Back-trajectory model of the Saharan dust flux and particle mass distribution in West Africa

• Saharan dust flux and deposition towards the Gulf of Guinea.
• Atmospheric circulations responsible for the Saharan dust transport.
• Back trajectory models to track dust deposition towards the dust source.
• Dust particle mass concentration at Kano and Maiduguri, Nigeria.

A back trajectory model of the Sahara dust flux toward the Gulf of Guinea has been studied. First, the atmospheric circulation over North and West Africa in winter is obtained by the backward trajectory plots with NOAA HYSPLIT to establish the winds responsible for the dust transport. The ‘box’ model derived by Resch et al. (2007) is used to develop the back trajectory model equations. The dust particle mass distributions at various locations traced back from Kumasi and Tamale to the Harmattan dust origin in the Chad basin can be obtained. The model is first tested with the particle mass concentrations at Tamale in Harmattan 2002 and 2005, which are easily deduced. Sample calculations are shown to illustrate the use of the model to estimate the particle mass concentration distributions at Kano and Maiduguri in Nigeria during the Harmattan 2002 and 2005.