Geochemical evidence on the source regions of Tibetan Plateau dusts during non-monsoon period in 2008/09

Geochemical characteristics, source regions and related transport patterns of dust over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are still unclear. To address these issues, major (Na, Mg, Al, K and Ca), trace (e.g. Li, Cr, Ni, As, Cd, Cs, Pb and U) and rare earth elements of dust samples from five snow-pits over the TP and its fringe areas during the non-monsoon period in 2008/2009 were analyzed. The results indicate that rare earth element compositions of snow-pit dust are similar to those of the upper continental crust. Enrichment factors of all the elements of snow-pit dust are identical to those of the <20 μm fraction of TP surface soils, especially for typical pollution elements (e.g. Cu and Ni) and elements like Li, As and Cs that are concentrated in surface soils. In contrast, concentrations of some typical pollution elements (e.g. Cr and Cd) of snow-pit dust are lower than those of dusts derived from the Sahara Desert and the Thar Desert surrounding the TP. Additionally, the compositions of rare earth elements and high field strength elements (Hf, Zr and Nb) of snow-pit dust are also similar to those of surface soils and different from dusts of these two deserts. The combined evidence, including dust transport patterns around the TP, supports the conclusion that the TP itself is the main source region of snow-pit dusts of the inner TP. It is unlikely that those particle-bound pollutants are transported into the TP from outside sources during the non-monsoon period.