The main objective of the proposed project (MDRAF) is to describe the 3D structure of Mediterranean desert dust outbreaks and study their effects on radiation and atmospheric dynamics by means of numerical modeling (NMMB/BSC Chemical Transport model-NMMB/BSC-CTM). Moreover, the meteorological feedbacks and the forecasting accuracy of NMMB/BSC-CTM when dust effects are considered will be assessed. The study region covers the broader Mediterranean basin and the analysis extends over the period 2002-2012. For the identification of desert dust outbreaks, an objective and dynamic algorithm will be set up where as initial conditions various aerosol optical properties derived by MODIS-Aqua, EP-TOMS and OMI platforms will be used. Additionally, satellite (CALIPSO) and ground (EARLINET) measurements providing the vertical profile of dust loads will be also analyzed. The accuracy of algorithm’s outputs will be evaluated against optical (AERONET) and physical (PM10) measurements. At the next step, the direct radiative effect (DRE) will be estimated at the top of atmosphere, into the atmosphere and at surface for the shortwave (SW), longwave (LW) and net (SW+LW) radiation. The induced radiative effects are expected to affect the vertical atmospheric heating profile leading to a modification of the atmospheric dynamics. For this purpose, it will be studied how dust DREs affect the temperature vertical structure, the surface temperature and sensible/latent heat fluxes, stability/instability conditions, the convective available potential energy (CAPE), clouds and precipitation formation. Also, the possible feedbacks induced by dust particles affecting thus their production/removal rates as well as the atmospheric circulation patterns related with their transport processes will be also examined. At the final stage of the project, the forecasting accuracy of the NMMB/BSC-CTM will be examined for several atmospheric parameters, locally and spatially, when dust effects are considered.