Towards improving dust emission simulations with the ICON-HAM model framework

Mineral dust contributes significantly to the global atmospheric aerosol burden and is an important climate factor. Its model-based description of the atmospheric life cycle and impacts largely depends on an accurate parameterization of dust emissions. The large variability of near-source dust distribution in current forecast and aerosol-climate models is an indication that accurate simulation of dust emissions remains problematic. The occurrence and strength of dust emissions depends on both surface properties and surface winds. While satellite remote sensing offers great potential for determining relevant surface properties such as surface roughness and land use, model simulations of surface winds remain problematic in resolving strong wind events that occur on small spatial and temporal scales. The peak wind speeds of such events have the potential to cause strong dust emissions, but are unlikely to be captured in model simulations with parameterized convection.  Advances in high-resolution convection atmospheric modelling are a major opportunity for overcoming these limitations. Convection permitting simulations and multi-scale model approaches become feasible with the new ICON model framework which has been developed jointly by the German Weather Service (DWD) and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg. Results of dust simulations with the HAM aerosol model coupled to ICON will be presented. The new model system will advance the flexibility and possibilities to work on understanding the role of mineral dust aerosol and their interactions within the changing climate. The new model system will improve the ability to understand the role of mineral dust aerosols and their interactions with the climate system.