Characterizing Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) Intensity in China Based on Meteorological Data

Hui Cao, Chao Fu, Wanfeng Zhang and Jian Liu
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Hui Cao: Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Chao Fu: International Ecosystem Management Partnership, United Nations Environment, Beijing 100101, China
Wanfeng Zhang: Key Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
Jian Liu: United Nations Environment, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi 00100, Kenya

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-13

Abstract: Sand and dust storms (SDS) are global phenomena that significantly impact the socio-economy, human health, and the environment. The characterization of SDS intensity is a fundamental aspect of SDS issues and studies. In this study, a sand and dust storms index ( SDSI ) is developed to characterize SDS intensity by addressing the potential impacts of sand and dust storms on sensitive elements. Compared with other indices, SDSI includes four SDS-related components: SDS frequency, SDS visibility, SDS duration, and SDS wind speed. Using SDSI , this study characterizes the SDS intensity in the Three-North Forest Shelterbelt Program (TNFSP) region of China. The SDSI results show that high values of SDSI are mostly concentrated in southern Xinjiang, western and central Inner Mongolia, western and central Gansu, and northern Ningxia. By analyzing the SDSI components, over half of the stations experienced sand and dust storms no more than once per year on average. Most of the SDS events reduced horizontal visibility to less than 500 m, one-third of SDS events last more than two hours, and the wind speed of over half of the SDS events varied between 10–17 m/s. In comparison with SDS frequency, SDSI performs better in reflecting the spatial and temporal variation of SDS events. Therefore, instead of SDS frequency, SDSI can be applied to studies relevant to SDS intensity. Finally, five major SDS transportation routes were identified based on the surface prevailing wind direction, SDSI , and the existing literature. The SDS routes, combined with SDSI , could help governments and policy-makers cooperate on a regional level to combat SDS events more effectively.

Keywords: sand and dust storms (SDS); sand and dust storms (SDS) index; sand and dust storms (SDS) intensity; sand and dust storms (SDS) routes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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