Dust resuspension rates in Kuwait: insights from ⁷Be and ¹³⁷Cs radionuclides

Dust resuspension rates in four different landscapes in Kuwait were estimated over a 2-year period using ⁷Be and ¹³⁷Cs radionuclides. The average rates of resuspension of particles labeled with ⁷Be (2 × 10⁻³ ± 3.9 × 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹) were much higher than those of particles labeled with ¹³⁷Cs (1.6 × 10⁻⁶ ± 2.15 × 10⁻⁷ s⁻¹), which indicates increased short-term fluctuations in recently deposited dust. Conversely, the resuspension rates for particles labeled with ¹³⁷Cs were considerably lower, which better reflects long-term variations in dust resuspension. This evaluation approach may provide a foundation for future studies assessing the impact of suspended dust particulates on the performance of solar power systems, in conjunction with other influencing factors like vertical mass flux.