Warmer Ocean Temperatures May Decrease Saharan Dust Crossing the Atlantic

The video explains how Sahara dust impacts global ecosystems, particularly the Amazon rainforest, by providing essential nutrients like phosphorus. In June 2020, a significant dust event, the Godzilla plume, was observed traveling from Africa to the Americas. The trade winds, influenced by sea surface temperature variations in the Atlantic, play a crucial role in dust transport. The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affects rainfall patterns and is shifting northward due to climate change, impacting dust activity. NASA predicts a significant reduction in dust transport over the next century due to these climatic changes.

What is the primary nutrient carried by the Sahara dust that benefits the Amazon rainforest?

• Calcium

• Potassium

• Nitrogen

• Phosphorus

What was the nickname given to the large dust plume observed in June 2020?

• Desert Dragon

• Sahara Storm

• Godzilla Plume

• Atlantic Cloud

Which phenomenon describes the shift in sea surface temperature in the North Atlantic Ocean?

• Indian Ocean Dipole

• Pacific Decadal Oscillation

• El Niño

• Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation

What is the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) primarily associated with?

• Ocean currents

• Volcanic activity

• Rainfall concentration

• Earthquakes

How has the ITCZ been affected by climate change in recent decades?

• It has disappeared

• It has moved southward

• It has moved northward

• It has remained stable