaharandustonequatorialatlanticvariability AT martamartinrey influenceofwintersaharandustonequatorialatlanticvariability |