Arid Zone Research ›› 2019, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (3): 657-663.

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Spatial Distribution and Formation Causes of Frequent Dust Weather in West Inner Mongolia

LI Kuan1, 2, 3, XIONG Xin1, 2, WANG Hai-bin1, 2, LI Gang-tie1, 2   

  1. 1. College of Desert Control Science and Engineering,Inner Mongolia Agricultural University,Hohhot 010011,Inner Mongolia,China; 2. Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Aeolian Sand Physics and Sand Control Engineering,Hohhot 010011,Inner Mongolia,China; 3. Inner Mongolia Institute of Land Surveying and Planning,Hohhot 010011,Inner Mongolia,China

  • Received:2019-01-29 Revised:2019-03-04 Online:2019-05-15 Published:2019-05-15

Abstract: West Inner Mongolia is an important aeolian dust source in East Asia and even in the world. The data including regional geomorphic types, surface sediment composition, and days of sandstorm, dust weather and strong wind in recent 20 years were analyzed to characterize the spatial distribution and reveal the formation causes of dust weather in this region. The results showed that the exposed dried salt lakes rich in silt, sand and clay, deserts and sandy land, such as the Ejina, Guaizi Lake, southern marginal zone of the Tengger Desert and the northwest marginal zone of the Mu Us Sandland, were the sources of occurring dust weather. However, the occurring frequency of dust weather was relatively low in the areas where the silt, clay and moisture contents in topsoil as well as the vegetation coverage were high. Nevertheless, dust weather occurred frequently in the areas with high dust content in topsoil and moderate vegetation coverage. In summary, there was a spatial difference in occurring frequency of dust weather due to the variations of geomorphologic background and other natural factors, such as the surface sediment composition, soil moisture content, vegetation coverage and wind force.

Key words: dust weather, landform, surface sediment composition, gale, west Inner Mongolia