Physical and chemical properties of deposited airborne particulates over the Arabian Red Sea coastal plain

摘要: Abstract. Mineral dust is the most abundant aerosol, having a profound impact on global energy budget. This research continues our previous studies performed surface soils in Arabian Peninsula, focusing mineralogical, physical and chemical composition of deposits from atmosphere at Red Sea coast. For this purpose, aerosols deposited are collected during 2015 six sites campus King Abdullah University Science Technology (KAUST) situated coastal plain Saudi Arabia subjected to same mineralogical analysis we conducted soil samples. Frisbee deposition samplers with foam inserts were used collect other deposits, for period December 2014 2015. The average rate measured KAUST was 14 g m−2 per month, lowest values winter increased rates August October. particle size distributions provide assessments X-ray diffraction (XRD) subset samples confirms variable amounts quartz, feldspars, micas, halite, lesser gypsum, calcite, dolomite, hematite, amphibole. Freeze-dried re-suspended onto Teflon ® filters elemental by fluorescence (XRF), while splits each sample analyzed water-soluble cations anions ion chromatography. along coast considered be mixture emissions local imported distal sources. Airborne mineral concentrations greatest or close sources, compared those through medium- long-range transport. It not possible identify exact origin results alone. These aerosol data first their kind region. They will help assess potential nutrient input into Sea, as well human health, industry, solar panel efficiency. also support modeling important belt source area better quantifying mass balance optical properties airborne particles.