Geospatial Distribution and Projection of Aerosol over Sub-Saharan Africa: Assessment from Remote Sensing and Other Platforms

Godwin Atai, Ayansina Ayanlade, Isaac Ayo Oluwatimilehin, Oluwatoyin Seun Ayanlade

Publications: Contribution to journalArticlePeer Reviewed

Abstract

Saharan Africa has experienced persistent exposure to aerosol from time immemorial, but the intensity has been much more severe in recent years. In this study, aerosol optical depths (AOD) retrievals from ground-based, satellite-based and modelled data set were compared, for the time scale of 1994–2019, 2000–2019, and 1985–2019, respectively, over Saharan Africa. Validation of satellite-based records and model aerosol records were complemented by ground-based records; also, seasonal variations in the atmospheric aerosol were predicted using multiple decadal projections. Results from the multi-model ensemble showed no significant differences between mean monthly aerosol retrieved from different platforms and model-based, where F = 55.114 for ground-based, F = 66.675 for satellite-based, F = 49.638 for the model data set, with Sig = 0.000 at P < 0.05. The study concludes that seasonal variation in Saharan Africa could be accounted for the variation in AOD and the Bodélé depression in Chad which mainly releases nearly 40% of the dust over parts of Saharan Africa especially during the harmattan.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)357–372
Number of pages16
JournalAerosol Science and Engineering
Volume5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Jul 2021
Externally publishedYes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 105408 Physical geography
  • 105206 Meteorology
  • 105208 Atmospheric chemistry

Keywords

  • Aerosol
  • Sub-Saharan
  • Africa
  • Remote Sensing
  • AERONET
  • ATLANTIC
  • OPTICAL-PROPERTIES
  • PM2.5 CONCENTRATIONS
  • ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL
  • Remote sensing
  • African
  • VARIABILITY
  • PRECIPITATION
  • REGIONAL CLIMATE
  • DESERT DUST
  • Saharan atmospheres
  • DEPTH

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