Physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western Qilian Mountains, China

Wind-blown dust derived from the arid and semi-arid regions is an important atmospheric component affecting the Earth's radiation budget. Dust storms are prevailing in central Asia. Deposition of atmospheric dust in snow was measured on Glacier No.12 (5040 m a.s.l.) in the Laohugou Basin and Sh...

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Main Authors: Zhiwen Dong, Dahe Qin, Shichang Kang, Jiawen Ren, Jizu Chen, Xiaoqing Cui, Zhiheng Du, Xiang Qin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Stockholm University Press 2014-01-01
Series:Tellus: Series B, Chemical and Physical Meteorology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.tellusb.net/index.php/tellusb/article/download/20956/pdf_1
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author Zhiwen Dong
Dahe Qin
Shichang Kang
Jiawen Ren
Jizu Chen
Xiaoqing Cui
Zhiheng Du
Xiang Qin
author_facet Zhiwen Dong
Dahe Qin
Shichang Kang
Jiawen Ren
Jizu Chen
Xiaoqing Cui
Zhiheng Du
Xiang Qin
author_sort Zhiwen Dong
collection DOAJ
description Wind-blown dust derived from the arid and semi-arid regions is an important atmospheric component affecting the Earth's radiation budget. Dust storms are prevailing in central Asia. Deposition of atmospheric dust in snow was measured on Glacier No.12 (5040 m a.s.l.) in the Laohugou Basin and Shiyi Glacier (4510 m a.s.l.) in the Yeniugou Basin, of western Qilian Mountains, China, mainly focusing on dust concentration and size distribution, chemistry, SEM–EDX analysis and Nd–Sr isotopic composition. An analysis of spatial distribution of dust concentration and size distribution in the snow cover at two sites suggests that deposition of dust in western Qilian Mountains is different between sites as the environment changes from west to east. Mean mass concentration of dust with 0.57 < d<40 μm in the snow is 3461 μg kg−1 on Glacier No.12 and 2876 μg kg−1 on Shiyi Glacier, respectively. Annual flux of dust deposition to western Qilian Mountains has a range of 143.8–207.6 μg cm−2 yr−1 for particles with 0.57 < d<40 μm. Dust layers in the snowpit contain Ca- and Na-rich materials typically found in Asian dust particles. Number–size distribution indicated that most of the dust diameter is <2.0 μm, implying the significant influences of finer particles to alpine glacier regions of central Asia. Volume size distributions of dust particles showed single-modal structures having volume median diameters from 3 to 22 μm, which is comparable to the results of dust deposition on glaciers of the adjacent Tianshan Mountains in western China. SEM–EDX analysis suggested that dust particles were mainly composed of mineral particles, besides some fly ash particles and soot. EDX shows that mineral particles contain Si-, Al-, Ca-, K-, and Fe-rich materials, such as quartz, albite, aluminate, etc. The Nd–Sr isotopic composition of insoluble particles in two glaciers showed that Badain Jaran Desert and Qaidam Basin were the most possible source regions of dust in the western Qilian Mountains. Physicochemical constituents of dust indicated that the snowpack was influenced by both local atmospheric environment, e.g. local dust, and anthropogenic activities in central Asia.
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spelling doaj.art-faee1f3a7b7742f394a79577eaef4bb12022-12-22T00:20:15ZengStockholm University PressTellus: Series B, Chemical and Physical Meteorology1600-08892014-01-0166011510.3402/tellusb.v66.2095620956Physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western Qilian Mountains, ChinaZhiwen Dong0Dahe Qin1Shichang Kang2Jiawen Ren3Jizu Chen4Xiaoqing Cui5Zhiheng Du6Xiang Qin7 State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; MoE Key Laboratory of West China's Environmental System, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China;Wind-blown dust derived from the arid and semi-arid regions is an important atmospheric component affecting the Earth's radiation budget. Dust storms are prevailing in central Asia. Deposition of atmospheric dust in snow was measured on Glacier No.12 (5040 m a.s.l.) in the Laohugou Basin and Shiyi Glacier (4510 m a.s.l.) in the Yeniugou Basin, of western Qilian Mountains, China, mainly focusing on dust concentration and size distribution, chemistry, SEM–EDX analysis and Nd–Sr isotopic composition. An analysis of spatial distribution of dust concentration and size distribution in the snow cover at two sites suggests that deposition of dust in western Qilian Mountains is different between sites as the environment changes from west to east. Mean mass concentration of dust with 0.57 < d<40 μm in the snow is 3461 μg kg−1 on Glacier No.12 and 2876 μg kg−1 on Shiyi Glacier, respectively. Annual flux of dust deposition to western Qilian Mountains has a range of 143.8–207.6 μg cm−2 yr−1 for particles with 0.57 < d<40 μm. Dust layers in the snowpit contain Ca- and Na-rich materials typically found in Asian dust particles. Number–size distribution indicated that most of the dust diameter is <2.0 μm, implying the significant influences of finer particles to alpine glacier regions of central Asia. Volume size distributions of dust particles showed single-modal structures having volume median diameters from 3 to 22 μm, which is comparable to the results of dust deposition on glaciers of the adjacent Tianshan Mountains in western China. SEM–EDX analysis suggested that dust particles were mainly composed of mineral particles, besides some fly ash particles and soot. EDX shows that mineral particles contain Si-, Al-, Ca-, K-, and Fe-rich materials, such as quartz, albite, aluminate, etc. The Nd–Sr isotopic composition of insoluble particles in two glaciers showed that Badain Jaran Desert and Qaidam Basin were the most possible source regions of dust in the western Qilian Mountains. Physicochemical constituents of dust indicated that the snowpack was influenced by both local atmospheric environment, e.g. local dust, and anthropogenic activities in central Asia.http://www.tellusb.net/index.php/tellusb/article/download/20956/pdf_1atmospheric dustphysicochemical characteristicsSEM–EDXdust sourceglacier meltingwestern Qilian Mountains
spellingShingle Zhiwen Dong
Dahe Qin
Shichang Kang
Jiawen Ren
Jizu Chen
Xiaoqing Cui
Zhiheng Du
Xiang Qin
Physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western Qilian Mountains, China
Tellus: Series B, Chemical and Physical Meteorology
atmospheric dust
physicochemical characteristics
SEM–EDX
dust source
glacier melting
western Qilian Mountains
title Physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western Qilian Mountains, China
title_full Physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western Qilian Mountains, China
title_fullStr Physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western Qilian Mountains, China
title_full_unstemmed Physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western Qilian Mountains, China
title_short Physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western Qilian Mountains, China
title_sort physicochemical characteristics and sources of atmospheric dust deposition in snow packs on the glaciers of western qilian mountains china
topic atmospheric dust
physicochemical characteristics
SEM–EDX
dust source
glacier melting
western Qilian Mountains
url http://www.tellusb.net/index.php/tellusb/article/download/20956/pdf_1
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