Dust Event of April 23-24, 2014 in the Northwest China and Changes in Air Quality, Atmospheric and Meteorological Parameters

Abstract:

Dust season is prevalent every year during spring season (March-May) affecting the Northern parts of China. A strong cold air from the Western Siberia started affecting the Northern parts of China on April 22, 2014. On April 23-24, 2014, a massive dust storm blanketed the Northwest China including Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Shanxi provinces. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra images clearly show the long range transport of dust storms. Higher concentrations of atmospheric (satellite aerosol optical depth – AOD) and air quality (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) were observed after the dust event. The Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model was used to produce forward dispersion patterns of pollutants from the source locations. It is found that the dust disperse from west to east in the Northwest region of China. We have considered three locations along dust flow (Urumchi in Xinjiang, Jiayuguan in Gansu, and Yinchuan in Ningxia provinces). Using Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and ground data, we have analyzed changes in carbon monoxide (CO), water vapor, and relative humidity (RH) at different pressure levels with the dust storms. The results show distinct differences in these meteorological parameters during dusty days at the three locations. Our analysis shows changes in total column CO, ground and upper layer CO concentrations, water vapor mass mixing ratio and relative humidity. The changes in atmospheric and meteorological parameters and their impacts on the regional weather and climate will be discussed.