The interactions between aerosols, climate, and weather are among the large uncertainties of current atmospheric research. Mineral dust is an important natural source of aerosol with significant implications on radiation, cloud microphysics, atmospheric chemistry and the carbon cycle via the fertilization of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
In addition, properties of dust deposited in sediments and ice cores are important (paleo-)climate indicators.

This interdivision session is open to contributions dealing with:
(1) measurements of all aspects of the dust cycle (emission, transport, deposition, size distribution, particle characteristics) with in situ and remote sensing techniques,
(2) numerical simulations of dust on global and regional scales,
(3) meteorological conditions for dust storms, dust transport and deposition,
(4) interactions of dust with clouds and radiation,
(5) influence of dust on atmospheric chemistry,
(6) fertilization of ecosystems through dust deposition,
(7) any study using dust as a (paleo-)climate indicator including investigations of Loess, ice cores, lake sediments, ocean sediments and dunes.

We especially encourage to submit papers on the integration of different disciplines and/or modeling of past, present and future climates.

We have already received positive replies from two solicited speakers:
– Francoise Guichard (CNRM) will introduce the recently started CAVIAR project (Climate, Agriculture and Vegetation Impacts on Aeolian Erosion in the Sahel)
– Qingzhen Hao (Chinese Academy of Science) will talk about results from his recent Nature paper "Delayed buildup of Arctic ice sheets during 400 kyr minima in insolation variability"

This session is co-sponsored by the European Association of Geochemistry.