The Effect of Particulate Matter Pollution of Saharan Dust Over Europe in May-2020: A Case Study of Karaman City Center, Turkey

Abstract

Desert dust rising from the African region and covered very long distances with meteorological events can be an important source of pollution for many countries from time to time. Although dust and sand masses that remain in the atmosphere for a long time are known to be inert and stable, but studies show that they affect vegetative production by changes in precipitation and radiation regimes. It is important for natural phenomena and has also revealed their effects in regions over which the atmospheric transport occurs. The Sahara dust storm of mid-May 2020 has strongly, affected many European countries. The Sahara dust and hot air transport is reported over the Mediterranean region to the Balkans and further to Turkey. Depending on the climatic conditions, the Sahara dust may remain in some regions for longer period. Rainy and humid weather conditions slow down the flow of dust and increase the settling rate in that region. In such cases it creates mud-like precipitation accompanying with rain. In this study, Sahara dust pollution effect is investigated for a particulate event pollution with the use of measurements from the network system in all cities in Turkey. For this purpose, the values of Particulate Matter (PM) pollution are analysed before the desert dust reached Turkey, during the event and when it left the country. PM measurement values in Karaman province were examined and it was shown that the Sahara dust increased significantly in the period when it reached this region. Then, PM values were seen to come down to normal levels.