Characterization of Modern and Fossil Mineral Dust Transported to High Altitude in the Western Alps: Saharan Sources and Transport Patterns
Mineral dust aerosols recently collected at the high-altitude Jungfraujoch research station ( N, E; 3580 m a.s.l.) were compared to mineral dust deposited at the Colle Gnifetti glacier ( N, E; 4455 m a.s.l.) over the last millennium. Radiogenic isotope signatures and backward trajectories analyses i...
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fthindawi:oai:hindawi.com:10.1155/2012/674385 2023-05-15T17:33:32+02:00 Characterization of Modern and Fossil Mineral Dust Transported to High Altitude in the Western Alps: Saharan Sources and Transport Patterns Florian Thevenon Massimo Chiaradia Thierry Adatte Christoph Hueglin John Poté 2012 https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/674385 en eng Advances in Meteorology https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/674385 Copyright © 2012 Florian Thevenon et al. Review Article 2012 fthindawi https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/674385 2019-05-25T22:08:59Z Mineral dust aerosols recently collected at the high-altitude Jungfraujoch research station ( N, E; 3580 m a.s.l.) were compared to mineral dust deposited at the Colle Gnifetti glacier ( N, E; 4455 m a.s.l.) over the last millennium. Radiogenic isotope signatures and backward trajectories analyses indicate that major dust sources are situated in the north-central to north-western part of the Saharan desert. Less radiogenic Sr isotopic compositions of PM10 aerosols and of mineral particles deposited during periods of low dust transfer likely result from the enhancement of the background chemically-weathered Saharan source. Saharan dust mobilization and transport were relatively reduced during the second part of the Little Ice Age (ca. 1690–1870) except within the greatest Saharan dust event deposited around 1770. After ca. 1870, sustained dust deposition suggests that increased mineral dust transport over the Alps during the last century could be due to stronger spring/summer North Atlantic southwesterlies and drier winters in North Africa. On the other hand, increasing carbonaceous particle emissions from fossil fuel combustion combined to a higher lead enrichment factor point to concomitant anthropogenic sources of particulate pollutants reaching high-altitude European glaciers during the last century. Review North Atlantic Hindawi Publishing Corporation Advances in Meteorology 2012 1 14 |
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Open Polar |
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Hindawi Publishing Corporation |
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fthindawi |
language |
English |
description |
Mineral dust aerosols recently collected at the high-altitude Jungfraujoch research station ( N, E; 3580 m a.s.l.) were compared to mineral dust deposited at the Colle Gnifetti glacier ( N, E; 4455 m a.s.l.) over the last millennium. Radiogenic isotope signatures and backward trajectories analyses indicate that major dust sources are situated in the north-central to north-western part of the Saharan desert. Less radiogenic Sr isotopic compositions of PM10 aerosols and of mineral particles deposited during periods of low dust transfer likely result from the enhancement of the background chemically-weathered Saharan source. Saharan dust mobilization and transport were relatively reduced during the second part of the Little Ice Age (ca. 1690–1870) except within the greatest Saharan dust event deposited around 1770. After ca. 1870, sustained dust deposition suggests that increased mineral dust transport over the Alps during the last century could be due to stronger spring/summer North Atlantic southwesterlies and drier winters in North Africa. On the other hand, increasing carbonaceous particle emissions from fossil fuel combustion combined to a higher lead enrichment factor point to concomitant anthropogenic sources of particulate pollutants reaching high-altitude European glaciers during the last century. |
format |
Review |
author |
Florian Thevenon Massimo Chiaradia Thierry Adatte Christoph Hueglin John Poté |
spellingShingle |
Florian Thevenon Massimo Chiaradia Thierry Adatte Christoph Hueglin John Poté Characterization of Modern and Fossil Mineral Dust Transported to High Altitude in the Western Alps: Saharan Sources and Transport Patterns |
author_facet |
Florian Thevenon Massimo Chiaradia Thierry Adatte Christoph Hueglin John Poté |
author_sort |
Florian Thevenon |
title |
Characterization of Modern and Fossil Mineral Dust Transported to High Altitude in the Western Alps: Saharan Sources and Transport Patterns |
title_short |
Characterization of Modern and Fossil Mineral Dust Transported to High Altitude in the Western Alps: Saharan Sources and Transport Patterns |
title_full |
Characterization of Modern and Fossil Mineral Dust Transported to High Altitude in the Western Alps: Saharan Sources and Transport Patterns |
title_fullStr |
Characterization of Modern and Fossil Mineral Dust Transported to High Altitude in the Western Alps: Saharan Sources and Transport Patterns |
title_full_unstemmed |
Characterization of Modern and Fossil Mineral Dust Transported to High Altitude in the Western Alps: Saharan Sources and Transport Patterns |
title_sort |
characterization of modern and fossil mineral dust transported to high altitude in the western alps: saharan sources and transport patterns |
publisher |
Advances in Meteorology |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/674385 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/674385 |
op_rights |
Copyright © 2012 Florian Thevenon et al. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/674385 |
container_title |
Advances in Meteorology |
container_volume |
2012 |
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1 |
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14 |
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1766132059416297472 |