Sand and dust storms (SDSs) are extreme meteorological phenomena that generate significant amounts of airborne mineral dust particles. SDSs play a significant role in different aspects of weather, climate and atmospheric chemistry. In addition, SDSs represent a severe hazard for life, health, property, the environment and the economy, which is aligned with several Sustainable Developed Goal (SDG) targets established by the United Nations (UN). Understanding, managing and mitigating SDS risks and effects requires fundamental and cross-disciplinary knowledge and filling current knowledge gaps on the dust cycle.

Recent developments in Earth observation have led to big advances in the observational capabilities of desert dust particles. Research products show the possibility of exploring the wide dimensional range of desert dust particles by integrating different observational techniques on the ground, while satellite observations are currently providing aerosol description with finer and finer spatiotemporal resolution. Experts on dust observations and modelling participating in the EU-funded COST Action InDust (www.cost-indust.eu, CA16202) have identified critical scientific gaps in our current knowledge of dust aerosol measurements, modelling, processes and effects and have also identified a critical mass of scientists working towards addressing them. Such gaps include at least issues such as

• the need for improvement of surface-based dust aerosol measurements (in situ, sun photometric, lasers), including the use of new technologies, improved algorithms and combined approaches;
• the improvement of the global coverage on aerosol dust observation through improvement of satellite-based retrievals;
• advancements in dust aerosol modelling (sources, mechanisms, deposition);
• the presentation of intensive campaign results with a focus on dust aerosols;
• dust mineralogy;
• the assessment of the dust particle size distribution with an emphasis on giant particles;
• enhancements regarding dust aerosol effects on different communities (e.g. solar energy, aviation, health, climate, air quality, agriculture, ocean life).

This special issue focuses on addressing the above-mentioned gaps through individual and combined efforts from at least the COST InDust community (0000108:0000100 scientists from 52 countries). A list of papers to be submitted has been created including results related to SDS-WAS, ACTRIS/EARLINET activities, long-term measurement analysis of measured and modelled data, dust retrieval algorithm and techniques, dust effects, and foreseen results of the ESA Aeolus Cal/Val activity “ASKOS” (Cabo Verde, June–July, 2020).