An integrated dust storm prediction system suitable for East Asia and its simulation results

An integrated dust storm modeling system is developed for the prediction of dust storms. The system couples a wind erosion scheme, a dust transportation model and the Penn State/UCAR modeling system (MM5) with a geographic information database. The system can be used for the prediction of dust emission rate and dust concentration associated with individual dust storm events. Two severe dust storm events occurred in spring 2002; one on the 19th-22nd of March and the other on the 6th-9th of April. The integrated modeling system is used to simulate the two events. The numerical results are compared with surface weather records and satellite images and good agreement is found between the model results and observation in dust concentration distribution and evolutions. The Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia and the Badain Jaran Desert, Tengger Desert and Hunshandake sandy land in Inner Mongolia (China) are identified to be the dust sources for the two events. The dominant modes of dust particles over western Inner Mongolia and Mongolia are from 2 to 11 pm in size, and 2 to 22 pm over Beijing and its surrounding area. The emission of particles in the 2-11 mu m size range is found to be most important for Northeast Asian dust storms. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.