Mineral dust is the most abundant aerosol in the Earth system, profoundly impacting weather and climate modeling. Human exposure to dust particles is linked to asthma, allergies, fungal infections, and premature death, while dust storms pose well-documented hazards to air, land, and sea transportation. Ground-truth and validation studies on dust properties, such as size, AOD, SSA etc., are essential for advancing Earth system models and ensuring the success of early warning systems for societal dust impacts. This session invites the mineral dust community to share recent advancements in modeling capabilities, innovations in data assimilation, and the use of ground-based measurements to enhance our understanding of atmospheric dust and its human-centered consequences. Submissions focusing on dust events through a multidisciplinary lens, which integrate health, safety, climate, and observational approaches, are especially encouraged.

• A - Atmospheric Sciences
• EP - Earth and Planetary Surface Processes
• GC - Global Environmental Change