Saharan Dust Event tracked by CALIOP/CALIPSO in Natal, Brazil

Between May 8 and May 12 2012, CALIPSO overpassed the city of Natal, Brazil (Lat ~ -5,837 Lon ~ -35,208), located at the tip of the northeastern coast of the country. During this period one expects the intrusion of air masses originated at the African territory to reach the area at heights between 2 and 5 km, which eventually will bring dust and biomass burning aerosol types over the continent. The CALIOP system could help to identify these type of aerosols through its Vertical Feature Mask product (VFM) within the period forementioned. The first observed event occurred in May 8th 2012, when the CALIPSO overpass maximum approach was about 68 km from the city of NATAL and the satellite probing track was mainly over sea. The VFM product for this day presented a mixing of marine aerosols between ground level and 1 km, polluted continental and dust aerosols at heights between 1 and 3 km. Another event was identified on two days later, May 10 2012, along an overpass about 82 km at its maximum approach when the mixing was less pronounced and a dust layer between ground and 4 km is identified by VFM, Besides one realized that in this overpass the dust layer extend over a larger area presumably as a result of a intense dust event in the Saharan area. These events should trigger local climatic changes as well regional modifications as the cloud coverage is intensified over the the area and micro climatic patterns could be observed. In the near feature it is expected to deploy a ground level LIDAR for aerosol detection and typification by means of polarization channel in the system as well to have additional support from model which could forecast these events and simulate their cliamtic influence over the area. CALIPSO overpasses for days 05/08/12 (1) and 05/10/12 (2) related to the city of Natal, Brazil. CALIPSO/CALIOP OBSERVED DUST LAYERS RELATED TO NATAL, BRAZIL;