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Plumes of Asian Dust May Mask and Contribute to Global Warming

Our fresh ocean breezes are not as clean as you think. Polluted air moving from Asia to North America may be affecting California's climate. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Plumes of Asian Dust May Mask and Contribute to Global Warming

Our fresh ocean breezes are not as clean as you think. Polluted air moving from Asia to North America may be affecting California's climate. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Local scientists are using new methods to find out if dust from Asia is causing climate change. Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography are studying plumes of airborne dust and pollutants carried from Asia to North America. Scripps scientist V. Ramanthan says a specialized jet is being used for the first time to follow the plumes of soot and dust.

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Ramanthan : We’ll be in fact flying through these plumes and also watch as they interact with the cloud systems. Of primary interest here is to find out what is their role in global warming.

He says the plumes may affect clouds and weather across thousands of miles. Those changes could alter California's climate. The dust particles may also mask up to half of the global warming impact of greenhouse gases. The Pacific Dust Experiment is expected to take flight later this month.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.

(Photo: Satellite view of Asian dust over the Pacific. NASA satellite image .)