Identification

Title

Dust storm over the Black Rock Desert: Larger-scale dynamic signatures

Abstract

A dust storm that originated over the Black Rock Desert (BRD) of northwestern Nevada is investigated. Our primary goal is to more clearly understand the sequence of dynamical processes that generate surface winds responsible for entraining dust from this desert. In addition to reliance on conventional surface and upper-air observations, we make use of reanalysis data sets (NCAR/NCEP and NARR)—blends of primitive equation model forecasts and observations. From these data sets, we obtain the evolution of vertical motion patterns and ageostrophic motions associated with the event. In contrast to earlier studies that have emphasized the importance of indirect transverse circulations about an upper-level jet streak, our results indicate that in this case the transition from an indirect to a direct circulation pattern across the exit region of upper-level jet streak is central to creation of low-level winds that ablate dust from the desert. It is further argued that the transition of vertical circulation patterns is in response to adjustments to geostrophic imbalance—an adjustment time scale of 6–9 h. Although unproven, we suggest that antecedent rainfall over the alkali desert 2 weeks prior to the event was instrumental in lowering the bulk density of sediments and thereby improved the chances for dust ablation by the atmospheric disturbance. We comprehensively compare/contrast our results with those of earlier investigators, and we present an alternative view of key dynamical signatures in atmospheric flow that portend the likelihood of dust storms over the western United States.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7jd4z27

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2011-03-29T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact