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

Sand-dust storm is a special natural disaster that frequently occurs in deserts and their surrounding areas. With the data published onSurface Meteorological Monthly Bulletin andSurface Chart during 1971–1996, the temporal-spatial distribution and annual variation of sand-dust storms are analyzed on the basis of the case study of atmospheric processes. Furthermore, the tracks and source areas of sand-dust storms are determined with the aid of GIS. The results show that except some parts of Qinghai Province and Inner Mongolia as well as Beijing, sand-dust storms decrease apparently in time and space in recent decades in China. Sand-dust storms occur most frequently in spring, especially in April. According to their source areas, sand-dust storms are classified into two types, i.e., the inner-source and outer-source sand-dust storms. Most of the outer-source sand-dust storms move along the north and west tracks. The north-track outer-source sand-dust storms always intrude into China across the Sino-Mongolian border from Hami, a city in the eastern part ofXinjiang, to Xilin Gol, a league in Inner Mongolia, while the west-track ones intrude into China from both southern and northern Xinjiang. The source lands of inner-source sand-dust storms concentrate in the Taklimakan Desert and its surrounding areas in southern Xinjiang, southern part of the Junggar Basin in north of Xinjiang, the Hexi Corridor in western Gansu Province, the dry deserts of Inner Mongolia and the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai.

The influence of different underlying surface on sand-duststorm in northern China

In this paper, a quantitative research on the relationship between different underlying surface and sand-dust storm has been made by using 40 years meteorological data of five different types of underlying surface in northern China, which include farmland, grassland, sandland, gobi and salt crust. These metrological data comprise sand-dust storm days and strong wind days. By analyzing, we can find that there are certain correlations between the days of sand-dust storm and strong wind for different underlying surface, which has great influence on sand-dust storm. But there are pronounced differences in different types of underlying surface. The sand-dust storm days of grassland, gobi and salt crust, with smaller interannual variation are obviously less than strong wind days. On the other hand, the sand-dust storm days of farmland and sandland increase evidently, even in many years, are much more than strong wind days. The differences are mainly induced by the influencing mechanism of different underlying surface on sand-dust storm. Grassland, gobi and salt crust with stable underlying surface are not prone to sand-dust storm under strong wind condition. Whereas, the underlying surface of farmland and sandland is unstable, that is easy to induce sand-dust storm under strong wind condition.

The atmospheric circulation patterns influencing the frequency of spring sand-dust storms in the Tarim Basin

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the sand-storm frequency data fi＇om 37 weather stations in the Tarim Basin for the period 1961-2009, the relationship between the frequency of spring sandstorms in the Tafim Basin and the associated atmospheric circu- lation pattems is analyzed in this study. We found significantly negative correlations between sandstorm frequency and the 500-hPa geopotential height over the Paris Basin and midwestem Mongolia, while there were positive correlations over the Ural River region. The rising of the 500-hPa geopotential height in midwestem Mongolia and its falling over the Ural region corre- spond to a weakening of the large-scale wave patterns in the Eurasian region, which directly causes the frequency of the sand-dust storms in the Tarim Basin to decline. Also, the abrupt decline in the spring sandstorm frequency in the Tarim Basin observed in the last half-century is associated with profound changes in the atmospheric circulation in these key regions. At the interannual scale, the strengthened cyclonic atmospheric circulation patterns in the western part of Mongolia and the anticyclonic patterns over the East European plains at 500-hPa geopotential height, are responsible for frequent sandstorm occurrences in the Tarim Basin.

Detecting sand-dust storms using a wind-profiling radar

Sand-dust storm is a type of disastrous weather, typically occurring in arid and semi-arid climates. This study selected a region in the hinterlands of the Taklimakan Desert, called the Tazhong region, as the experimental area to quantitatively estimate the particle concentrations of sand-dust storms using the boundary layer wind-profiling radar. We thoroughly studied the radar echo signals and reflectivity factor features during the sand-dust storms. The results indicate that（1） under sand-dust storm conditions, boundary layer wind-profiling radar cannot capture the complete information regarding horizontal wind velocity and direction, but it can obtain the backscattering intensity of sand-dust storms; and（2） during sand-dust storms particle size distributions in the surface layer closely resemble log-normal distributions, with sand-dust particles sizes of 90–100 μm accounting for the maximum particle probability. Retrieved particle size distributions at heights of 600, 800, and 1000 m follow log-normal distributions, and the expected value of particle diameter decreases gradually with increasing height. From the perspective of orders of magnitude, the retrieved results for particle number concentrations and mass concentrations are consistent with previous aircraft-detected results, indicating that it is basically feasible to use boundary layer wind-profiling radar to quantitatively detect the particle concentrations of dust storms.

Sand-dust Storm, Population and Environment in Northwest China

Sand-dust storms are the result of the integrated influences of climate, geography, society and human factors. A theoretical framework is built to explain the coherence of population growth, agriculture change and environmental degradation. On the basis of the analysis of the causes of the sand-dust storm in terms of human factors, a discussion will be given to show that these factors are internally consistent with the theoretical framework. After that, it will look at China's Agenda 21 and try to find relevant measures to reduce such large sand-dust storms happening in Northwest China and eventually make this area develop sustainably.

A Simulation Study on Channel Estimation for Cooperative Communication System in Sand-dust Storm Environment

There are many factors that influence the propagation of electromagnetic wave in the sand-dust storm environment, the scattering effect of dust particle is one of the major factors, so this paper focuses on the dust particles scattering function. The scattering of dust particles inevitably brings the multipath transmission of the signal, multipath propagation will bring the multipath fading of the signal. In this paper, we first investigate the use of AF and DF modes in a sand-dust storm environment. Secondly, we present a low-order modulation method should be used in cooperative communication system. Lastly, we evaluate the system performance for both of the moving nodes and power allocation. Experimental results validate the conclusion of theoretical derivation: the multipath fading is one of the main factors that affect the quality of signal transmission. Cooperative communication technology has good anti-fading ability, which can guarantee the signal transmission timely and correctly.

PROBLEMS CONCERNING SAND-DUST STORMS IN NORTHWEST CHINA

This paper describes an exceptionally severe sand-dust storm that occurred in Northwest China in 1993, and outlines the damage, characteristics and formative factors of the sand-dust storm and the demarcation of its prone zones, laying emphasis on the countermeasures to prevent and reduce such disasters. Finally the authors suggest setting up protective systems for oases and taking action to rehabilitate the blown sand-land on the northern side of the Great Wall on the Loess Plateau.

Features of Sand-dust Deposits in Harbin City,China

From the sedimentologic view, this paper analyses the grain-size distribution and the chemical composition of the deposits from sand-dust storm, occurring in Harbin on March 20, 2002. The result indicates that there exist plentiful coarse matters in the sand-dust deposits in Harbin, and the sand-dust composition presents obvious three peak distribution characteristics, indicating that the sand-dust in Harbin is composed of multi-origin components. The grain-size composition consists of silt （4-8Φ）, accounting for 71.18% of the total, sand （〉4Φ）, 21.70%, and clay （〈8Φ）, only 7.13%. The average grain size （Mz） is 5.14Φ. The chemical elements of the deposits are mainly SiO2 and A1203 and Fe203, totally occupying 77.8%. The enrichment factors （EF） of Mg, K, Si, Fe, Mn, P, Ti, Co, Ni and V elements are all about 1, which mainly come fi＇om lithosphere source, while parts of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr and Se elements are from pollution sources out of lithosphere source, and As, Cd and Sb elements are mainly from pollution sources. Based on the comprehensive analysis of grain-size, chemical composition, enrichment factor （EF）, discriminant function （DF） and matter source index （PI）, this paper points out that the grain-size distribution and element composition of the sand-dust deposits in Harbin are evidently different from the loess and sand-dust in Lanzhou, and that matter source of the sand-dust in Harbin is different from the loess in Northwest China and the sand-dust in Lanzhon. The sand-dust deposits in Harbin are an admixture of coarse grains transmitted in short distance and fine grains transported in long distance. The plentiful coarse grains of the sand-dust deposits in Harbin origin from sand of local spot, and are the near-souroe deposits transported by low altitude airflow.

PRELIMINARY STUDY ON SAND - DUST STORM DISASTER AND COUNTERMEASURES IN CHINA

As a kind of natural disasters, sand dust storms frequently occur in deserts and their surrounding areas. The occurrence of this disaster in China′s northwest and north China has exerted an extremely adverse effect upon the environment in China. The management of sand dust storms is of a systematic project closely related with the environment such as agriculture, ecosystem, forestry, water conservancy, meteorology and other aspects. Therefore, studies of the formation, the basic features, causes, temporal spatial distribution, developing trend and related disasters of sand dust storms in China are conducted based on satellite data. The experience of sand dust storms control and countermeasures in the United States and some other countries are referred. Meanwhile, preliminary countermeasures relating to sand dust storms in China are proposed.

河西走廊盛夏一次强沙尘暴天气综合分析

利用常规气象观测资料和NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料,对2003年7月20日甘肃河西走廊一次历史上少见的区域性夏季沙尘暴天气进行了分析。研究发现高空小槽、切变线、热低压是引发夏季沙尘暴的主要天气系统。夏季沙尘暴发生过程中,各测站出现了气压跃升、风速猛增、气温下降、湿度增加等现象,但变化幅度小于春季。夏季沙尘暴云图特征表现为中小尺度云团,TBB≤-35℃的云团在一定程度上能够反映沙尘暴天气的变化。诊断分析表明,沙尘暴爆发前散度场呈低层辐合高层辐散状态,沙尘暴发生在最大垂直速度出现以后,同时水平螺旋度对夏季沙尘暴预报有较好的指示意义,螺旋度正值越大,沙尘暴越强。

夏季风北边缘与沙尘暴的研究

使用1951--2000年相关资料，分析了夏季偏南风强度和夏季风北边缘、冬季风指数和春季偏北风以及沙尘暴的年际、年代际变化，并研究了它们的联系过程。结果表明，夏季风北边缘与沙尘暴、北边缘与冬季风和冬季风与沙尘暴的距平相关百分率分别是0．75，0．58和0．70，而且7～8月110°～120°E偏南风和12月～2月90°～100°E偏北风与3～5月90°～100°E偏北风的分析结果也相同。它们相互联系的过程是：夏季偏南风偏强（弱）-北边缘偏北（南）-冬季风偏强（弱）-冷空气偏强（弱）-春季偏北风偏强（弱）-沙尘暴偏多（少）。这些为沙尘暴的长期预测提供了一个新的事实依据。

甘肃夏季特强沙尘暴分析

夏季沙尘暴的气候特征表明，夏季是甘肃省沙尘暴的次多发季节，主要集中在民勤、鼎新、金塔。通过对一次罕见的甘肃省夏季强沙尘暴天气分析发现：高空小槽、切变线、热低压是引发夏季沙尘暴的主要天气系统，而春季沙尘暴一般是大尺度天气系统造成的；夏季沙尘暴发生前期高空急流反映并不明显，急流风速的突然加大和沙尘暴几乎同时发生，这是夏季沙尘暴预报的难点之一；沙尘暴发生前8～12h的螺旋度场对沙尘暴预报有较好的指示意义，正值越大，沙尘暴越强，但当沙尘暴与强降水同时发生时，沙尘暴区螺旋度值明显小于强降水中心螺旋度值。

盛夏一次区域性强沙尘暴天气个例分析

利用常规气象观测资料,对2005年7月17日发生在甘肃省河西走廊近20年最强的一次区域性夏季强沙尘暴天气过程从气候成因、天气形势和动力诊断等方面进行了分析探讨,并对天气现象发生前后期地面气象要素的变化进行了研究。结果表明,这次强沙尘暴天气是在河西走廊地区长时间极端干旱的气候背景下,新疆冷空气分裂东移南下,配合本地极有利的热力不稳定层结条件,锋面过境引发了大风沙尘暴天气。沙尘暴发生前后期温度、气压、相对湿度等气象要素有显著性突变。

海南夏季雷暴时空分布特征及成因

利用海南18个市县雷暴资料、海南地形高度资料、海南日最高气温资料、海口和三亚2个测站日辐射观测资料和海南中尺度乡镇自动站逐时风资料等,研究海南夏季雷暴时空分布特征及可能原因。结果表明:海南大部分地区夏季雷暴主要发生在白天,集中发生在午后,只有以三亚为代表的南部地区表现出雷暴主要发生在夜间,与其余地区相反。研究认为这种差异与海陆风切变密切相关;日最高气温和地形对海南雷暴的时空分布影响明显;太阳辐射与海口地区的雷暴日分布相关性较好;海口地区热通量可以在一定程度上反映雷暴活动的季节分布特征,全天热通量鲍恩比与雷暴活动的反相关性远高于正午时刻的反相关性。

1999年和2009年夏季珠江口环境要素的对比与分析

对1999年和2009年夏季珠江口的温、盐、溶解氧、叶绿素和径流量等数据进行分析。结果表明,由于1999年航次期间珠江较大的径流量,1999年冲淡水的扩展范围要大于2009年。1999年夏季珠江口水体存在较强的盐度层结,而2009年夏季受较小的珠江径流量和热带风暴"浪卡"的共同作用,水体盐度层结较弱,0—5m层水体垂向混合良好。两年夏季珠江口表层溶解氧(DO)的分布较为相似,而底层溶解氧的分布则有显著差异,主要表现在河口西岸浅滩区和河口口门外。1999年河口西岸浅滩区DO小于3mg.L-1,河口口门外DO在4—5mg.L-1之间,2009年河口西岸浅滩DO大于5mg.L-1,河口口门外DO小于3mg.L-1。1999年夏季伶仃洋海域内较强的盐度层结是其底层出现低氧环境的主要原因,2009年夏季强化的垂向混合使得表底层溶解氧得到了及时交换,阻碍了西岸浅滩区底层低氧环境的出现,而盐度层化和"浪卡"带来的浮游生物的耗氧作用可能是口门外底层出现低氧环境的原因。

2006年夏季福建近海台风风暴潮特征分析

根据2006年夏季福建沿岸4个海洋观测站和福建近海5个潜标水位观测站的水位观测资料,分析了在4个热带气旋影响下的福建近海风暴潮特征.结果表明:福建沿岸海域的台风风暴潮大小不完全取决于台风强弱,与大风半径关系密切.若台风大风区覆盖整个台湾海峡,福建沿岸海域增水都较大,比如0604号强热带风暴"碧利斯"的大风区较大,由其引起厦门海洋观测站的最大增水高度达114 cm.0608号超强台风"桑美"和0609号强热带风暴"宝霞"双台风的大风区都比较小,由其引起的各测站增水相对也较小,增水高度最大的厦门海洋观测站只有52 cm.比较福建近海潜标水位观测站及其附近的海洋观测站采用11点(11 h)滑动平均后的最大增水可知,福建近海潜标观测站台风增水高度(22～46 cm)比沿岸海洋观测站的台风增水高度(62～73 cm)小40%左右.这表明台风增水有个向岸堆积的过程,即测站离岸越远,台风增水高度就越小.位于热带气旋(0605号台风"格美")行进路径右侧的测站增水较大(平潭海洋观测站极值增水高度为49 cm,崇武海洋观测站极值增水高度为55 cm),位于热带风暴行进路径左侧的测站增水较小(东山海洋观测站极值增水高度为45 cm).通过对0604号强热带风暴"碧利斯"引起的各测站增水滤除高频振荡后,福建沿岸海洋观测站最大增水高度从大到小依次为崇武站(74 cm)、平潭站(73 cm)、厦门站(68 cm)、东山站(62 cm),可见距离热带风暴中心越近(距离热带风暴中心从近到远依次为平潭、崇武、厦门、东山海洋观测站),增水高度越大,反之,增水高度越小.台湾海峡地形和福建沿岸海域地形容易出现双(多)增水峰现象.通过对各测站台风增水时间序列进行最大熵谱分析可知,热带气旋容易引起福建沿岸和近海各测站台风增水出现周期为12.0 h的振荡.

初夏孟加拉湾地区风暴活动与季风爆发早晚的关系及其前兆信号

孟加拉湾风暴(简称孟湾风暴)和孟加拉湾夏季风(简称孟湾夏季风)是初夏活动于孟加拉湾(简称孟湾)地区的两个重要环流系统,对中国西南地区的天气气候和亚洲夏季风的季节进程有十分重要的影响。为了进一步认识两个环流系统活动异常的特征及其影响因子,从气候角度出发初步分析了两者活动的相互联系及其影响的前兆信号因子和环流变化特征。结果表明两者有一定的联系,孟湾夏季风爆发偏早时孟湾风暴活动时间偏早且活动频数偏多,反之,风暴活动时间偏晚且活动频数偏少。初夏两个系统的异常活动与前期环流变化密切联系,由于孟湾夏季风爆发早晚与大尺度环流的季节转换有关,爆发早晚其前期的环流变化有十分显著的差异,对流层低层赤道印度洋异常西风(东风)和孟湾异常气旋(反气旋)活动,以及对流层高层东亚持续稳定的异常反气旋(气旋)是孟湾夏季风爆发偏早(偏晚)的重要前兆信号特征,而这些异常环流变化为孟湾风暴的生成发展提供了极为有利(不利)的环流背景条件。进一步分析发现,前期冬季1月赤道太平洋地区西暖东冷的海温异常分布对后期2-4月孟湾区域异常气旋环流的生成发展有十分重要的影响,其中赤道西北太平洋异常暖海温的变化有利于在其西北侧南海南部激发异常气旋环流,而赤道太平洋西暖东冷的海温差异对赤道印度洋异常西风的加强及其南北两侧气旋对的发展西移有重要作用,是影响孟湾区域气旋性环流发生发展的重要外强迫因子。

亚洲夏季风爆发前后西北太平洋和孟加拉湾热带气旋活动统计特征

亚洲夏季风爆发始于孟加拉湾,然后向中国南海和印度次大陆扩展,其过程约持续1个月。各地区夏季风爆发时间呈明显的年际变化。利用热带气旋资料和气象再分析资料,统计了1951—2010年孟加拉湾和中国南海夏季风爆发前后西北太平洋热带气旋、孟加拉湾气旋风暴活动和夏季风爆发的关系。结果表明,在孟加拉湾夏季风爆发过程中,共有36a出现孟加拉湾气旋风暴,并且夏季风爆发偏早年出现风暴的几率最高,为80%。在孟加拉湾夏季风爆发偏早、正常和偏晚3种类型中,孟加拉湾风暴活动频率高峰期多出现在夏季风爆发前后几天内。并且在孟加拉湾风暴活动频率高峰出现前期,西北太平洋热带气旋最先出现活动频率高峰。孟加拉湾夏季风爆发前有40%—50%的年份西北太平洋出现热带气旋活动,其中,夏季风爆发偏早年,爆发前西北太平洋热带气旋活跃的时间偏早(4月第2候),且多活动在中国南海和菲律宾附近;爆发正常年,西北太平洋热带气旋活跃的时间为4月第4候,多活动在略偏东的海域;爆发偏晚年,西北太平洋热带气旋活跃的时间为5月初,活动区域最偏东。中国南海夏季风爆发过程中,60a中共有29a西北太平出现热带气旋,其中爆发偏早和正常年出现热带气旋的频率较高,并且热带气旋多出现在爆发当日和爆发后一段时间。整体来看,亚洲夏季风爆发前,西北太平洋热带气旋活动频率最先开始增强,然后孟加拉湾风暴开始活跃并伴随着孟加拉湾夏季风爆发,夏季风爆发偏早和正常年,孟加拉湾夏季风爆发后,西北太平洋热带气旋再次增强,中国南海夏季风爆发。

香港石岗──小溪磷、氮浓度的变化及影响因素

研究香港石岗一条小溪在１９９１年夏雨季溪流中氮和磷的浓度及其在暴雨过程中的变化。结果表明：在基本径流中的氮、磷浓度很低，而在暴雨期间，溪流的氮、磷浓度随水文过程线的上升而增加，但随着暴雨时间的延长，氮、磷浓度随水文过程线增加的趋势会逐渐减弱。与小溪下游汇入的河流比较来看，人为活动对河流的氮、磷浓度影响较大，如不加以控制，将会引起水质恶化。

河西走廊东部夏季沙尘暴气象要素变化特征

利用河西走廊东部民勤和凉州站1971—2013年夏季(6—8月)地面常规气象日观测资料及民勤探空站同期逐日08:00和20:00探空资料,选取民勤和凉州同一天均出现沙尘暴天气的12个沙尘暴个例,统计分析河西走廊东部夏季沙尘暴过程中风向、风速和沙尘暴持续时间、出现时间以及过程前后高低空相关气象要素的变化特征。结果表明:(1)风向、风速对河西走廊东部夏季沙尘暴天气的发生具有重要影响,在西北、西西北、西3个风向下出现沙尘暴天气的频率达75%;(2)夏季沙尘暴持续时间较短,且有75%的夏季沙尘暴出现在下午到晚上(13:00—20:00)时段;(3)夏季沙尘暴发生前大气整层湿度较小、中低层增温明显、高层有冷平流、不稳定度加大、地面为热低压控制、气温高、相对湿度小。