Topic(s):Atmosphere, Biosphere, Climate, Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Oceans
Scenario:In 2001 the remnants of a Chinese dust storm were deposited throughout western North America. Imagine, dust from China is transported across the Pacific Ocean and much of the North American continent! In 2007, NASA's CALIPSO satellite mission detected and traced a dust storm that originated in China, completely circled the Earth, and returned to China in 13 days. The dust started a second circuit but was eventually removed through rain and clouds over the Pacific Ocean. In 2005 an African dust cloud the size of the continental United States traveled from the Sahara Desert in Africa to Florida in the United States. African dust events, such as this one, have triggered toxic algae blooms in the North Atlantic. In short, any change in one of Earth's spheres (hydrosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, or cryosphere) can cause changes in one or more of the other spheres and can affect the entire Earth system. The nature and impact of such changes are often unknown or unpredictable due to the complex interactions among the components of the Earth's spheres.
Date: 2/23/2010 |
Scenario Images:
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Resources:
Atmospheric Dust
(Cycle A)
China Blanketed by a Huge Dust Storm
(Cycle A)
China Dust Storm Pollutes Air in the Eastern United States in April 2001 (Flatmap)
(Cycle A)
Dust 'is hidden climate problem'
(Cycle A)
Dust in Earth System Can Affect Oceans, Carbon Cycle, Temperatures, and Health
(Cycle A)
Farming kicked up dust in West Africa
(Cycle A)
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC report) section 7.5.1
(Cycle A)
NASA's Earth Observatory: From the Dust Bowl to the Sahel
(Cycle A)
The Climate Literacy Handbook – Principle 2
(Cycle A)
African Dust Linked To Hurricane Strength
(Cycle B)
Airborne Dust Causes Ripple Effect On Climate Far Away
(Cycle B)
Airborne Dust Reduction Plays Larger Than Expected Role In Determining Atlantic Temperature
(Cycle B)
Arctic Glacial Dust May Affect Climate and Health in North America and Europe
(Cycle B)
Dust Storms In Sahara Desert Sustain Life In Atlantic Ocean
(Cycle B)
Pollution Can Convert Airborne Iron Into Soluble Form Required For Phytoplankton Growth
(Cycle B)
Science at NASA: Dust begets Dust
(Cycle B)
Science at NASA: Dust Kills Florida Fish
(Cycle B)
Science at NASA: Mobile Homes for Microbes
(Cycle B)
Scientists vacuum up the data on dust
(Cycle B)
The Bodélé depression: a single spot in the Sahara that provides most of the mineral dust to the ...
(Cycle B)
Atmospheric Physicists Develop Dust Storm Forecasting System
(Cycle C)
Getting to the root of killer dust storms
(Cycle C)
NASA Explains "Dust Bowl" Drought
(Cycle C)
NASA Video of Dust and Other Aerosols
(Cycle C)
NASA's Earth Observatory: Aerosols and Climate Change
(Cycle C)
NASA's Earth Observatory: Temporary Drought or Permanent Desert?
(Cycle C)
Particulates and Health: Dust-Riding Microbes Pose Health Risk
(Cycle C)
The Green Wall of China
(Cycle C)
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Sample Investigations:
African dust leads to large toxic algal bloom
(Cycle A)
Climate Education Update: More than enough dust
(Cycle A)
Forecasting Dust Storms
(Cycle A)
MY NASA DATA: Dust for Kids and Link to Interactive Lesson
(Cycle A)
NASA Connect: The Measurement of All Things: Atmospheric Detectives
(Cycle A)
Aerosol Viewing using MY NASA DATA
(Cycle B)
Dust Bowl Days
(Cycle B)
Dust Storm Viewing with NASA MODIS Rapidfire
(Cycle B)
MY NASA DATA: Tropical Atlantic Aerosols
(Cycle B)
Aerosol PBL Modules from the CALIPSO outreach program
(Cycle C)
MY NASA DATA: Dust Storms
(Cycle C)
Observational Experiment with Aerosols: An example from NASA's Earth Observatory
(Cycle C)
Why monitor air quality?
(Cycle C)
Standards:
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