Quantitative Detection of Dust Storms with the Millimeter Wave Radar in the Taklimakan Desert

In order to conduct real-time quantitative monitoring of dust storms, Ka-band millimeter wave radar (MMWR) was utilized for the consecutive detection of dust storms over the Taklimakan Desert from April to June 2018. The retrievals of the reflectivity factor, dust spectrum distribution and dust mass concentration were carried out with the power spectrum data detected by MMWR for three dust storm processes. The analysis shows that: The probability density distribution of dust conforms to the lognormal distribution. During the dust storm processes, the effective detection height of the reflectivity factor was within 2000 m and the range of the reflectivity factors was between-25 dBZ and 25 dBZ. During the floating dust period, the effective height of the dust spectrum distribution was lower than 300 m and the values of dust mass concentration were less than 31.62 μg·m-3,at a height of 200 m. Furthermore, during the blowing sand stage, the effective height of the dust spectrum distribution was normally lower than 600 m and the values of dust mass concentration were mainly less than 316.23 μg·m-3,at a height of 200 m. During the dust storm period, the effective height of the dust spectrum distributionexceeded1000 m; when the height was 100 m, the values of dust mass concentration were between 1220 μg∙m-3 and 42,146 μg∙m-3 and the average mass concentration was 9287 μg·m-3; whereas, the values of dust mass concentration were between 2 μg∙m-3 and 820 μg∙m-3 when the height was 1200m and the average mass concentration was 24 μg∙m-3. The relationship between the reflectivity factor Z and the dust mass concentration M isdefined as Z=651.6M0.796. Compared with the observational data from Grimm180 particle detector, the data of the retrieved dust mass concentration are basically accurate and this retrieved method proves to be feasible. Thus, the MMWR cans be used as a new device for quantitative monitoring of dust storms.

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Profiling Dust Mass Concentration in Northwest China Using a Joint Lidar and Sun-photometer Setting

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13061099 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1099

Author(s):

Tianhe Wang ◽

Ying Han ◽

Wenli Hua ◽

Jingyi Tang ◽

Jianping Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Concentration ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Northwest China ◽

Dust Particles ◽

Mass Loading ◽

Average Mass ◽

Dust Mass ◽

Dust Loading ◽

Sun Photometer

The satellite-based estimation of the dust mass concentration (DMC) is essential for accurately evaluating the global biogeochemical cycle of the dust aerosols. As for the uncertainties in estimating DMC caused by mixing dust and pollutants and assuming a fixed value for the mass extinction efficiency (MEE), a classic lidar-photometer method is employed to identify and separate the dust from pollutants, obtain the dust MEE, and evaluate the effect of the above uncertainties, during five dust field experiments in Northwest China. Our results show that this method is effective for continental aerosol mixtures consisting of dust and pollutants. It is also seen that the dust loading mainly occurred in the free troposphere (< 6 km), with the average mass loading of 905 ± 635 µg m−2 trapped in the planetary boundary layer. The dust MEE ranges from 0.30 to 0.60 m2 g−1 and has a significantly negative relationship with the size of dust particles. With the assumption of the dust MEE of 0.37 (0.60) m2 g−1, the DMC is shown to be overestimated (underestimated) by 20–40% (15–30%). In other words, our results suggest that the change of MEE with the size of dust particles should be considered in the estimation of DMC.

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Dynamics of dust storm and its response to meteorological conditions and anthropogenic impact in South edge of Taklimakan desert, China

MAUSAM ◽

10.54302/mausam.v72i3.1311 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 72 (3) ◽

pp. 619-626

Author(s):

AISHAJIANG AILI ◽

XU HAILIANG ◽

LIU XINGHONG ◽

ZEESHAN AHMED ◽

LI LI

Keyword(s):

Wind Speed ◽

Dust Storm ◽

Human Activities ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Meteorological Factors ◽

Meteorological Data ◽

Source Region ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Taklimakan Desert ◽

Storm Frequency

In this study, the varying trends of dust storm frequency in a typical oasis located at the South edge of Taklimakan desert, China were analyzed by using time series analysis and regression models. The LUCC (land use/cover change) data, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) remote sensing data, meteorological data and dust storm frequency data for the period of 2004-2018 were collected from local station and ERDAS (Earth Resources Data Analysis System) software, the multivariate relationships between human activities, natural factor and dust storm frequencies were analyzed by using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Results indicated that the annual dust storm frequency in the study period increased with fluctuation. The monthly dust storm frequency shows higher values between the months of March and June, which accounts for 72.3% of the annual dust storm frequency. Precipitation and wind speed are two meteorological factors which can impact the dust storm formation and its frequency. The correlation between dust storm frequency and temperature was insignificant. Moreover, human activities indirectly affected the dynamics of dust storms by changing the vegetation cover and direct dust emissions. Furthermore, multivariate analysis highlighted a clear relationship among dust storm frequency, meteorological factors and NDVI. The high loadings of dust storm frequency, precipitation, wind speed and NDVI on a PC indicated that increase in precipitation and NDVI will decline dust storm frequency, whereas higher wind speed will enhance dust storm frequency. The findings of this study could be useful to understand the possible causes of dust storms, which can provide the basis for controlling the dust storm source region and also mitigation of the negative effects dust storm on the environment.

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Oxidative Potential of PM2.5 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and the effect of dust storms.

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-5727 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Manna Alwadei ◽

Steven Thomson ◽

Louisa Kramer ◽

Zongbo Shi ◽

William Bloss

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Dust Storm ◽

Inverse Correlation ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Health Impacts ◽

City Centre ◽

Oxidative Potential ◽

Important Indicator ◽

Average Mass ◽

The Mean

The ability of particulate matter (PM) to generate reactive oxygen species and induce oxidative stress in human body is known as oxidative potential (OP). OP is considered an important indicator of the toxicity of PM, which is associated with adverse health impacts. Linking the predicted health impacts of aerosols to OP may be more relevant than considering PM mass only. In this study, we determined the OP of PM2.5 (PM with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 &#181;m) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, in order to understand the relationship of OP to PM mass and composition in the present and absent of dust storm. PM2.5 was collected from two locations in Dammam city in the winter and summer of 2018. The first location was the city centre as an urban area while the second one was in the campus of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University as an urban background area. OP was quantified using dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. The mean PM2.5 mass in the summer (120.5 &#181;g/m3) was nearly &#160;twice that in the winter (62.6 &#181;g/m3). The average OP activity per air volume (DDTv) in the winter was 1.14 nmol min-1 m-3 while in the summer it was 1.77 nmol min-1 m-3. Conversely, the mean OP activity per PM mass (DDTm) in the winter was 24.56 pmol min-1 &#181;g-3 while it was lower in the summer at 17.3 pmol min-1 &#181;g-3. Results showed an inverse correlation between PM mass and DDTm, while there was a positive correlation between PM mass and DDTv. Even though the average mass of PM2.5 in the summer was almost twice that in the winter, the average DDTm was lower in the summer compared to winter. This is due to the much lower oxidative potential in dust storm particles, which contribute significantly to the summertime PM2.5. Our results suggest that OP is driven by PM composition rather than mass.&#160;&#160;

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Physicochemical Impacts of Dust Storms on Aerosol and Glacier Meltwater on the Northern Margin of the Taklimakan Desert

Frontiers in Earth Science ◽

10.3389/feart.2020.527663 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Cunying Zheng ◽

Zhongqin Li ◽

Ping Zhou ◽

Xin Zhang ◽

Xi Zhou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dust Storm ◽

Principal Component ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Atmospheric Environment ◽

Anthropogenic Sources ◽

Taklimakan Desert ◽

Northern Margin ◽

Terminal Moraine ◽

Ion Concentrations

To analyze the impacts of dust storms on the atmospheric and meltwater environment, intensive and simultaneous sampling for aerosols and meltwater on the terminal moraine (41°73′ N, 79°88′ E, 3,789 m a.s.l.) of Qingbingtan Glacier No. 72 (Glacier No. 72) on the northern margin of the Taklamakan Desert were conducted during the summer of 2008. Aerosol and meltwater chemistry (including the species of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, NH4+, Cl−, SO42−, and NO3−) was analyzed by ion chromatography. The results indicated that the major anions and cations in the samples were SO42− and Ca2+, respectively. In the dust event, the average value of aerosol ions was 566.91 neq·m−3, which was nearly five times that under nondust conditions (115.58 neq·m−3). In addition, in the meltwater samples, the sum of ion concentrations ranged from 31.26 to 180.98 mg·L−1, with an average of 76.40 mg·L−1. When a dust storm occurred, the ion concentrations in these two media increased significantly and simultaneously, but with different trends due to the different influencing factors. That is, the atmospheric environment was significantly affected by the dust storm. According to the correlation analysis and principal component analysis, the water-soluble ions, such as SO42−, Cl−, Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+, originated from natural sources, while NH4+ and NO3− originated from anthropogenic sources. The results of the air mass trajectory suggested that the regional dust storms caused by the air masses originating from Eastern Europe and Siberia had a significant influence on the glacial environment.

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Origin and Transport Pathway of Dust Storm and Its Contribution to Particulate Air Pollution in Northeast Edge of Taklimakan Desert, China

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12010113 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 113

Author(s):

Aishajiang Aili ◽

Hailiang Xu ◽

Tursun Kasim ◽

Abudumijiti Abulikemu

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Human Health ◽

Dust Storm ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Anthropogenic Source ◽

Taklimakan Desert ◽

Potential Contribution ◽

Transport Pathway ◽

Particulate Air Pollution ◽

Source Regions

The Taklimakan Desert in Northwest China is the major source of dust storms in China. The northeast edge of this desert is a typical arid area which houses a fragile oasis eco-environment. Frequent dust storms cause harmful effects on the oasis ecosystem and negative impacts on agriculture, transportation, and human health. In this study, the major source region, transport pathway, and the potential contribution of dust storms to particulate air pollution were identified by using both trajectory analysis and monitoring data. To assess the source regions of dust storms, 48 h backward trajectories of air masses arriving at the Bugur (Luntai) County, which is located at the northeast edge of Taklimakan Desert, China on the dusty season (spring) and non-dusty month (August, representing non-dusty season) in the period of 1999–2013, were determined using Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model version 4 (HYSPLIT 4). The trajectories were categorized by k-means clustering into 5 clusters (1a–5a) in the dusty season and 2 clusters (1b and 2b) in the non-dusty season, which show distinct features in terms of the trajectory origins and the entry direction to the site. Daily levels of three air pollutants measured at a station located in Bugur County were analyzed by using Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) for each air mass cluster in dusty season. The results showed that TSP is the major pollutant, with an average concentration of 612 µg/m3, as compared to SO2 (23 µg/m3) and NO2 (32 µg/m3) in the dusty season. All pollutants were increased with the dust weather intensity, i.e., from suspended dust to dust storms. High levels of SO2 and NO2 were mostly associated with cluster 1a and cluster 5a which had trajectories passing over the anthropogenic source regions, while high TSP was mainly observed in cluster 4a, which has a longer pathway over the shifting sand desert area. Thus, on strong dust storm days, not only higher TSP but also higher SO2 and NO2 levels were observed as compared to normal days. The results of this study could be useful to forecast the potential occurrence of dust storms based on meteorological data. Research focusing on this dust-storm-prone region will help to understand the possible causes for the changes in the dust storm frequency and intensity, which can provide the basis for mitigation of the negative effects on human health and the environment.

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Dust Transport from Inland Australia and Its Impact on Air Quality and Health on the Eastern Coast of Australia during the February 2019 Dust Storm

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12020141 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 141

Author(s):

Emilie Aragnou ◽

Sean Watt ◽

Hiep Nguyen Duc ◽

Cassandra Cheeseman ◽

Matthew Riley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Dust Storm ◽

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

The State ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Eastern Coast ◽

Storm Event ◽

South Wales ◽

Dust Storm Event

Dust storms originating from Central Australia and western New South Wales frequently cause high particle concentrations at many sites across New South Wales, both inland and along the coast. This study focussed on a dust storm event in February 2019 which affected air quality across the state as detected at many ambient monitoring stations in the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) air quality monitoring network. The WRF-Chem (Weather Research and Forecast Model—Chemistry) model is used to study the formation, dispersion and transport of dust across the state of New South Wales (NSW, Australia). Wildfires also happened in northern NSW at the same time of the dust storm in February 2019, and their emissions are taken into account in the WRF-Chem model by using Fire Inventory from NCAR (FINN) as emission input. The model performance is evaluated and is shown to predict fairly accurate the PM2.5 and PM10 concentration as compared to observation. The predicted PM2.5 concentration over New South Wales during 5 days from 11 to 15 February 2019 is then used to estimate the impact of the February 2019 dust storm event on three health endpoints, namely mortality, respiratory and cardiac disease hospitalisation rates. The results show that even though as the daily average of PM2.5 over some parts of the state, especially in western and north western NSW near the centre of the dust storm and wild fires, are very high (over 900 µg/m3), the population exposure is low due to the sparse population. Generally, the health impact is similar in order of magnitude to that caused by biomass burning events from wildfires or from hazardous reduction burnings (HRBs) near populous centres such as in Sydney in May 2016. One notable difference is the higher respiratory disease hospitalisation for this dust event (161) compared to the fire event (24).

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Effects of Dust Storms and Climatological Factors on Mortality and Morbidity of Cardiovascular Diseases Admitted to ED

Emergency Medicine International ◽

10.1155/2018/3758506 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Behcet Al ◽

Mustafa Bogan ◽

Suat Zengin ◽

Mustafa Sabak ◽

Seval Kul ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Emergency Department ◽

Chest Pain ◽

Cardiovascular Diseases ◽

Dust Storm ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Maximum Temperature ◽

Inpatient Hospitalization ◽

Mortality And Morbidity ◽

Coronary Syndrome

Objective. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Desert Dust Storms and Climatological Factors on Mortality and Morbidity of Cardiovascular Diseases admitted to emergency department in Gaziantep. Method. Hospital records, obtained between September 01, 2009 and January 31, 2014, from four state hospitals in Gaziantep, Turkey, were compared to meteorological and climatological data. Statistical analysis was performed by Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) for windows version 24.0. Results. 168,467 patients were included in this study. 83% of the patients had chest pain and 17% of patients had cardiac failure (CF). An increase in inpatient hospitalization due to CF was observed and corresponded to the duration of dust storms measured by number of days. However, there was no significant increase in emergency department (ED) presentations. There was no significant association of cardiac related mortality and coinciding presence of a dust storm or higher recorded temperature. The association of increases in temperature levels and the presence of dust storms with “acute coronary syndrome- (ACS-) related emergency service presentations, inpatient hospitalization, and mortality” were statistically significant. The relationship between the increase in PM10 levels due to causes unrelated to dust storms and the outpatient application, admission, and mortality due to heart failure was not significant. The increase in particle matter 10 (PM) levels due to causes outside the dust storm caused a significant increase in outpatient application, hospitalization, and mortality originated from ACS. Conclusion. Increased number of dust storms resulted in a higher prevalence of mortality due to ACS while mortality due to heart failure remained unchanged. Admission, hospitalization, and mortality due to chest pain both dependent and independent of ACS were increased by the presence of dust storms, PM10 elevation, and maximum temperature.

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A Comparison of Aphelion Cloud Belt Phase Functions Before and After the Mars Year 34 Global Dust Storm

10.5194/epsc2021-372 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alex Innanen ◽

Brittney Cooper ◽

Charissa Campbell ◽

Scott Guzewich ◽

Jacob Kloos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dust Storm ◽

Phase Function ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Ice Crystal ◽

Ice Clouds ◽

Water Ice ◽

Ice Cloud ◽

Sky Survey ◽

Scattering Phase ◽

Scattering Phase Function

1. INTRODUCTIONThe Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is located in Gale Crater (4.5&#176;S, 137.4&#176;E), and has been performing cloud observations for the entirety of its mission, since its landing in 2012 [eg. 1,2,3]. One such observation is the Phase Function Sky Survey (PFSS), developed by Cooper et al [3] and instituted in Mars Year (MY) 34 to determine the scattering phase function of Martian water-ice clouds. The clouds of interest form during the Aphelion Cloud Belt (ACB) season (Ls=50&#176;-150&#176;), a period of time during which there is an increase in the formation of water-ice clouds around the Martian equator [4]. The PFSS observation was also performed during the MY 35 ACB season and the current MY 36 ACB season.Following the MY 34 ACB season, Mars experienced a global dust storm which lasted from Ls~188&#176; to Ls~250&#176; of that Mars year [5]. Global dust storms are planet-encircling storms which occur every few Mars years and can significantly impact the atmosphere leading to increased dust aerosol sizes [6], an increase in middle atmosphere water vapour [7], and the formation of unseasonal water-ice clouds [8]. While the decrease in visibility during the global dust storm itself made cloud observation difficult, comparing the scattering phase function prior to and following the global dust storm can help to understand the long-term impacts of global dust storms on water-ice clouds.2. METHODSThe PFSS consists of 9 cloud movies of three frames each, taken using MSL&#8217;s navigation cameras, at a variety of pointings in order to observe a large range of scattering angles. The goal of the PFSS is to characterise the scattering properties of water-ice clouds and to determine ice crystal geometry.&#160; In each movie, clouds are identified using mean frame subtraction, and the phase function is computed using the formula derived by Cooper et al [3]. An average phase function can then be computed for the entirety of the ACB season.<img src="https://contentmanager.copernicus.org/fileStorageProxy.php?f=gnp.eda718c85da062913791261/sdaolpUECMynit/1202CSPE&app=m&a=0&c=67584351a5c2fde95856e0760f04bbf3&ct=x&pn=gnp.elif&d=1" alt="Figure 1 &#8211; Temporal Distribution of Phase Function Sky Survey Observations for Mars Years 34 and 35" width="800" height="681">Figure 1 shows the temporal distributions of PFSS observations taken during MYs 34 and 35. We aim to capture both morning and afternoon observations in order to study any diurnal variability in water-ice clouds.3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThere were a total of 26 PFSS observations taken in MY 35 between Ls~50&#176;-160&#176;, evenly distributed between AM and PM observations. Typically, times further from local noon (i.e. earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon) show stronger cloud features, and run less risk of being obscured by the presence of the sun. In all movies in which clouds are detected, a phase function can be calculated, and an average phase function determined for the whole ACB season. &#160;Future work will look at the water-ice cloud scattering properties for the MY 36 ACB season, allowing us to get more information about the interannual variability of the ACB and to further constrain the ice crystal habit. The PFSS observations will not only assist in our understanding of the long-term atmospheric impacts of global dust storms but also add to a more complete image of time-varying water-ice cloud properties.

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On the role of dust storms in triggering atmospheric gravity waves observed in the middle atmosphere

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.5194/angeo-29-1647-2011 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 29 (9) ◽

pp. 1647-1654 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

S. K. Das ◽

A. Taori ◽

A. Jayaraman

Keyword(s):

Gravity Waves ◽

Dust Storm ◽

Hot Spots ◽

Middle Atmosphere ◽

Thermal Structure ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Storm Events ◽

Atmospheric Perturbations ◽

Atmospheric Gravity

Abstract. Lower atmospheric perturbations often produce measurable effects in the middle and upper atmosphere. The present study demonstrates the response of the middle atmospheric thermal structure to the significant enhancement of the lower atmospheric heating effect caused by dust storms observed over the Thar Desert, India. Our study from multi-satellite observations of two dust storm events that occurred on 3 and 8 May 2007 suggests that dust storm events produce substantial changes in the lower atmospheric temperatures as hot spots which can become sources for gravity waves observed in the middle atmosphere.

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High Penetration Residential Solar Photovoltaics and the Effects of Dust Storms on System Net Load

Volume 2A: 41st Design Automation Conference ◽

10.1115/detc2015-48030 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Samantha A. Janko ◽

Brandon T. Gorman ◽

Uday P. Singh ◽

Nathan G. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Dust Storm ◽

Financial Incentives ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Solar Pv ◽

System Load ◽

Wide Scale ◽

Storage Technologies ◽

Pv Penetration ◽

The Phoenix

Residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are becoming increasingly common around the world. Much of this growth is attributed to a decreasing cost of solar PV modules, reduction in the cost of installation and other “soft costs,” along with net-metering, financial incentives, and the growing societal interest in low-carbon energy. Yet this steep rise in distributed, uncontrolled solar PV capacity is being met with growing concern in maintaining electric grid stability when solar PV reaches higher penetration levels. Rapid reductions in solar PV output create an immediate and direct rise in the net system load. Demand response and storage technologies can offset these fluctuations in the net system load, but their potential has yet to be realized through wide-scale commercial dissemination. In the interim these fluctuations will continue to cause technical and economic challenges to the utility and the end-user. Late-afternoon peak demands are of particular concern as solar PV drops off and household demand rises as residents return home. Transient environmental factors such as clouding, rain, and dust storms pose additional uncertainties and challenges. This study analyzes such complex cases by simulating residential loads, rooftop solar PV output, and dust storm effects on solar PV output to examine transients in the net system load. The Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area is used as a case study that experiences dust storms several times per year. A dust storm is simulated progressing over the Phoenix metro in various directions and intensities. Various solar PV penetration rates are also simulated to allow insight into resulting net loads as PV penetration grows in future years.

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