Abstract
The range and time of the environmental effects of Asian dust are closely dependent on the pathways and the speed of dust plume movement. In this study, the occurrence and movement of two dust storms in China in May 2017 were examined by using open space- and ground-based measurement data and the backward trajectories of dust plumes. Results from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis data showed that the dust storms were caused by the rapid coupling development of Mongolian cyclones and Asian highs. After the dust plumes arrived at the Southeastern China in the first dust event, the stable weather conditions and the Asian high slowed down the movement of the plumes, leading to the gradual diffusion of dust particles. Moreover, the Asian high in the first event and the Huabei low (a low-pressure system in North China Plain) in the second altered the movement direction of the dust plumes from southward to northward, which we denote as the “dust reverse transport (DRT)”. The DRT occurred only within the lower troposphere even though dust plumes could extended to 5–10 km in vertical direction. Statistical results of 28 spring dust events occurred in 2015–2018 showed that all these dust storms were triggered by Mongolian cyclones and/or Asian highs, and approximately 39% moved as the DRT, indicating about one third of severe spring dust storms could influence larger areas or longer time than the remained ones.
Highlights
Deserts in the Asian continent emit a great quantity of mineral dust into the atmosphere annually [1,2]
In order to investigate the sources of dust plumes, 48-h air mass backward trajectories were computed andThe initialized at altitudes of in and 1000 mLayer above ground level (AGL) at the early stage of the Process themNear-surface dust events
Summary and Implication In May 2017, two severe dust storms occurred in China from May 3 to 8 and May 11 to 14
Summary
Deserts in the Asian continent emit a great quantity of mineral dust (approximately 800 Tg/year) into the atmosphere annually [1,2]. Found a continuous coating process on the surface of dust particles and Wang et al [13] simulated that 17% of nitrate and 11% of sulfate in fine mode were produced by heterogeneous reactions and most nitrate and sulfate in the coarse mode were attributed to the heterogeneous reactions These chemical alterations may change the optical and hydroscopic characteristics of dust aerosols and subsequently modify their ability acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and ice nuclei particle (INP), and influence the cloud processes [13,14,17]. We summarize the weather systems that triggered dust storms and the synoptic features that induced the DRT of 28 spring dust events from 2015 to 2018
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
