Properties of the non-soluble fractions of suspended dust over the Dead Sea

Suspended dust over the Dead Sea was measured and analyzed during three dust storms in the spring of 2001. The dust was collected in a “Staplex” high-volume air sampler mounted on a tripod, placed at Ein Gedi on a rock promontory about 4 m above sea level, at a distance of 2 m from the water. During removal from the filters, soluble salts in the dust were lost. Suspended dust concentration varied from <300 μg m−3 in two moderate storms to <400 μg m−3 in a stronger storm. Particle size distribution had a mode at 2–3 μm, characteristic of long distance plume dusts from a single source. Most common minerals included quartz and kaolinite. Some feldspar, apatite and dolomite also were identified. The particle size distribution differs from that of sedimented dust at the same location and suggests a longer migration path. The clay mineral population suggests a relative enrichment in kaolinite relative to smectite clay minerals.