Deposition of duststorm particles during 2000–2012 in the South Yellow Sea, China based on satellite data

摘要

In this study, about 220 satellite images between 2000 and 2012 were obtained from FY-series, MODIS, CBERS, HJ-1A and HJ-1B to estimate the impact of duststorms on the South Yellow Sea (SYS), which serve as an important source of particles there. The analyzing results from the images support a total occurrence of 88 duststorms (including the locally-generated dusty weather) that affected the SYS during 2000–2012. The annual occurrence was about 4–10 times (10 times in 2000 and 2004; four times in 2009 and 2012), predominantly in March (29%), April (33%) and May (22%). By mapping the distribution of their frequency, the duststorms influencing the SYS were found primarily moving from the northwest (39 times, 44.3%) and west (37 times, 42%) to the study region with only 11 duststorms (12.5%) coming from the north and 1 duststorm (1%) from the southwest. We estimated that an annual amount of 0.5–3.5 million tons of sediment particles was brought to the SYS by the duststorms during 2000–2012.