Dust particles also have a high electrical charge and can interfere with telecommunications. Volcanic dust caught in a jet engine could cause an aviation disaster and as anyone in Lubbock knows, small particles can clog a car s air filter, Gill said. In addition, dust storms erode away the topsoil, robbing the ground of its fertility. They block sunlight and they affect climatologicial patterns. For all these reasons, it s important to understand how and where dust storms form, how long they last and what can be done to prevent them or hinder their travel, Gill said.
Scientists continue to study the impacts of the dust's transcontinental travel.
Although this storm had devastating effects, he and other scientists believe there will be some good that comes out of this disaster.