The shape is unmistakable, but the appearance is entirely unusual: Sardinia shrouded in North African dust. The spectacular image was captured on Saturday, November 15, by the Sentinel-3 satellite of the European Copernicus program (EU Commission and European Space Agency) and depicts the situation the previous day, when a sandstorm from the African coast crossed the western Mediterranean.

The photograph, explains the Earth Observation component of the EU space program, shows "a thick layer of Saharan dust extending northward, partially obscuring Sardinia and Corsica." The reddish tones of the mainland, typical of false-color infrared images, highlight vegetation and bare soil, while the clear, milky veil over the sea and along the coasts corresponds to suspended mineral dust. The plume is particularly evident on the eastern side of the two islands, forming a continuous, hazy band over the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The data collected by Sentinel-3 will help scientists assess the episode's impact on air quality, contributing to warning systems in the regions most exposed to the transport of Saharan dust.

(Unioneonline)

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