Temporal variations in PM10 and particle size distribution during Asian dust storms in Inner Mongolia

Two types of increased atmospheric dust concentration could be distinguished in the Xilingele grassland in the Chinese Province of Inner Mongolia, based on the dust origin i.e. local versus supra-regional type. While the local type is characterized by dust emission, dust events of the supra-regional type cause high dust passages and deposition rates. During dust events the temporal variability of the PM10- and PM1-concentrations, the particle size distribution and the friction velocity u* were measured in 5 min intervals using a Laser Dust Monitor (by GRIMM Aerosol GmbH). The threshold friction velocity for local dust emission u*t, at which dust of local soils origin was measured, was above 0.6 m s−1. The total suspended particles (TSP) was collected by MWAC catchers and measured by a Laser Particle Sizer (Analysette 22 by Fritsch GmbH). The average D[4/3] particle diameter of the TSP was 23.0 μm and the greatest particles measured had sizes of up to 100 μm. While fine dust of the PM10 category contained between 58% and 63% of the TSP-mass, coarser particles (>30 μm) contributed to about a fourth of the TSP-mass. At the end of some strong dust storms, the dust concentrations remained at a high level even though wind speeds had already slowed down and u* was below 0.3 m s−1. These phases were characterized by high deposition rates for dust particles greater than 60 μm.