Dust storm
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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A dust storm or sand storm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Particles are transported by saltation and suspension, a process that moves soil from one place and deposits it in another. The Sahara and drylands around the Arabian peninsula are the main terrestrial sources of airborne dust, with some contributions from Iran, Pakistan and India into the Arabian Sea, and China's significant 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.
See also
- Asian Dust
- Dry line
- Dust Bowl
- Dust storm warning
- Fog
- Haboob
- Sirocco
- Iberulite
- Saharan Air Layer
- Saharan dust
- Shamal (wind)