Climatology of nighttime dust storms in northern China and Mongolia: Results from MODIS thermal infrared observations

Abstract

The climatology of dust storms during the nighttime in northern China and Mongolia (33°N–54°N, 73°E–136°E) is characterized and compared with that at daytime at a 1-km resolution based on Aqua/MODIS thermal observations during 2002–2013. The dust was extracted with the dynamic reference brightness temperature differences (DRBTD) dust detection algorithm. The spatial distribution and seasonal and annual variations of dust events are generally similar for day and night, with less dust frequency during nighttime. The major source regions are deserts, including the Tarim Basin, Hexi Corridor, Gobi in Mongolia and northern China, Horqin Sandy Land and Tsaidam Basin, with a maximum frequency occurring in the Tarim Basin. Significant annual and seasonal variations are found for dust events. Low dust frequency was presented during 2003–2005 and 2009–2012, and high dust frequency from 2006–2008 and 2013. More than 43.1% of dust events occur in spring from March to May, with the maximum proportion (up to 20.3%) occurring in April.