Abstract
We firstly conducted a long-term in-situ field measurement at a marginal area (Hotan) of the southern Taklimakan Desert covering all four seasons. Detailed chemical characterization of dust aerosol over Hotan showed several unconventional features, including (1) ubiquity of high Na+ and Cl− abundances in the Taklimakan dust aerosol and its Cl−/Na+ ratio close to seawater; (2) high Ca content in the Taklimakan dust (7.4~8.0%) which was about two times of that in the natural crust; (3) high abundance of soluble sulfate concentrations and strong correlations between sulfate and Na+ and Cl− as well as typical mineral tracers such as Al and Ca. Our results collectively indicated that the dust aerosol from the Taklimakan Desert was characterized of evident paelo-oceanic signature as the Taklimakan Desert was found as an ocean in the ancient times from the perspective of paleogeology. It was estimated that primary sources dominated the total abundances of sulfate during the dust seasons while previous climate modeling works had seldom considered the cooling effects of sulfate from the Taklimakan Desert.
Highlights
Dust aerosols have been continuously concerned globally in the past several decades due to its important role in atmospheric processes and ecological effects
Based on the modeling results simulated by the RAMS/CFORS (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System/ Chemical Weather Forecast System) dust model, Uno et al.[23] revealed that the dust concentration in the southern Taklimakan Desert was higher than its northern part
This study firstly investigates the chemical characteristics of dust aerosol over a background site at the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert based on long-term measurements
Summary
Dust aerosols have been continuously concerned globally in the past several decades due to its important role in atmospheric processes and ecological effects. Metallic elements of mineral dust particles can be acidized by acidic gases, which results in the mixing between dust and anthropogenic pollutants with enhancement of secondary aerosol products such as sulfate and nitrate[10,11,12] This interaction mainly depended on the size distribution and chemical composition of dust particles[13,14] and may alter the nitrogen and sulfur cycles and the acid/base balance[15,16]. Based on the modeling results simulated by the RAMS/CFORS (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System/ Chemical Weather Forecast System) dust model, Uno et al.[23] revealed that the dust concentration in the southern Taklimakan Desert was higher than its northern part. Due to the nature of long-range transport of dust at the global scale[27], more detailed physicochemical characterization of the Taklimakan dust is essential for deepening the understanding of the global biogeochemical cycles of dust
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