Leveraging Passive and Active Field Campaigns to Characterize Dust Abundance and Properties in the Southern Colorado Plateau

FRANKLYN TELLES, Helena Tsigos, Samuel Jurado, Nour Kastoun, Northern Arizona University

     Abstract Number: 308
     Working Group: Instrumentation and Methods

Abstract
This methodological study evaluates approaches for measuring dust emissions, transport pathways, and deposition patterns across the southern Colorado Plateau using a combination of passive and active field campaigns. Passive measurements include dust traps and snowpack surveys to capture seasonal dust deposition, while active sampling is conducted through the STARDust (Sonde Technology for Aerosol Retrieval and Dust) project. STARDust employs a low-cost, do-it-yourself (DIY) system: a kite-based platform equipped with an Air Quality Egg sensor and custom-built dust capture devices designed for sample return and detailed analysis. While previous research has documented dust emissions and deposition in the region, this work offers a novel methodological focus on capturing the timing, spatial variability, and physicochemical composition of airborne dust. These testing efforts aim to fill key gaps in dust transport monitoring, improve forecasting capabilities, guide land management practices, and address associated public health concerns. Specifically, we assess the ability to detect primary upwind dust sources ("hotspots") and to quantify changes in dust fluxes following wildfires, meteorological events, and land-use disturbances. Additionally, the project engaged seven undergraduate students from Cornell University in field deployments and data collection, fostering STEM identity development through hands-on research and collaborative instrument design. This work is grounded in community-based science and place-based education, connecting air quality research with local and Indigenous knowledge systems, and engaging students and community members in understanding dust processes in their own landscapes.