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Abstract The ability of regional atmospheric models to accurately represent long-range transport of dust is crucial for describing dust effects on radiation and clouds and for reducing their uncertainties on these processes. The optimized CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) pure-dust product that provides the three-dimensional patterns of dust and its transport pathways is a unique tool that can address the aforementioned model's issues. In this study we use the CALIPSO dust extinction profiles as a tool for examining the performance of the regional dust model BSC-DREAM8b in space and time, for the period 2009–2013 over Northern Africa, the Mediterranean, Europe, Eastern North Atlantic and the Middle East. Our analysis suggests that the model overestimates the dust extinction coefficient above dust source regions in Sahara Desert especially at altitudes lower than 3 km at about 0.04 km−1. We also found a slight underestimation of transported dust over Europe and Atlantic Ocean lower than 0.025 km−1 of extinction coefficient values all along the vertical column. Over the Mediterranean dust is overestimated (∼0.01 km−1) in layers higher than 1 km height. Dust in the Middle East is significantly underestimated by the model (∼0.05 km−1) all along the vertical column especially during warm seasons. The study also provides an analysis of the CALIPSO limitations and uncertainties on the detection of strong dust activity contributing to the differences between the simulations and observations above the dust sources of Bodelé and Algeria. Highlights • The LIVAS-CALIPSO product provides the three-dimensional patterns of pure dust. • It can be used as a unique tool to address models' biases and reduce uncertainties in dust model simulations. • BSC-DREAM8b underestimates transported dust over Europe and the Atlantic Ocean (0.025km-1 of dust extinction coefficient). • The model overestimates dust load over the Mediterranean (~0.01km-1). • It significantly underestimates dust over the Middle East (0.05km-1) over all heights especially during the warm season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on assessment of dust impact on forecasting solar irradiance and energy, during an extreme dust event. We utilize surface-based Aeronet measurements, satellite observations (MODIS and CALIPSO), and ModIs Dust AeroSol (MIDAS) dust database in conjunction with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations, based on inputs from Indian Solar Irradiance Operational System (INSIOS) and Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) forecast. This work presents a novel approach of CAMS aerosol optical depth (AOD) ingestion into WRF model for analyzing dust impact on solar irradiance. The study region is the northwestern part of Indian subcontinent, an area with some of the largest solar power projects in India. A set of three consecutive and deadly dust storms occurred in May 2018 with one having high intensity and values of AOD and dust optical depth reaching up to 2. Dust events of this extent leads to a significant reduction in solar irradiance and affect the capacity of energy exploitation through Photovoltaic installations and Concentrating Solar Power plants due to the solar aerosol-related extinction. The dust plume resulted in an average decrease of 76 W/m 2 and 275 W/m 2 for global horizontal irradiance (GHI) and direct normal irradiance (DNI), respectively, and a maximum reduction of 100 W/m 2 (10%) and 400 W/m 2 (40%) in GHI and DNI, respectively. The proposed methodology can support solar energy producers, for optimum energy production forecasting, management, and maintenance (e.g. soiling) as well as transmission and distribution system operators, taking into account the effect of dust aerosols into their day-to-day market operations. [Display omitted] • High intensity dust storm with aerosol optical depth and dust optical depth reaching up to 2 was analyzed. • Pure and polluted dust classification was done from CALIOP overpasses. • Dust plume resulted in an average decrease of 11% for GHI and 41% for DNI. • Dust events reduces solar irradiance affecting PV and CSP plants due to the solar aerosol related extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]