Modern dust aerosol availability in northwestern China

Abstract

The sources of modern dust aerosols and their emission magnitudes are fundamental for linking dust with climate and environment. Using field sample data, wind tunnel experiments and statistical analysis, we determined the contributions of wadis, gobi (stony desert), lakebeds, riverbeds, and interdunes to modern dust aerosol availability in the three important potential dust sources including the Tarim Basin, Qaidam Basin, and Ala Shan Plateau of China. The results show that riverbeds are the dominant landscape for modern dust aerosol availabilities in the Qaidam Basin, while wadis, gobi, and interdunes are the main landscapes over the Ala Shan Plateau and Tarim Basin. The Ala Shan Plateau and Tarim Basin are potential dust sources in northwestern China, while the Qaidam Basin is not a major source of the modern dust aerosols nowadays, and it is not acting in a significant way to the Loess Plateau presently. Moreover, most of modern dust aerosol emissions from China originated from aeolian processes with low intensities rather than from major dust events.

Quantifying the effect of geomorphology on aeolian dust emission potential in northern China

“…Finer-textured stone pavements and dense grasslands are characterized by emissions that attenuate over time (Figure 4c), as the sediment availability is limited due to soil aggregation and the sheltering effects of gravel and vegetation. Wang et al, 2017). Consequently, these surfaces are likely intermittent and low-magnitude emitters unless the supply limitation is alleviated by mechanical disturbances to the protective crusts.…”

“…These studies have provided insights into the physical processes of dust emission and its dependency on soil characteristics (Bryant, 2013). Wang et al, 2017), relatively little attention has focused on the seasonal heterogeneity in dust emissions. While several approaches have been used to examine the geomorphic controls on dust sources in northern China, such as particle size and geochemical analyses of surface samples (e.g.…”

Estimation of soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus losses induced by wind erosion in Northern China

“…The declining wind speed in Northern China and vegetation recovery in Northern China caused the reducing trends of PM10 emission. There were countless literatures that denote that the average wind speed in Northern China declines during the recent decades (Du et al, 2017;Wang et al, 2017;Zhang, Fan, Wang, Gao & Harris, 2018). Besides the depressing wind speed, in the past decades, Chinese government implemented many ecological restoration programs, such as Grain for Green Program, Green Great Wall, and Natural Forest Conservation Program, which generated great effects on protection from blown-sand hazards, controlling dust storm, and combating desertification in Northern China (Du et al, 2017;Long et al, 2018;Zhang et al, 2018).…”

“…In recent years, the impacts of climate change and human activities and the intensity and distribution of wind erosion have all changed, and all of these changes have altered the amount of global nutrients losses (Dostal et al, ; Funk & Reuter, ; X. Wang et al, ; Wang et al, ). For example, the frequent and sustained drought in Northern China has triggered wind erosion and enhanced nutrients losses (Y. Wang, Zhang, & Arimoto, ); additionally, human activities can affect wind erosion by disturbing the earth's surface and changing land use (Fister & Ries, ; Jiang, Zhang, Zhang, & Wang, ; Leh, ; Li, Okin, Tatarko, Webb, & Herrick, ).…”

“…In recent years, the impacts of climate change and human activities and the intensity and distribution of wind erosion have all changed, and all of these changes have altered the amount of global nutrients losses (Dostal et al, 2006;Funk & Reuter, 2006;Wang et al, 2017). For example, the frequent and sustained drought in Northern China has triggered wind erosion and enhanced nutrients losses (Y.…”