NASA | Making Saharan Air Apparent

The Global Hawk aircraft is used as a long-distance airborne laboratory to study tropical cyclones, focusing on the Saharan air layer's impact. The H3 campaign employs instruments like the cloud physics Lidar to gather data on dust and storm interactions. LIDAR technology provides insights into storm anatomy by distinguishing particle types. The mission aims to improve models and understanding of how dust affects storm development, addressing measurement challenges in observing the Saharan air layer's characteristics and effects.

What is the primary purpose of the Global Hawk aircraft in the H3 mission?

How does the Saharan air layer affect tropical cyclones according to the research?

What instruments are used to analyze the Saharan air layer during the H3 campaign?

Describe the function of the cloud physics Lidar in the study of storms.

What challenges do scientists face in measuring the impact of the Saharan air layer on storms?