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.

Explain the relationship between sea surface temperature and trade winds.

What predictions do NASA researchers make about dust transport in the next century?