Modeling the Atmospheric Stability and the Mixing Layer Depth and their Relationship with Sandstorms in an Arid Area

Abstract

The atmospheric stability and depth of the mixing layer are essential parameters in modelling the dispersion of pollutants and sandstorms in arid regions. In this study, a MATLAB model was used to determine the hourly atmospheric stability conditions and the depth of the mixing layer in the year 2019, especially during sandstorms events. The statistical analysis of hourly sandstorms was investigated over four decades (from 1980 to 2019) and its relationships with the weather conditions, especially wind speed and direction were figured in the study area. The average mixing layer during daytime hours in the summer season was 1800 ± 400 m, while during night hours, the average mixing height was 500 ± 200 m. The study concluded that the major wind direction during sandstorms was blowing to the south direction ± 22.5 degrees. It was noted that relative humidity increased while the average temperature decreased over the last decade during the sandstorm events due to the wide cultivation in this period. The cultivation of tall trees on the northwest side of the study area will decrease the severity of sandstorms in future. This study could be applied to arid regions that suffer sandstorms such as Arabian Peninsula.