Overlooked Climate Change Contributors: Mineral Dust and Nitrous Oxide

Many people tend to limit their understanding of climate change to the widely discussed effects of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. However, there are other equally critical contributors to climate change that often stay under the radar of the general public.

Airborne Mineral Dust and Climate Change

One such factor is airborne mineral dust, which plays a key role in shaping our Earth’s climate and ecosystems. Annually, one to two billion metric tons of mineral dust are emitted into the atmosphere. Originating from dry regions, these dust emissions are significant sources of atmospheric aerosols, influencing cloud formation, precipitation patterns, air quality, and even plant growth.

Just as the DNA sequence in humans determines a wide range of characteristics, the mineral composition in dust significantly impacts its environmental effects. However, many climate models treat dust as a uniform substance, overlooking its composition variations – an oversight comparable to neglecting genetic variations in humans.

New Hope in the Climate Fight

NASA’s Earth Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) mission has brought new hope in the fight against climate change. Launched in 2022, the mission collects data on the color and composition of Earth’s dry regions from the International Space Station, providing extensive information about the mineral dust cycle.

Despite this progress, our understanding of dust mineralogy evolution during atmospheric travel, especially on regional scales, still lacks depth. To address this knowledge gap, Dr. Hosein Foroutan from the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech leads a team of researchers on a NASA-funded mission. The team aims to investigate the dynamics of dust plumes’ mineralogy and geochemistry evolution, focusing on how dust from arid regions influences Earth’s climate through factors such as solar radiation, cloud formation, and precipitation patterns. This research aims to reduce uncertainties in climate models by understanding the relationship between dust mineralogy and atmospheric processes, leading to more accurate climate change predictions and informed strategies for mitigation and adaptation.

Nitrous Oxide and Agriculture

Another equally critical but often overlooked factor affecting climate change is nitrous oxide, emitted from agricultural soil. Agriculture is the biggest contributor of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas that absorbs heat in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming. In the United States, about 77 percent of nitrous oxide emissions come from agricultural soils.

Estimating Nitrous Oxide Emissions

Accurately estimating these emissions on a national scale requires a comprehensive understanding of nitrogen input and output pathways in the soil. Dr. Foroutan, in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, is leading a project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to evaluate and enhance the accuracy of nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emission modeling in multiscale agroecosystem models. This project, titled “Integrated Agroecosystem-Atmosphere Modeling Improvement for Climate and Conservation Assessment,” will integrate process-based atmospheric modeling with cropping and soil system models across the United States.

Advancing Our Understanding of Climate Change

Both of these significant projects promise to advance our understanding of intricate environmental processes and improve modeling capabilities. Insights from the research could inform policy decisions, guide conservation efforts, and contribute to more sustainable practices in agriculture and environmental management. As findings continue to unfold, they are expected to play a pivotal role in tackling pressing environmental challenges and paving the way towards a more resilient and sustainable future.