Next Climate-Sustainability Lecture to Discuss Environmental Effects of African Dust

Joseph M. Prospero, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

The Climate-Sustainability Lecture Series, presented by the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences Division of Math, Science, and Technology, will continue with a talk titled “African Dust Transport in Atlantic Trade Winds: The Link to Climate, Impact on the Environment, and Future Scenarios.” Presented by Joseph M. Prospero, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, the lecture will take place on Tuesday, Apr. 19, from noon to 1:00 p.m., in the Mailman-Hollywood Building, room 309.

Large quantities of African dust are carried by the trade winds to the Western Atlantic every year. Measurements over the past several decades show that transport has greatly changed in response to climate change in Africa. Dust transport increased dramatically after the onset of drought in the Sahel of West Africa, which began in the early 1970s and continues to this day. The concentrations of dust over the Caribbean and South Florida are at times so high that they can pose a health hazard.

In this presentation, Prospero will discuss the impact that African dust has had on the environment of the Caribbean and South Florida as well as what we might expect in the future as climate changes over the globe and in North Africa

The Climate-Sustainability Lecture Series aims to increase the understanding of the science behind and impact of climate change. Experts in related fields from within NSU and other institutions are featured speakers. The series gives faculty members and students the opportunity to discuss the scientific, technological, and policy aspects of climate change

For more information, contact Song Gao, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, at (954) 262-8388.

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