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Original Articles

Characterizing Asian wind-dust transport to the Northwest Pacific Ocean. Direct measurements of the dust flux for two years

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Pages 335-345 | Received 14 Nov 1991, Accepted 04 Dec 1992, Published online: 18 Jan 2017
 

Abstract

Based on an observation at the North Yellow Sea (Huanghai) over 2 years, this study describes main features (pH, EF Ca and flux etc.) associated with the wind-dust transport from East Asia (China) to the Northwest Pacific Ocean. Compositions of the atmospheric deposition are highly variable over the China Sea, with elevated dust flux (~ 40 g m-2 yr-1) and poor rainfall in winter and spring in comparison to abundant rainfall and low dust flux (~ 10 g m-2 yr-1) in summer and autumn. However, atmospheric dust fallout from winter and in spring differs in pH and EF Ca values. Examination of data refines that the wind-dust from Siberia/Mongolia and Northwest China has significant impact upon the chemical composition and flux of atmospheric fallout over the China Sea, although anthropogenic influences on the rain/snow chemistry have been identified. Annual wind-dust flux to the China Sea is estimated at 53.7 g m-2 yr-1, which is one order of magnitude higher than that over the Central North Pacific Ocean.