Saharian dust from ancient times until the present. A note on methods of study

The Sahara, largest exporter of mineral dust on the planet, sends its dust in many directions: towards the West, northern Africa, Europe and the Middle-East. The weight of dust arriving in these parts of the world will be given as well as a description of the European network collecting information about dust falls. Chemical and granulometric analysis of these European dust falls will be briefly commented on as well as the help brought by the study of pollens to trace their origins. Finally, the two major dust arrivals of 1991 and the 818 cases which occurred from 1577 B.C. to 1989 A.D. will be considered