HR: 0830h
AN: B21F-0786    [PDF]
TI: Mass Measurements of Saharan Dust Aerosols in Puerto Rico
AU: * Armstrong, R A
EM: roy@cacique.uprm.edu
AF: Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PO Box 9013, Mayaguez, PR 00681
AU: Jimenez, B
EM: sailman@coqui.net
AF: University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067
AU: Detres, Y
EM: yasmin@cacique.uprm.edu
AF: Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PO Box 9013, Mayaguez, PR 00681
AB: During the summer months, Saharan dust aerosols reach maximum values throughout the Caribbean Region. The respirable fraction of this dust, measured as PM 2.5, has the potential to induce regional health impacts, such as asthma and allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Surface measurements of dust aerosols were obtained at Fajardo, on the northeastern corner of Puerto Rico, since November 2000. The PM 2.5 and PM 10 size fractions from the filter samples were related to satellite and sunphotometer measurements of aerosol optical depth before, during, and after Saharan dust events. In 2002, PM 2.5 ranged from 2.5 to 18.4 ug/m$^{-3}$ while PM 10 ranged from 11 to 60 ug/m$^{-3}$. The PM 2.5 fraction was approximately 25% of the PM 10. Saharan dust aerosols are also responsible for substantial heavy metal deposition in the tropical western Atlantic. In 2001, Iron increase from less than 4 mg/g during the first four months of the year, to a maximum of 24 mg/g in June, with relatively high values from May through September. An AVHRR 4-year climatology of aerosol optical depth for northeastern Puerto Rico shows a well-defined maximum peak during the last week of June and first week of July.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801)
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting