Global‐scale attribution of anthropogenic and natural dust sources and their emission rates based on MODIS Deep Blue aerosol products

Our understanding of the global dust cycle is limited by a dearth of information about dust sources, especially small‐scale features which could account for a large fraction of global emissions. Here we present a global‐scale high‐resolution (0.1°) mapping of sources based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Deep Blue estimates of dust optical depth in conjunction with other data sets including land use. We ascribe dust sources to natural and anthropogenic (primarily agricultural) origins, calculate their respective contributions to emissions, and extensively compare these products against literature. Natural dust sources globally account for 75% of emissions; anthropogenic sources account…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• NO
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration