WG 001: Working Group on Asian Dust and its Impact on Ocean Ecosystem (2010-2015)

Dust storm is a natural phenomenon. A historical record of dust storm events in China can be tracked back one thousand year ago (Zhang, 1984; Shi et al., 2003). Dust storm is not only the result of a natural process, but also, in some extent, it is enhanced by human activity such as estrepement, over grazing, biomass denudation and abuse of water resources. Dust storm carrying a huge amount of mineral dust from desert and Gobi is of considerable scientific importance because of its role on human health and climate, e.g., its influences on global radiation balance, cloud processes, atmospheric chemistry (Arimoto, 2001; McKendry et al., 2007). The huge amount of mineral dust deposits in ocean and would impact upon ocean biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem, improve marine primary productivity and exert direct and indirect influences on regional and global climate (Jickells et al., 2005).

Fig. 1. Distribution of dust-event frequency, fDE, derived from the meteorological records of the 5-yr period between 27 May 1998 and 26 May 2003. Main deserts in region are enumerated: 1 Taklamakan (Tarim Basin); 2 Gurbantunggut (Junggar Basin); 3 Kumutage; 4 Tsaidam Basin; 5 Badain Juran; 6 Tengger; 7 Ulan Buh; 8 Hobq; 9 Mu Us; 10 Gobi and 11 Thar. Four regions of frequent dust events, i.e., the Tarim Basin, the Hexi Corridor, the Gobi region and the Indian Subcontinent, are denoted with A, B, C and D, respectively.

© 2006 Elsevier B.V., Ref: Shao Y., Dong C.H. A review on East Asian dust storm climate, modelling and monitoring (2006) Global and Planetary Change, 52 (1-4), pp. 1-22.

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