Desert Dust, Sahara Sand

Practical significance

Interpretation of remote sensing data. Analogues of other planets' atmospheric dust, and dust in comets, asteroids, and circumstellar shells.

Origin

Collected in the Sahara desert.

Main constituent
Quartz, clay minerals, calcium carbonate
Color
Yellow brown
Particle size Fraunhofer: reff (μm)
8.2
Particle size Fraunhofer: veff
4.0
Size distribution plot:
Size Distribution Sahara Sand
Size distribution table
size_sahara.txt
SEM/TEM images:
Sahara Sand SEM Image 1
Sahara Sand SEM Image 1
All SEM/TEM images (zip file)
sem_sahara.zip
Scattering matrix (1) wavelength in nm
441.60 nm
Scattering matrix (1) table
matrix_sahara_442nm.txt
Scattering matrix (1) plot:
Scattering matrix elements Sahara Sand - 442 nm
Scattering matrix (2) wavelength in nm
632.80 nm
Scattering matrix (2) table
matrix_sahara_633nm.txt
Scattering matrix (2) plot:
Scattering matrix elements Sahara Sand - 633 nm
Refractive index

Estimated to be in the range [1.5-1.7] + i[0.00001-0.001].

Angle range (deg)
[5,173]
Reference/s
Volten et al., 2001