Water in the Gasoline Tank:  Saharan dust, Tropical Cyclo-Genesis, Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate.

Gregory S. Jenkins, Chair
Department of Physics and Astronomy
and
Program in Atmospheric Sciences
Howard University

The rhythm  of life in West Africa flows around the dry season (November-May) and wet season (June-October).  These seasons are often characterized by the dry northeasterly Harmattan wind from the Sahara and moist southwesterly winds from the Gulf of Guinea.  While climatologically this view is correct, it neglects Saharan dust as a significant source of variability on weather and climate scales.  Limited measurements in the Eastern Atlantic or in West Africa have also constrained our understanding of  Saharan dust impacts.  During August/September 2006, measurements from the NASA-African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (NAMMA-06) field campaign give new insights of Saharan dust interactions with tropical weather, tropical cyclo-genesis and atmospheric chemistry in the West Africa and the Eastern Atlantic.  The role of dust  in regional climate variability and climate change will also be addressed