Gobi Research Articles

Provenance of Quaternary aeolian silts in western China and its spatial difference with source of the Yellow River sediments

Quaternary aeolian silts in the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) has long been regarded as a product of sand ablation during the process of transportation originally from sandy deserts of northern China and Mongolian Gobi deserts driven by winter monsoon. Recently, this traditional idea was challenged by a new idea that aeolian silts in the CLP were emitted from fluvial sediments in the middle reaches of the Yellow River which was originally transported from the Tibetan Plateau ascribed to intensified Asian summer monsoon. We systematically determined the origin of Quaternary aeolian silts in a 318-m-thick loess/palaeosol sequence by using U–Pb age spectrum of detrital zircon grains, and compared it with Quaternary fluvial sediments on the Yellow River terraces in Lanzhou, western CLP. The aeolian silts were originated from Qilian Mountains in Northeastern Tibetan Plateau since 1.4 Ma with exception in the intervals of 1.02–0.93 Ma, ∼0.75 Ma and ∼0.06 Ma when aeolian silts were originated from Gobi-Altai Mountains. In contrast, Quaternary fluvial sediments of the Yellow River were mainly originated from Songpan block south to the Qilian Mountains. We propose that the Quaternary aeolian silts in western CLP were emitted and transported by winter wind circulation from piedmonts of the Qilian Mountains more than by the Yellow River from the Songpan block to the south. This study promotes the recognition in terms of the source of the Quaternary aeolian silts in western China.

Control of the aridification of the Taklimakan and Thar deserts by asynchronous tectonic uplift of the Pamirs and northern Tibetan Plateau since the Miocene

We used a regional climate model (RegCM4) to study the impact of the asynchronous uplift of the Pamirs and the northern Tibetan Plateau (NTP) on the regional aridification of the northern and southern sides of the Tibetan Plateau since the Miocene. The intense aridification of the Taklimakan Desert since the Pliocene can be attributed to the mechanical blocking effect caused by the uplift of the Pamirs and may eventually lead to complete desertification. The uplift of the Pamirs suppressed precipitation and increased the atmospheric loading of dust over the Taklimakan Desert by about 50%. By contrast, the aridification of the Thar Desert since the Miocene can be mainly attributed to the uplift of the NTP. The uplift of the NTP modulated the location and intensity of the 700 hPa subtropical high over the Thar Desert and halved the amount of summer precipitation in this region by enhancing the dry and hot downdraft. The uplift of the NTP also intensified the aridification of the Gobi Desert and the Loess Plateau during the Miocene. The uplift-induced thermal effect suppressed precipitation by 50% and increased dust loading by 10–20% in these two regions. Our study indicates that the regional differences between the aridification processes in the Taklimakan and Thar deserts since the Miocene were affected by the asynchronous uplift of the Pamirs and the NTP. These findings provide new insights into the origin and evolution of dust source regions in Asia.

Uncovering the Fresh Snowfall Microbiome and Its Chemical Characteristics with Backward Trajectories in Daejeon, the Republic of Korea

Snow covers a large surface area of the Earth and provides a surface for the exchange of biological and chemical components. However, the microbial composition and chemical components of snow are poorly understood. We assessed the bacterial and fungal diversity and chemical characteristics in freshly deposited snowfall samples collected from a sub-urban site in Daejeon, the Republic of Korea. We analyzed the snow samples using DNA amplification followed by Illumina MiSeq Sequencing for the microbiome, ion chromatography for the cations (Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and NH4+) and anions (SO42−, NO3−, and Cl−), and a water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and water-soluble nitrogen (WSTN) analyzer for WSOC and WSTN. NO3−, Actinobacteria (bacteria), and Ascomycota (fungi) were the most abundant components in the fresh snowfall samples. The air mass backward trajectories arrived mostly at this site from the northwest direction during this study period, which included the regions belonging to Russia, China, Mongolia, the Gobi Desert, the Yellow Sea, and South Korea. Principal component analysis suggested that the snow components were associated with sources belonging to secondary chemical compounds, dust, and sea salt during the study period.

Evaluation and prediction of engineering construction suitability in the China–Mongolia–Russia economic corridor

It is proposed to build a high-speed railway through the China‒Mongolia‒Russia economic corridor (CMREC) which runs from Beijing to Moscow via Mongolia. However, the frozen ground in this corridor has great impacts on the infrastructure stability, especially under the background of climate warming and permafrost degradation. Based on the Bayesian Network Model (BNM), this study evaluates the suitability for engineering construction in the CMREC, by using 21 factors in five aspects of terrain, climate, ecology, soil, and frozen-ground thermal stability. The results showed that the corridor of Mongolia's Gobi and Inner Mongolia in China is suitable for engineering construction, and the corridor in Amur, Russia near the northern part of Northeast China is also suitable due to cold and stable permafrost overlaying by a thin active layer. However, the corridor near Petropavlovsk in Kazakhstan and Omsk in Russia is not suitable for engineering construction because of low freezing index and ecological vulnerability. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis of influence factors indicates that the thermal stability of frozen ground has the greatest impact on the suitability of engineering construction. These conclusions can provide a reference basis for the future engineering planning, construction and risk assessment.

Estimation of atmospheric instability during dust storms: A case study of Dalanzadgad station, Mongolian Gobi

Estimation of atmospheric instability during dust storms: A case study of Dalanzadgad station, Mongolian Gobi

Infusing satellite data into aerosol forecast for near real-time episode detection and diagnosis in East Asia

A near-real-time (NRT) aerosol forecast and diagnostic approach is developed based on the system of Infusing satellite Data into Environmental Applications for East Asia, herein denoted as IDEA-EA. The design incorporates a 0.5-degree Global Forecast System (GFS) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aerosol and cloud retrievals for meteorological and remote sensing inputs. The primary output of IDEA-EA includes aerosol forward and backward air mass trajectory forecasts, migration visualization, and data synthesis purposed for NRT aerosol detection, monitoring, and source tracing in East Asia. Two aerosol episodes of Southeast Asia (SEA) biomass burning and Chinese haze infusion with Gobi dust are illustrated by IDEA-EA to demonstrate its forecast and source tracing capabilities. In the case of SEA biomass burning (late March 2021), forward trajectories of IDEA-EA forecasted air masses with high aerosol optical depth (AOD) from SEA affecting Taiwan. The IDEA-EA forecasts were verified by increased AOD and surface PM2.5 observations at a mountain site. In the case of the Chinese haze (October 30, 2019), backward trajectories from the northern tip of Taiwan traced air masses back to the east coast of mainland China and possibly further to the Gobi Desert. Compared with conventional numerical model simulations, the combination of the state-of-the-art aerosol remote sensing and trajectory modeling in IDEA-EA provides a cost-effective alternative for air quality management.

N addition alters growth, non-structural carbohydrates, and C:N:P stoichiometry of Reaumuriasoongorica seedlings in Northwest China

Reaumuria soongorica is an important biological barrier for ecological protection in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, where soil nitrogen availability is low. N deposition has recently increased significantly in Gobi Desert, and the responses of R. soongorica to N enrichment may become a problem for ecological restoration and protection. However, little is known about the effects of N addition on the biomass, non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), and carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) stoichiometry of R. soongorica in this region. Here, we examined changes in biomass, NSC and C:N:P ratios of different organs of R. soongorica seedlings in four N addition treatments: 0 (N0), 4.6 (N1), 9.2 (N2), and 13.8 (N3) g m−2 year−1. N addition up to 9.2 g m−2 year−1 significantly increased the biomass of different organs, simultaneously increasing the belowground: aboveground ratio of R. soongorica seedlings. Root NSC concentrations significantly increased under all N addition treatments, but leaf and stem NSC concentrations only increased under the N1 and N2 addition treatments. Nitrogen addition enhanced the soluble sugar concentrations (SSC) of leaves and roots, and reduced starch concentrations (SC) of all organs. Stem and root N concentrations significantly increased under the N2 and N3 treatments, and leaf N concentrations only increased under the N3 treatment, but N addition had no significant effect on plant C and P concentrations. Leaf and stem C:N ratios decreased significantly under the N2 and N3 treatments, but root C:N decreased significantly in all N addition treatments. The N3 treatment significantly increased the N:P ratio of all organs. N addition significantly enhanced available N (AN), available P (AP) and total phosphorus (TP) in rhizosphere soil. Our results suggest that N addition alters the biomass, NSC, N concentrations, C:N and N:P ratios of all plant organs, but roots responded more strongly than stems or leaves to N addition, potentially allowing the plants to absorb more water from the arid soil in this region ensuring the survival of R. soongorica seedlings. Rhizosphere soil AP, AN and TP concentrations were important factors affecting the NSC concentrations and stoichiometric characteristics of R. soongorica.

Holocene desertification, traditional ecological knowledge, and human resilience in the eastern Gobi Desert, Mongolia

Dryland regions are particularly challenging for human survival over the course of deep time. This is true for institutionally complex communities as well as small-scale societies that have existed in semi-arid regions throughout the Holocene. This paper examines some of the successful strategies employed by small-scale mobile communities which enhanced their ability to thrive in drylands over the course of thousands of years. Small-scale societies living in drylands must rely on the transmission of Traditional Ecological Knowledge across generations. Some of this knowledge relates to the availability and use of wetlands and other more ephemeral water sources, the exploitation of a diverse range of resources, and the potential for natural storage of food resources as a buffer against regularly occurring drought years in these regions. We compare this understanding with our environmental archeological findings at the Mid-Holocene site of Zaraa Uul in the eastern Gobi Desert of Mongolia. At the site of Zaraa Uul, we show how hunter-gatherer groups returned to a campsite near the edge of a wetland environment over the course of at least two phases during the Mid-Holocene. Here they took advantage of a greater diversity of animal species and plants, including small-grained-grasses and sedges, which could enhance their caloric intake and increase the potential for storable commodities which could be collected as needed from their natural habitat.

Climatology of Dust Aerosols over the Jianghan Plain Revealed with Space-Borne Instruments and MERRA-2 Reanalysis Data during 2006–2021

In recent years, climate change and the intervention of anthropogenic activities have altered the seasonal features of Asian dust storms. This may also cause seasonal variations (including dust occurrence frequency and optical/microphysical properties) in dust aerosols transported to downstream regions. The Jianghan Plain is dramatically influenced by multiple dust sources due to its geographical location in central China. In this study, we focused on the climatology of dust aerosols over the Jianghan Plain based on the 15-year (2006–2021) continuous space-borne observations of the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) as well as Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis data. A typical dust event that intrudes the Jianghan Plain was studied in detail. According to the statistical results, dust aerosols frequently intrude into the Jianghan Plain in spring and winter, with occurrence frequencies (under cloud free condition hereafter) exceeding 0.70 and higher altitudes of 4–6 km. The dust occurrence frequency declined to approximately 0.40 in autumn and nearly zero in summer, while the dust plumes were generally located at lower altitudes of 1–3 km. The dust plumes observed in the Jianghan Plain were simultaneously linked to the Taklimakan Desert and Gobi Desert in spring and mainly originated from the Taklimakan Desert in winter and autumn. The dust particles were mainly distributed below 4-km altitude, with the largest dust extinction coefficients and dust mass concentrations in spring. In all seasons, the particle depolarization ratios are 0.1–0.2 below 4-km altitude, suggesting a possible mix with local anthropogenic aerosols. The mean dust column mass concentrations in spring showed an evident declining trend from 210 µg m−2 in 2006 to 100 µg m−2 in 2021 in the Jianghan Plain, attributed to the reduced dust activity in the source regions of Asian dust.

Emission, transport, deposition, chemical and radiative impacts of mineral dust during severe dust storm periods in March 2021 over East Asia

A Regional Air Quality Model System (named RAQMS) coupled with a developed dust model driven by WRF was applied to synthetically investigate the emission, transport, deposition, budget, and chemical and radiative effects of mineral dust during the severe dust storm periods of 10–31 March 2021. Model results were validated against a variety of ground, vertical and satellite observations, which demonstrated a generally good model ability in reproducing meteorological variables, particulate matter and compositions, and aerosol optical properties. The first dust storm (DS1), which was the severest one since 2010 was originated from the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia on 14 March, with the dust emission flux reaching 2785 μg m−2 s−1 and the maximum dust concentration exceeding 18,000 μg m−3 in the dust deflation region. This dust storm resulted in remarkably high hourly PM10 observations up to 7506 μg m−3, 1887 μg m−3, and 2704 μg m−3 in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shijiazhuang on 15 March, respectively, and led to a maximum decrease in surface shortwave radiation up to 313.4 W m−2 (72 %) in Beijing. The second dust storm (DS2) broke out in the deserts of eastern Mongolia, with lower dust emission than the first one. The extinction of shortwave radiation by dust aerosols led to a reduction in photolysis rate and consequently decreases in O3 and secondary aerosol concentrations over the North China Plain (NCP), whereas total sulfate and nitrate concentrations consistently increased due to heterogeneous reactions on dust surfaces over the middle reaches of the Yellow River and the NCP region during DS1. Sulfate and nitrate formation through heterogeneous reactions were enhanced in the dust backflow on 16–17 March by approximately 18 % and 24 % on average in the NCP. Heterogeneous reactions and photolysis rate reduction by mineral dust jointly led to average changes in sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) concentrations by 13.0 %, 13.5 %, −12.3 %, and −4.4 %, respectively, in the NCP region during DS1, larger than the changes in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). The maximum dry deposition settled in the 7–11 μm size range in downwind land and ocean areas, while wet deposition peaked in the 4.7–7 μm size range in the entire domain. Wet deposition was approximately twice the dry deposition over mainland China except for dust source regions. During 10–31 March, the total dust emission, dry and wet depositions were estimated to be 31.4 Tg, 13.78 Tg and 4.75 Tg, respectively, with remaining 12.87 Tg of dust aerosols (41 % of the dust emission) suspending in the atmosphere or transporting to other continents and oceans.

Response of eolian quartz flux and grain size in the Parece Vela Basin sediment to the mid-Pleistocene transition

The most significant climate changes in the Quaternary occurred in the mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT). However, as the main component of eolian dust, it remains unknown how the fluxes and components of quartz responded to the MPT. We recovered a sediment core from the Parece Vela Basin (PVB), which dated back to 2.1 Ma, and quantitatively separated quartz from the sediments in order to track source area and transport mechanism. The grain size compositions, morphological characteristics, oxygen isotope compositions, and crystallinity indices of quartz showed that quartz minerals in the sediments were composed of fine-grained endmembers (EM1) with a mode grain size at 3.2 μm, and coarse-grained endmembers (EM2) with a mode grain size at 9.5 μm. The EM1 quartz mainly came from the Mongolian Gobi and Taklimakan Desert, and the EM2 quartz was predominantly derived from volcanic island arc. By fitting the grain size composition with the Weibull function, we were able to quantitatively separated EM1 and EM2 quartz fractions, and calculated the contents and mass accumulation rates (MARs) of eolian quartz. The mode grain sizes of eolian quartz increased at 1.2 Ma, but fluctuated during the mid-Pleistocene. The MARs of the eolian quartz have increased significantly since the mid-Pleistocene, most likely due to enhanced aridity in the Asia interior. Our study demonstrates that eolian quartz in the northwest Pacific can be used to trace the long-term paleoclimate change in the Asia continent.

Spatial distribution of PM2.5 chemical components during winter at five sites in Northeast Asia: High temporal resolution measurement study

The Center for Fine Particle Research Initiative in East Asia considering National Differences (FRIEND) project was launched in 2020 to characterize air pollution in Northeast Asia with effective collaboration. One of the goals of this study is to elucidate the spatiotemporal characteristics of atmospheric aerosols (e.g., PM2.5) in Northeast Asia. To achieve this objective, (1) the chemical speciation of fine particles was measured in high resolution, (2) the physical characteristics of fine particles were also elucidated, and (3) the gaseous and particulate components of the atmospheric aerosols were comprehensively monitored. The first field campaign was conducted from December 15, 2020, to January 15, 2021, and simultaneously monitored five key sites in Northeast Asia: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; Beijing, China; Seosan and Seoul, Republic of Korea (Korea); and Noto, Japan. The synoptic weather conditions mainly determined the periods of high PM2.5 mass concentration. During the first high-pollution event, the air over the Northeast Asian region was generally stagnant, and the inland wind speed over China, Korea, and Japan was very low. The PM2.5 mass concentration in Beijing, Seosan, and Seoul had increased simultaneously. Then, the prevailing westerlies in Northeast Asia caused the polluted air mass observed in Seoul to move to the background site in Noto. During the second high-pollution event, the Asian dust phenomenon occurred in the Gobi Desert and moved to all sites. Though the synoptic weather conditions largely determined the trend of the PM2.5 mass concentrations at the five sites, the levels of chemical components in both gaseous and particulate phases were different at each site, reflecting local emission and formation characteristics. Overall, the concentrations of air pollutants were highest in Ulaanbaatar; comparable in Beijing, Seoul, and Seosan and very low in Noto. A common characteristic of the five sites was the high organic aerosol (OA) proportion in fine particles. The chemical components that increased with the PM2.5 mass concentration were OA at Ulaanbaatar, OA and nitrate at Beijing and Seosan, nitrate at Seoul, and sulfate and OA at Noto. Further study directions for each site are discussed.

Across the Gobi Desert: impact of landscape features on the biogeography and phylogeographically-structured release calls of the Mongolian Toad, Strauchbufo raddei in East Asia

Across the Gobi Desert: impact of landscape features on the biogeography and phylogeographically-structured release calls of the Mongolian Toad, Strauchbufo raddei in East Asia

Amorphous germanium-crystalline bismuth films as a promising anode for magnesium-ion batteries

Magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) are promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries due to their safety and high theoretical specific capacity, and the abundance of magnesium reserves. However, their anodes and electrolytes severely restrict the development of MIBs, so alloy-type anodes provide an effective strategy to circumvent the surface passivation issue encountered with Mg metal in conventional electrolytes. Theoretically, a germanium anode can deliver a high specific capacity of 1476 mAh g−1, but hitherto, no experimental reports have described Ge in MIBs. Herein, we experimentally verified that Ge could reversibly react with Mg2+ ions through the design of dual-phase Ge–Bi film electrodes fabricated by magnetron co-sputtering. Notably, a Ge57Bi43 electrode delivered a high specific capacity of 847.5 mAh g−1, owing to the joint alloying reactions of Ge and Bi with Mg, which was much higher than the specific capacity of Bi (around 385 mAh g−1). Moreover, the Ge–Bi anode showed excellent rate performance, good cycling stability, and superior compatibility with conventional electrolytes such as Mg(TFSI)2. More importantly, the Mg storage mechanism of the Ge–Bi anode was unveiled by operando X-ray diffraction, and density functional theory calculations rationalized that the introduction of Bi to form Ge–Bi evidently decreased the defect formation energy and effectively boosted the electrochemical reactivity of Ge with Mg.

A Study of a Severe Spring Dust Event in 2021 over East Asia with WRF-Chem and Multiple Platforms of Observations

In this study, we investigate the most severe East Asian dust storm in the past decade that occurred on 14–16 March 2021 based on the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem) and a variety of site measurements and satellite retrievals. The dust emissions from the Gobi Desert, especially over Mongolia on March 14, are the dominant sources of this intense dust event. The maximal hourly accumulated dust emissions over Mongolian and Chinese areas reached 1490.18 kt at 07:00 UTC on 14 March and 821.70 kt at 2:00 UTC on 15 March, respectively. During this dust event, the accumulated dust emissions in coarse modes (i.e., bin 4 and bin 5) account for 64.1% of the total dust emission mass, and the accumulated dust emissions in fine modes (i.e., bin 1) are the least, accounting for 7.6% of the total dust emission mass. Because the coarse mode bins of dust dominate the emissions, the downwind transported coarse mode particles can affect the North China Plain, while the fine particles can only affect the desert source and its surrounding regions such as the Gansu and Ningxia provinces. Due to the dust emissions and the dust transport path, the high AOD areas are located in the Gobi Desert and Northwest China and the vertical spatial distributions of aerosol extinction coefficients have the same characteristics. We also found the model drawback of overestimating simulated wind speeds, which leads to the overestimations of dust emissions and concentrations, indicating the urgency of improving the simulated wind field.

Impact of Sea Surface Temperature Variability at Different Ocean Basins on Dust Activities in the Gobi Desert and North China

AbstractDust activities are closely related to local meteorological conditions partly driven by remote ocean variability. Here, we investigate the impact of tropical Pacific, North Atlantic, and Arctic ocean variability on dust activities in the Gobi Desert and North China and attempt to quantify their contributions. Three individual Sea Surface Temperature (SST) forcing experiments were performed to simulate the teleconnection from the three ocean basins. Two random forest regression models were established to link the meteorological variables to boreal Spring Dust Activity Frequency (SDAF). Results show that with SST (sea ice concentration for the Arctic) anomaly, tropical Pacific SST variability results in the most change in SDAF in the Gobi Desert, whereas the North Atlantic SST variability plays a more critical role in North China. Considering the observed SST variability, the tropical Pacific becomes more critical in affecting dust activities in both regions.

Effects of Population Density on Revegetation of Artemisia sphaerocephala and Soil Traits in a Desert Ecosystem

Soil desertification is a serious problem in arid northwestern China that threatens ecological sustainability. Artemisia sphaerocephala, a dominant shrub species, play an important role in the conservation of water and the restoration of soil in the desert ecosystem. However, the poor establishment of A. sphaerocephala often limits plant revegetation, and the optimal population density for sustainable growth is largely unknown. Here, we determined key soil properties and plant growth characteristics associated with different population densities of A. sphaerocephala (including from 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 3.9 to 5.3 plants per m2) in the resource-limited Alashan desert of northwestern China. The results showed that plant population density was the primary factor determining the revegetation of A. sphaerocephala, followed by soil water availability. Soil N, P and K content, and soil fractal dimensions also contributed to the vegetation and productivity. Soil nutrients were mostly accumulated in the topsoil layers, coincidental with the root distribution pattern in which 57% to 82% of total roots were distributed in the top 20 cm soil layer. The concentrations of soil nutrients in higher population densities (3.9 to 5.3 plants per m2) were greater than those in lower population densities (1.1 to 2.1 plants per m2), suggesting that A. sphaerocephala may have the ability to promote nutrient cycling in the desert ecosystem. We conclude that the optimal population density for the best growth of revegetated A. sphaerocephala was 3 plants per m2.

Analyses of the Dust Storm Sources, Affected Areas, and Moving Paths in Mongolia and China in Early Spring

Dust storms are common in Mongolia and northern China, this is a serious threat to the ecological security and socioeconomic development of both countries and the surrounding areas. However, a complete quantitative study of the source area, affected area, and moving path of dust storm events (DSEs) in Mongolia and China is still lacking. In this study, we monitored and analyzed the spatiotemporal characteristics of the source area and affected areas of DSEs in Mongolia and China using the high-spatiotemporal-resolution images taken by the Himawari-8 satellite from March to June 2016–2020. In addition, we calculated the moving path of dusty weather using the HYSPLIT model. The results show that (1) temporality, a total of 605 DSEs occurred in the study area, with most of them occurring in April (232 DSEs), followed by May (173 DSEs). Spatially, the dust storm sources were concentrated in the arid inland areas such as the Taklimakan Desert (TK, 138 DSEs) and Badain Jaran Desert (BJ, 87 DSEs) in the western, and the Mongolian Gobi Desert (GD, 69 DSEs) in the central parts of the study area. (2) From the affected areas of the DSEs, about 60% of the DSEs in Mongolia started locally and then affected downwind China, as approximately 55% of the DSEs in the Inner Mongolia Desert Steppe and Hunshandake Sandy Land came from Mongolia. However, the DSEs in the TK located in the Tarim Basin of northwest China affected the entire study area, with only 31.3% belonging to the local dust. (3) From the moving path of the dusty weather, the dusty weather at the three meteorological stations (Dalanzadgad, Erlian, and Beijing), all located on the main transmission path of DSEs, was mainly transported from the windward area in the northwest, accounting for about 65.5% of the total path. This study provides a reliable scientific basis for disaster prevention and control, and has practical significance for protecting and improving human settlements.

Vegetation Drastically Reduces Wind Erosion: An Implementation of the RWEQ in the Mongolian Gobi Steppe

Soil loss prevention is an important ecosystem service for protecting human and environmental health. Using spatiotemporal climate and environmental data of the Eastern Gobi Steppe, a region missing from previous studies of Mongolian wind-based soil erosion, we implemented the Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) model to estimate soil loss. A replicable pipeline was developed to perform these computations, and made available openly. Soil loss was estimated on a monthly basis to analyze seasonal variations. The results show that the annual total soil loss was 61 × 1010 kg over an area of 69.3 × 103 km2, which is about 90 tonnes per hectare. Increasing fractional vegetation coverage to a uniform 50% coverage (doubling current vegetation coverage in every 1 km2) could reduce soil loss by 60%, highlighting the importance of protecting and increasing vegetation coverage in ecosystem service preservation.

Characterizing a Heavy Dust Storm Event in 2021: Transport, Optical Properties and Impact, Using Multi-Sensor Data Observed in Jinan, China

On 15 March 2021, the strongest sandstorm of the last 10 years occurred in China. The MODIS, MPL lidar, EDM 180, ADI 2080 and Meteorological observation instruments were used to observe the dust in Jinan, China, while the HYSPLIT model was also employed to find the source. It was found that the dust originated from Mongolia and the Gobi desert and was transported to Jinan at night on 14th March, lasting until the 18th. Multi-layer dust was observed, of which the dust below the height of 1 km was strongest with the VDR about 0.2 and the maximum extinction coefficient up to 3 km−1. The values of AOD and AE were greater than 2 and less than 0.25, respectively. The mass concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 increased rapidly, and were up to 573 µg/m3 and 3406 µg/m3, respectively. Additionally, the mass concentration ratio decreased rapidly, with a minimum of 17%. The particle size of the dust was mainly distributed between 0.58–6.50 micros due to larger particles increasing dramatically; simultaneously, both the proportion and the value for calcium ions in PM2.5 went up. The dust had an obvious impact on the vertical structure of the air temperature, resulting in occurrence of a strong inversion layer.