Friday, January 1, 2010

Sand Storm

Sand storm or dust storm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front blows loose sand and dust from a dry surface.

articles are transported by saltation and suspension, causing soil erosion from one place and deposition in another. The Sahara and drylands around the Arabian peninsula are the main source of airborne dust, with some contributions from Iran, Pakistan and India into the Arabian Sea, and China's storms deposit dust in the Pacific. It has been argued that recently, poor management of the Earth's drylands, such as neglecting the fallow system, are increasing dust storms from desert margins and changing both the local and global climate, and also impacting local economies

The term sandstorm is used most often in the context of desert sandstorms, especially in the Sahara, when, in addition to fine particles obscuring visibility, a considerable amount of larger sand particles are blown closer to the surface. The term dust storm is more likely to be used when finer particles are blown long distances, especially when the dust storm affects urban areas.

File:Sandstorm.jpg

A sandstorm approaching Al Asad, Iraq

 

 

File:Redsea sandstorm May13-2005.jpg

A dust storm crossing the Red Sea from Egypt to Saudi Arabia

 

File:Saharan Dust off West Africa.jpg

An intense Saharan dust storm sent a massive dust plume northwestward over the Atlantic Ocean

 

File:Chinadustmovie.gif

Animation showing the global movement of dust from an Asian dust storm

Gulf sandstorm: A huge sand storm engulfs the Saudi capital of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Gulf sandstorm: Date trees are ravaged by a sandstorm, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Gulf sandstorm: Saudi people walk through a sand and dust storm in Riyadh on 10 March 2009.

Gulf sandstorm: A dust cloud envelopes the Saudi capital Riyadh on 10 March 2009.

Gulf sandstorm: Cars drive along a highway as a sandstorm reduces visibility, Saudi Arabia.

File:Dust-storm-Texas-1935.png

File:Sydney harbour bridge duststorm.jpg

No comments:

Post a Comment