What's in a Dust Storm? A Characteristics Comparison of Dust Storms Measured by AEROS in West Texas and What it Means to Our Health.

Dust particles are among the most common atmospheric aerosols; they can stay suspended in the atmosphere for a long period of time, ranging from several hours up to days. During a dust storm, the dust particle concentrations often exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) health-recommended daily threshold values for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 (particles with aerodynamic diameter <10μm and <2.5μm respectively). Exposure to dust particles can lead to respiratory problems, particularly for people with asthma. Therefore, during and after dust storms events the number of people who are hospitalized with inflammation and other respiratory problems increases. Lubbock Texas is one of the most persistently windy inland areas of North America and is considered to be among the dustiest; dust storms in this region can form due to frontal passage or thunderstorm outflows. In this project, we are comparing multiple dust storm events that occurred in Lubbock TX. Measurements of particles concentration (PM₁₀ & PM_2.5), size distribution, meteorological conditions as well as elemental composition of samples were all captured by our Aerosol Research Observation Station (AEROS) which is located in Texas Tech University in Lubbock Texas. In our presentation, we will present the spatial and temporal behavior of each of these dust storm events and discuss the possible health implication resulting from each one.