Global Monthly Dust Storm Frequency from MODIS Aqua Satellite

Monthly data from 2003 to 2022 provides the frequency of dust storms over land on a global 0.1-degree grid. The dataset is derived from MODIS Aqua Deep Blue aerosol products by NASA's GES DISC. It includes frequencies calculated for eight different dust optical depth thresholds.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal trends in dust storm frequency for a specific threshold (e.g., 0.025) across the 2003-2022 period.
• Mapping spatial distributions of intense dust events using the higher optical depth thresholds (e.g., 0.5, 1, 2).
• Comparing dust activity between source regions and remote areas by utilizing the recommended quality flags (flag 1 and flag 3).
• Correlating monthly dust frequency data with other climate variables like wind patterns or precipitation datasets.

Strengths

• 20-year temporal coverage from 2003 to 2022.
• Global spatial coverage from 175°W to 175°E and 80°S to 80°N.
• Provides data for eight distinct dust optical depth thresholds (0.025 to 2).

Limitations

• Data resolution is limited to monthly aggregates, not daily.
• Specific row count, file size, and detailed column structure are unknown.
• The dataset's utility may be constrained by the fixed 0.1-degree grid resolution.

Provenance

Source

NASA GES DISC, derived from MODIS Aqua Deep Blue aerosol products (MYD04_L2 Collection 6.1).

Collection Method

Calculated from Level 2 satellite products, applying thresholds to daily dust optical depth.

Time Range

2003 to 2022.

Freshness

Data covers up to 2022, with the collection version current as of the last update in 2022.

Geography

Global land areas (175°W to 175°E, 80°S to 80°N).