Transport of a Severe Dust Storm in March 2007 and Impacts on Chlorophyll a Concentration in the Yellow Sea

Abstract

The transport process of a severe Asian dust storm event generated in the Gobi Desert during 30-31 March 2007 was examined by several datasets. Results clearly showed that this storm was transported eastward to the northwest Pacific and southeastward to the China seas. Dust particles were deposited in the Yellow Sea accompanied by precipitation on 31 March 2007 and the average deposition flux at an offshore region in the Yellow Sea was 0.56 g m-2 d-1. After 4 days of dust passage over this offshore region, a phytoplankton bloom event appeared on 3 April 2007 and continued until 4-6 April 2007. When compared to non-dust year in 2005, the initial timing of the bloom in 2007 was about 18 days earlier than that in 2005 and peak chlorophyll a concentration in 2007 was 45% higher than that in 2005. Similar results were found in the dust storm cases in 2004 and 2006. Results indicated that besides increased SST, PAR, and nutrients accumulated in winter from strong mixing, dust input may play important roles in spring bloom in the dust years. That provided evidence of biotic response to natural fertilization caused by dust deposition.