AN ADDITIONAL LOW LAYER TRANSPORT OF SAHELIAN AND SAHARAN DUST OVER THE NORTH-EASTERN TROPICAL ATLANTIC

Mineral dust concentrations have been measured from a monitoring aeros ol station set up at Sal, Cape Verde Island between December 1991 and December 1994 in order to assess the transport process of African dust over the North-eastern Tropical Atlantic. These measurements indicate a pronounced seasonal pattern, with maximum dust concentrations obser ved during winter. A meteorological analysis shows that the transport of dust occurs at low altitudes, in the trade winds layer, during this season. Large quantities of dust are carried out of Northwestern Afri ca, in particular from the Sahel at these altitudes. Such process coul d constitute the major supply of atmospheric mineral matter to the sur face sea water of the Eastern Atlantic.