Context
A new study has shown that how the dust coming from the deserts in the West, Central, and East Asia plays a significant role in the Indian Summer Monsoon.
About Dust swarms
- Origin: Dust swarms get lifted from the desert by the strong winds.
- Later, it absorbs solar radiation and becomes hot.
- Impacts: Dust swarms are known to impact monsoon, hurricanes, and even rainforests. They may cause:
- heating of the atmosphere
- change in air pressure
- change in wind circulation patterns
- influence on moisture transport
- increased precipitation and rainfall
- Reverse effect: The Indian Summer Monsoon can also increase the winds in West Asia to produce more dust through the reverse effect.
- Different chemical composition: Different deserts have different chemical properties and show the varied level of solar absorption capability and different impacts on the monsoon system.
Dust and Dust storms
- The dust is a particle having a diameter of fewer than 62.5 microns.
- The string of deserts and semi-deserts stretching from the Atlantic coast of West Africa through the Middle East and Central Asia to the Gobi Desert is known as the ‘Dust Belt’.
Common names
- Korea - Hwang Sa
- Japan – Kosa
- West Asia - Haboob
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