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Dust transport from non‐East Asian sources to the North Pacific
Author(s) -
Hsu ShihChieh,
Huh ChihAn,
Lin ChuanYao,
Chen WeiNai,
Mahowald Natalie M.,
Liu ShawChen,
Chou C. C. K.,
Liang MaoChang,
Tsai ChuenJinn,
Lin FeiJan,
Chen JenPing,
Huang YiTang
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2012gl051962
Subject(s) - east asia , asian dust , aeolian processes , westerlies , dust storm , storm , geology , oceanography , climatology , deposition (geology) , aerosol , environmental science , geography , china , meteorology , geomorphology , archaeology , sediment
It is generally thought that East Asia dominates the supply of eolian dust to the North Pacific. Here we show the first data‐based evidence of dust primarily from non‐East Asian sources even during March 2010 when a super dust storm from East Asia struck the western Pacific. Chemical characteristics of aerosol samples collected at a high‐mountain site in Taiwan show variable inputs from eolian dust and biomass burning. From backward trajectory analyses, satellite observation and model simulation, dust origins can be traced to the Middle East and North Africa, suggesting an integrated source from the global dust belt. Our global model results demonstrate that dust deposition in the North Pacific is primarily contributed by non‐East Asian sources with an eastward decrease along the Westerlies.