Multi-scale environmental remote sensing for understanding dust in the high latitudes

矿物粉尘现已确定在广泛的生物地球化学循环中具有关键影响，并在地球系统中发挥着重要作用。虽然大多数关于沙尘的研究是在沙漠低纬度地区进行的，但高纬度地区作为重要的沙尘源的作用直到最近才得到认识。这一重要性尤其突出，因为高纬度地区产生的沙尘可能对特别敏感的环境和生态系统（如冰冻圈、北极湖泊系统）产生局部影响。虽然低纬度沙尘研究已经通过卫星研究得到了充分的信息，但是一些挑战意味着利用遥感更好地了解高纬度沙尘过程的全部潜力尚未实现。该博士学位将利用现有地球观测资源的多样性和令人兴奋的范围，应用它们在高纬度地区的全球研究中研究不同时空尺度的尘埃活动。该项目提供了一个极好的机会，可以在广泛的卫星和气候数据集以及地理信息系统技术方面发展高水平的专业知识和经验，并将其应用于更好地了解高纬度环境中的陆地-大气相互作用。

Mineral dust is now established as having a key influence in a wide range of biogeochemical cycles, and as a significant player within the Earth system. While most research on dust has been undertaken in the desert low latitudes, the operation of high latitude regions as important dust sources has only recently been appreciated. This importance is especially acute because dust generated in high latitude regions may have local impacts on particularly sensitive environmental and ecological systems (e.g. cryosphere, Arctic lake systems). While low latitude dust research has been well-informed by satellite studies, a number of challenges has meant the full potential of using remote sensing to better understand dust processes at the high latitudes has not yet been realised. This PhD will tap the diverse and exciting range of Earth Observation resources that now exist, applying them to examine dust activity at different temporal and spatial scales in a global study of the high latitude regions. The project offers an excellent chance to develop high level expertise and experience in a wide range of satellite and climate datasets, as well as GIS techniques, and apply them to better understanding land-atmosphere interactions in the high latitude environments.