Evaluating the impact and significance of meteorological factors upon dust storm occurrence

In this article, the quantitative impact and significance of factors on dust storm occurrence have been analyzed in detail, based on spring daily data sets of 17 meteorological factors and dust storm records during the period of 1954–2005 for 60 gauge stations distributed over Gansu Province of China. Results show that daily mean and maximum wind speeds and evaporation have a positive effect on dust storm occurrence, i.e., their increase can result in an increase of dust storm occurrence. Inversely, daily mean and minimum relative humidity, lowest surface air pressure, vapor pressure and number of sunny hours have a negative effect on dust storm occurrence. However, daily mean and highest surface air pressure; mean, highest and lowest surface air temperature; and precipitation of 20:00–08:00, 08:00–20:00 and 20:00–20:00 have a positive effect on dust storm occurrence in some places but negative in other places. On average, daily maximum and mean wind speeds, direction of the maximum wind, number of sunny hours and evaporation have a significant effect on dust storm occurrence in Gansu Province, but precipitation of 20:00–08:00, 08:00–20:00 and 20:00–20:00, and mean surface air pressure and temperature all have a minor influence upon dust storm occurrence.     

Effects of geomorphic conditions, wind speed, and precipitation on dustfall over northern China

We investigated how dustfall flux (DF) and dust particle size (DPS) were affected by geomorphic conditions, wind speed, and precipitation using data from 27 sites in northern China. The sites with the greatest DF and greatest median diameter of dustfall (MDD) were primarily in desert regions and had extensive mobile sands. DF and MDD were lowest in agricultural regions, which had low levels of coarse particles because of human land use and high vegetation coverage that restrained blowing sand. DF values were higher and MDD values were lower in the western agricultural region than in the eastern agricultural region because the former is closer to desert regions and contains more fine dust that has traveled far. In regions with extensive desertified lands, DF values were lower than those in desert regions, and MDD values were greater than in agricultural regions, possibly due to coarsening of soil texture by desertification processes combined with higher vegetation coverage and soil moisture than in desert regions, thereby restraining blowing sand. Although high DF and MDD always coincided spatially with strong winds and low precipitation, the strong winds and low precipitation did not always mean high DF and MDD. High DF also coincided temporally with periods of low precipitation, but low precipitation did not always mean high DF. Thus, although the spatial trends in DF and DPS were controlled mostly by geomorphic conditions, and monthly trends in DF were controlled mainly by wind speed, weak wind and high precipitation can restrain the blowing sand at certain times and locations. Seasonal changes in DPS may be controlled simultaneously by geomorphic conditions, meteorological factors, and distance from source areas, not solely by the winter monsoon.     

1961-2008年中国西南地区极端气候变化幅度的海拔效应(英文)

A total of 12 indices of temperature extremes and 11 indices of precipitation ex-tremes at 111 stations in southwestern China at altitudes of 285-4700 m were examined for the period 1961-2008. Significant correlations of temperature extremes and elevation in-cluded the trends of diurnal temperature range, frost days, ice days, cold night frequency and cold day frequency. Regional trends of growing season length, warm night frequency, coldest night and warmest night displayed a statistically significant positive correlation with altitude. These characteristics indicated the obvious warming with altitude. For precipitation extreme indices, only the trends of consecutive dry days, consecutive wet days, wet day precipitation and the number of heavy precipitation days had significant correlations with increasing alti-tude owing to the complex influence of atmospheric circulation. It also indicated the increased precipitation mainly at higher altitude areas, whereas the increase of extreme precipitation events mainly at lowers altitude. In addition, the clearly local influences are also crucial on climate extremes. The analysis revealed an enhanced sensitivity of climate extremes to ele-vation in southwestern China in the context of recent warming.     

Changes in daily climate extremes in Xinjiang, northwestern China

Based on daily maximum and minimum surface air temperature and precipitation records at 48 meteorological stations in Xinjiang, the spatial and temporal distributions of climate extreme indices have been analyzed during 1961-2008. Twelve temperature extreme indices and six precipitation extreme indices are studied. Temperature extremes are highly correlated to annual mean temperature, which appears to be significantly increasing by 0.08 °C per year, indicating that changes in temperature extremes reflect consistent warming. The warming tendency is clearer at stations in northern Xinjiang as reflected by mean temperature. The frequencies of cold days and nights have both decreased, respectively by 0.86 and 2.45 d/decade, but the frequencies of warm days and nights have both increased, respectively by +1.62 and +4.85 d/decade. Over the same period, the number of frost days shows a statistically significant decreasing trend of 2.54 d/decade. The growing season length and the number of summer days exhibit significant increasing trends at rates of +2.62 and +2.86 d/decade, respectively. The diurnal temperature range has decreased by 0.28 °C/decade. Both annual extreme low and high temperatures exhibit significant increasing trend, with the former clearly larger than the latter. For precipitation indices, regional annual total precipitation shows an increasing trend and most other precipitation indices are strongly correlated with annual total precipitation. Average wet day precipitation, maximum 1-day and 5-day precipitation, and heavy precipitation days show increasing trends, but only the last is statistically significant. A decreasing trend is found for consecutive dry days. For all precipitation indices, stations in northwestern Xinjiang have the largest positive trend magnitudes, while stations in northern Xinjiang have the largest negative magnitudes.     

Change in summer daily precipitation and its relation with air temperature in Northwest China during 1957–2016

On the basis of the summer daily-precipitation meteorological data collected from weather stations across Northwest China from 1957 to 2016, this study evaluated the trends in 12-daily precipitation indices in the summer season and their relations with air temperature. Precipitation-event intensity, which was averaged over the total study area, increased in recent decades although the total precipitation continuously decreased. In particular, intensity generally decreased in the northern and eastern parts and increased in the southern and western parts of the study area. None of the 12 precipitation indices was significantly correlated with temperature in Xinjiang; R95 N(number of events with precipitation greater than the long-term95 th percentile), RX1 day(greatest 1-day total precipitation), PI(simple daily intensity), and R10(number of heavy-precipitation days) were significantly and positively correlated with temperature in Qinghai–Gansu. However, low correlation coefficients were observed. In the Loess Plateau, P(total precipitation), WS(maximum number of consecutive wet days),R95 N, and WD(number of wet days) were significantly and negatively correlated with temperature, whereas Gini(gini concentration index) and DS(maximum number of consecutive dry days) were significantly and positively correlated with temperature. Results of the study suggested that climate shift was evident in terms of daily precipitation, and the study area faced new challenges involving precipitation-event intensity increasing in the southwestern part and unevenly dispersing in the northwest.     

Spatial trends of dustfall over northern China in the spring and their influencing factors

The spatial trends of dustfall of different sizes over northern China during April and May 2001,and March 2002,and their influencing factors,were analyzed.We divided the dustfall into seven grades based on particle size.Total dustfall and dustfall for each grade were highest in desert regions then in regions undergoing desertification,and the total dustfall,dustfall 100 μm and dustfall 250 μm were higher in western agricultural regions closer to desert areas than in eastern agricultural regions.The spatial trends in dustfall 300 μm in diameter were most strongly correlated with dust events,and the content of coarse particles increased with increasing severity of dust events.Because the spatial trend for dust events appears to be controlled by geomorphic conditions,vegetation coverage,soil moisture,and the distance from dust source,dustfall 300 μm in diameter appears to have the same controlling factors as dust events,but the control decreases with increasing particle size.Wind,the driving force for dust emissions,also influenced the spatial trends in dustfall 200 μm in diameter,and especially for dustfall 50 to 100 μm in diameter.Although dustfall 300 μm in diameter and precipitation were not strongly spatially correlated,there is some evidence that high precipitation decreased deposition by restraining blowing sand.The coarser the dustfall,the weaker the correlation with wind speed;however,transport of larger particles still occurs,and further research will be required to test the possibility that this dust is entrained mainly by the small-scale dust devils that are commonly observed in the study area.     

北极涛动对华北沙尘暴频次的影响

This study has investigated the influence of Arctic Oscillation (AO) on dust storm frequency in North China in spring seasons during 1961 2007.There is a significant linkage between dust storm frequency and AO;a negative (positive) AO phase is related to an in-creased (decreased) dust storm frequency in North China.This relationship is closely related to changes in the cold air activity in Mongolia.The cold air activity exerts large impacts on the dust storm frequency;the frequency of cold air activity over Mongolia not only positively cor-relates with the dust storm frequency in North China,but also shows a long-term decreasing trend that is an important reason for the long-term decreasing of dust storm frequency in North China.The AO has large influence on the frequency of cold air activity over Mongolia;a negative (positive) AO phase is highly related to an increased (decreased) frequency of cold air activity over Mongolia,which results in an increased (decreased) dust storm frequency in North China.     

Seasonal variation in dust events and the causes of the variation in the Tarim Basin, China

We analyzed dust event occurrence and its seasonal distribution at 16 sites in the Tarim Basin,China.Although the overall frequency of dust events was the highest in spring in this region,its variation in other seasons could be classified into three patterns:(1) frequency of dust events in autumn > that in summer > that in winter(at the Kashi and Kuche sites);(2) frequency in summer > that in winter > that in autumn(at the Ruoqiang site);and(3) frequency in summer > that in autumn > that in winter(at all other areas of the Tarim Basin).The frequency of dust events and their seasonal variations in the Tarim Basin were mainly controlled by wind speed and locally available dust sources;the former was the key control when dust sources did not differ significantly.The seasonal variation in evaporation had a smaller,but still significant effect on the frequency of dust events.     

Sand-dust storms in China: temporal-spatial distribution and tracks of source lands

1 IntroductionSand-dust storms include both sand storms and dust storms[1]. When the visibility in local areas is greater than or equal to 50 m but less than 200 m, they are called severe sand-dust storms. When extremely severe sand-dust storm, the most severest type of sand-dust storm, occurs, the local instantaneous maximum wind speed can be greater than 25 m/s and a local visibility be less than 50 m or even descend to 0 m[2].Sand-dust storm is a critical environmental problem and is also a…     

Dust storms evolution in Taklimakan Desert and its correlation with climatic parameters

Based on the sand dust storms data and climatic data in 12 meteorological stations around sand dust storm originating areas of the Taklimakan Desert, we analyzed the trends of the number of dust storm days from 1960 to 2005 as well as their correlations with temperature, precipitation, wind speed and the number of days with mean wind speed ≥ 5 m/s. The results show that the frequency of dust storm events in the Taklimakan region decreased with the elapse of time. Except Ruoqiang and Minfeng, in the other 10 meteorological stations, the frequency of dust storm events reduces, and in 4 meteorological stations of Kuqa, Korla, Kalpin and Hotan, the frequency of dust storm events distinctly decreases. The temperature has an increasing trend, while the average wind speed and the number of days with mean wind speed ≥ 5 m/s have decreasing trends. The correlation analysis between the number of days of dust storms and climatic parameters demonstrates that wind speed and the number of days with mean wind speed ≥ 5 m/s have strong positive correlation with the number of days of dust storms, with the correlations coefficients being 0.743 and 0.720 (p<0.01), respectively, which indicates that strong wind is the direct factor resulting in sand dust storms. Whereas precipitation has significant negative correlation with the number of days of dust storms (p<0.01), and the prior annual precipitation has also negative correlation, which indicates that the prior precipitation restrains the occurrence of sand dust storms, but this restraining action is weaker than the same year’s precipitation. Temperature has negative correlation with the number of dust storm days, with a correlations coefficient of –0.433 (p<0.01), which means that temperature change also has impacts on the occurrence of dust storm events in the Taklimakan region.     

柴达木盆地沙尘暴天气影响因素

以柴达木盆地9个地面气象站点1961-2016年的逐日观测资料，分析该地区沙尘暴发生频率与气象因子和地表因子的关系，对比沙尘暴发生日与未发生日的气象因子和地表因子的差异。结果表明：①柴达木盆地沙尘暴日数与风速、大风日数有显著正相关关系，是影响最大的气象因子；气温与沙尘暴日数存在正相关性，但各地区有差异；相对湿度和降水对沙尘暴日数有明显的抑制作用；日照时数与沙尘暴日数存在弱的正相关关系。②植被对沙尘暴有抑制作用，但对柴达木盆地北部沙尘暴日数的抑制作用不显著；冻土深度对沙尘暴的影响存在滞后效应，滞后时间为2-3月。③沙尘暴发生时日最低气温偏高，相对湿度偏大，降水偏多，风速明显偏大，日照时数偏小，气温（地温）差偏小；日照时数小是沙尘暴发生的必要不充分条件。     

中国北方典型沙尘天气特征研究

 根据API、风速、风向及相关气象数据初步研究了中国北方两次典型沙尘天气的天气特征。两次沙尘天气过程中极大风速大于7.2 m·s-1的气象站占88%。2005年4月27日极大风速超过17.2 m·s-1的气象站有31个,出现频率最高的风向为西西北,28日达到81个,风向为北风,极大风速高值区由内蒙古中东部向东北方向迅速扩大。2007年3月30日极大风速超过17.2 m·s-1的气象站有57个,31日达到68个,风向均为西西北,极大风速高值区分布较为稳定。受沙尘暴影响的地区API显著升高。2005年4月28日呼和浩特、大同、北京3个城市的API分别为418、500、500。2007年3月31日呼和浩特、赤峰、大同3个城市的API分别为500、500、423。对PM10与气象因子的相关性进行分析得出,沙尘暴期间,大气中可吸入颗粒物的浓度与风速存在显著的正相关关系,风速越高的地区,可吸入颗粒物的浓度越大。     

新疆沙尘天气的演化特征及影响因子

利用1961-2003年新疆90个气象站地面观测资料,分析了新疆沙尘天气的空间分布特征及演变规律,并构建多元线性回归沙尘因子模型,探讨了气温、气温日较差、气压、平均风速、降水量对沙尘天气的影响程度.新疆沙尘天气的高发区在塔克拉玛干沙漠及南缘,年沙尘日数南疆是北疆的7倍.沙尘天气的高发时段在3～9月,43年内呈明显递减趋势.北疆、南疆沙尘天气的历史演变有着较好的10～15年和8～10年的振荡周期.北疆沙尘天气的主要影响因子是平均风速和气温日较差、降水量,春季明显受气温和平均风速的影响,夏季主要受平均风速和气温日较差的影响.南疆平均风速和降水量的影响占主导地位,春季气温日较差的影响也比较显著.另外,南疆春季沙尘天气对日照时数有着显著的影响.     

土地利用变化对鄂尔多斯高原周边地区沙尘暴的影响

以鄂尔多斯高原周边地区为例 ,研究土地利用变化对沙尘暴的影响 ,建立了多年平均沙尘暴日数与沙漠化土地面积百分比之间的关系。该关系表明 ,当沙漠化土地面积百分比Rd大于 30 %以后 ,沙尘暴日数随Rd的增大而急剧增加。年均沙尘暴日数与耕地面积和大风日数之间的回归方程 ,结果表明 ,耕地面积减少和大风日数减少对沙尘暴减少的贡献率分别为5 9 7%和 4 0 3%。通过在干旱、半干旱脆弱生态条件下的地区进行土地利用结构调整和退耕还草 ,恢复草原生态系统 ,可以在一定程度上减低沙尘暴发生的频率。     

中国北方春季起沙活动时间序列及其与气候要素的关系

利用1961—2002年春季中国681个站沙尘天气的实测资料,将起沙机理相似的扬沙、沙尘暴通过并集运算进行复合,得到一个新的能体现完整起沙活动的时间序列。统计学检验表明,新序列较单一的沙尘暴序列具有诸多优点。进一步从681个站中筛选出代表性较好的中国北方175个站,探讨了春季起沙活动（DBS）时间序列与冷空气、大风、气温、降水等气候要素的关系。结果表明:①春季DBS与大风日数、冷空气次数的相关系数分别为0.946和0.406。②春季DBS与平均气温、最低气温、最高气温的相关系数分别为-0.494、-0.607和-0.269。③春季降水对DBS的影响主要取决于降水的强度和降水的时间分布,5 mm以上的降水才能有效地抑制DBS的发生。     

我国北方春季沙尘暴与气候因子之关系

利用我国北方1954—2005年470个站点的春季沙尘暴资料和相应的气候资料,在合理区划沙尘暴易发地区的基础上,采用气象统计分析中的相关分析方法,对沙尘暴与气温、降水量、相对湿度、地温、风速、风蚀指数等气候因子间的相关性进行了统计分析,研究各个区域沙尘暴发生的气候特征,并提出了春季沙尘暴多发的简单气候概念模型。结果表明:①气候要素与我国北方春季沙尘暴的发生有一定的耦合关系,南疆的沙尘暴与气候要素的相关性最好,而北疆的最差。与沙尘暴相关性最好的气候因子是风速,其次是风蚀指数。②我国北方春季沙尘暴多发的简单的气候概念模型:前期（前冬）,北、南疆地区较常年多干冷的西北气流;青藏东南地区和柴达木地区多暖湿的西南气流;河西地区、河套地区和东北地区为冷湿的偏西气流偏多。同期（春季）,北、南疆地区较往年干燥且多大风;青藏东南地区和柴达木地区暖干;河西地区、河套地区和东北地区冷且多大风。     

甘肃河西沙尘暴对兰州市空气污染的影响

通过对1975-1997年甘肃河西沙尘暴发生日数和兰州市同期颗粒物污染资料进行统计分析,结果表明:两者有很好的正相关关系,其中,70年代后期和1986年前后甘肃河西沙尘暴的多发年份正好与兰州市同期TSP的高污染浓度相对应;在沙尘暴频繁发生的春季,两者的正相关性更显著(相关系数达0.706),其年际变化趋势几乎完全一致。甘肃河西4月份是全年沙尘暴发生日数最多的月份,使得兰州市在该月份的IP浓度也出现全年的次峰值,从而导致IP浓度的年变化成为双峰型(污染严重的12月份出现主峰值),这有别于SO₂等其它几种主要污染物均呈单峰型(12月份出现峰值)的年变化特征。春季河西大风沙尘暴发生期间,兰州市的TSP浓度会明显升高,此种天气过程结束后,TSP浓度迅速降低,这表明春季河西地区大风沙尘暴天气是影响兰州市区颗粒物污染浓度日变化的主要因素。总之,诸方面的分析结果均表明,甘肃河西沙尘暴对兰州市大气颗粒物污染所产生的重要影响是不可忽视的。     

沙坡头地区沙尘气溶胶质量浓度的试验观测研究

中国北方沙尘气溶胶的理化特征及其气候效应受到了广泛关注,但现有的研究大都是基于较短时段和典型事件的试验观测。本项研究利用大流量采样器和安德森采样器,对沙坡头地区沙尘气溶胶的质量浓度特征进行了长达3a的监测,获得了该地区沙尘气溶胶的年变化特征,并与背景气象资料和降尘观测结果进行了对比分析;针对典型天气过程的观测结果表明,不同天气条件(背景大气、浮尘、扬沙和沙尘暴)下TSP浓度存在倍数关系和量级的差异,其质量浓度随粒径分布特征也明显不同;两种采样器观测结果的对比分析也表明,局地沙尘释放是沙坡头地区大气气溶胶的主要来源,但在沙尘暴过程中,远源沙尘输送的贡献也不容忽略。     

地气温差对沙尘源区不同下垫面沙尘输运结构的影响

 大量研究及统计数据表明,下垫面向大气输送的热量能够为沙尘暴天气的发生、发展提供能量并对其产生重要的影响。在对2006年1月至2007年5月间所发生的27次沙尘暴发生当日14:00地-气温差进行统计的基础上,对它们之间的联系及影响进行研究,分析了3种下垫面条件下沙尘暴的沙尘水平通量和沙尘质量体积浓度对地-气温差的响应,以期为预警预报和防治沙尘暴的提供科学依据。结果表明:①当地-气温差超过20 ℃时,绿洲内部的沙尘暴沙尘水平通量和沙尘质量体积浓度垂直变化规律将发生一定程度的改变,尤其是沙尘质量体积浓度,将随高度的增加降低。②绿洲内部沙尘暴沙尘质量体积浓度和沙尘水平通量的垂直变化规律较荒漠和荒漠-绿洲交错带对地-气温差敏感。