Application of Remote Sensing for Characterization of African Dust Events Reaching the Eastern Caribbean

Saharan dust has significant impacts to human health and nature. Studies of particulate matter in Saharan dust events reaching the Caribbean during the summer months require the utilization of data from different sources. The use of satellite products, models and ground based instruments has proven to be efficient tools to study dust distribution and concentrations. In this study we monitored African dust intrusions into the Eastern Caribbean during the period comprehended between April to August 2007. Weekly level 3 images of Tau 865 and Angstrom Coefficient products from MODIS Aqua and Terra were used for two stations located strategically to visualize behavior of Saharan dust. These values were correlated to aerosol optical thickness level 1.5 data from the Aerosol Robotic NETwork and with the Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System global aerosol model. The application of these techniques, as well as the advantages and issues associated to the use of satellite products as tools for the identification of summer dust events will be discussed.