Long-range atmospheric transport of dust from the Caspian Sea region to the Russian Arctic in December 2023

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Abstract

A rare phenomenon – the long-range atmospheric transport of dust from the arid and semiarid territories of the Caspian Sea region through the center of European part of Russia to its Arctic areas – was registered in December 2023 during field study of aerosol composition aerosol in Moscow air and the snow composition in the Arkhangelsk region. The trajectories of air mass transport, dynamics of spatial and temporal variability of mass PM2.5 and PM10 concentration values in the Moscow region, as well as numerical estimates and spatial distributions of near-surface aerosol concentration and atmospheric optical characteristics over the European part of Russia (according to the MERRA-2 reanalysis) confirm an increase in aerosol air pollution due to long-rang air transport from the territories of the Caspian Sea to the Arkhangelsk region. In the snow sample taken in the area of Pinega (Pinezhsky Nature Reserve), Arkhangelsk region in the spring of 2024, in the thickness of the snow cover at an altitude of 18–20 cm (with a total snow thickness of 65 cm), a layer of snow that fell in December 2023 having a yellowish color was found. Preliminary studies of the sample of this snow showed the presence of a large amount of organic suspension and plant residues, which in winter indicates atmospheric aerosol transport from the southern regions of Russia.

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About the authors

D. P. Gubanova

A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: gubanova@ifaran.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

А. А. Vinogradova

A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences; Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: gubanova@ifaran.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow

E. I. Kotova

Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: gubanova@ifaran.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Time course of the average daily concentration of aerosol particles of different size fractions in December 2023: (a) – PM10; (b) – PM2.5; (c) – PM10–2.5 (according to observation data at the IFA, ZNS and two ASKZA MEM points).

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3. Fig. 2. Average daily spatial distribution of surface mass concentration of dust over the European part of Russia – according to MERRA-2 reanalysis data. The red star on the maps indicates the location of Moscow, the yellow star indicates the location of the village of Pinega in the Arkhangelsk region.

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4. Fig. 3. Average daily spatial distribution of dust over the EPR AOT (550 nm) according to MERRA-2 reanalysis data. The red star on the maps indicates the location of Moscow, the yellow star indicates the location of the village of Pinega in the Arkhangelsk region.

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5. Fig. 4. General view of filters with snow samples collected on the territory of the Pinezhsky Reserve: (a) – after filtering a layer of yellow snow (250 ml); (b) – after filtering an average sample of the snow thickness (1250 ml). Filter diameter – 47 mm.

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6. Fig. 5. Plant remains in a snow sample collected on the territory of the Pinezhsky Nature Reserve: (a) – small detritus, plant fibers; (b) – remains of higher plants.

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7. Fig. 6. Temporal variability in the period from December 12 to 18, 2023 of the average daily dust concentration (according to MERRA-2 estimates) in the Pinega settlement area (Arkhangelsk region) and in the Moscow region (MSK); PM10 aerosols – according to measurements in Moscow (IFA) and in the suburbs (ZNS).

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