Dust storms detection over the Indo-Gangetic basin using multi sensor data

Dust storms are common during the summer season over the Indo-Gangetic basin and are considered to be a major health hazard to millions of people living in the basin. In countries like India, there is no early warning made for dust outbreaks and as a result the day-to-day life is affected by these dust events. In this paper, efforts have been made to utilize multi sensor data to study the characteristics of dust storms. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer images clearly show dust storm events over the Indo-Gangetic basin. The Total Ozone Mapping Spectroradiometer (TOMS) Aerosol Index and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) data over the western end of the Indo-Gangetic basin have been analyzed. These data show characteristic behavior of brightness temperature and Aerosol Index due to dust, which change significantly as dust migrates towards east over Kanpur. The TOMS Aerosol Index and the AMSU brightness temperature (Tb) show a characteristic anti-correlation, which confirms the presence of a dust storm over Indo-Gangetic basin.