From Sahara Desert to Ukraine: an integrated study of mineral dust transport

In April 2024, the transport of mineral dust from the Sahara Desert was observed over Ukraine. This phenomenon, unusual for the region, resulted in reduced visibility, "red rain," degraded air quality, and altered atmospheric aerosol properties over Kyiv. To better understand the impact of this event, sun photometers and modeling efforts were used to analyze the changes in aerosol characteristics and the atmospheric influence of mineral dust transport. Observations from the AERONET Kyiv station indicated significant changes in aerosol characteristics. Specifically, there was an increase in aerosol optical depth (AOD) and coarse-mode AOD, while the Angstrom exponent (AE) and fine-mode AOD showed a decline. Cluster analysis of these parameters revealed temporal patterns and correlations between the observed changes. The size distribution analysis highlighted the dominant influence of coarse particles. Additionally, the single scattering albedo (SSA) and refractive index values were affected, reflecting the presence of mineral dust compared to typical conditions. The GEOS-Chem chemical transport model further indicated changes in mineral dust concentrations, suggesting its notable impact on Ukraine's territory. Additionally, the HYSPLIT model was utilized in this study to analyze backward trajectories of air masses, providing crucial information about their movement before reaching the territory of Ukraine and identifying their origins.