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- Title
Characterizing Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) Intensity in China Based on Meteorological Data.
- Authors
Cao, Hui; Fu, Chao; Zhang, Wanfeng; Liu, Jian
- 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 (<italic>SDSI</italic>) is developed to characterize SDS intensity by addressing the potential impacts of sand and dust storms on sensitive elements. Compared with other indices, <italic>SDSI</italic> includes four SDS-related components: SDS frequency, SDS visibility, SDS duration, and SDS wind speed. Using <italic>SDSI</italic>, this study characterizes the SDS intensity in the Three-North Forest Shelterbelt Program (TNFSP) region of China. The <italic>SDSI</italic> results show that high values of <italic>SDSI</italic> are mostly concentrated in southern Xinjiang, western and central Inner Mongolia, western and central Gansu, and northern Ningxia. By analyzing the <italic>SDSI</italic> 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, <italic>SDSI</italic> performs better in reflecting the spatial and temporal variation of SDS events. Therefore, instead of SDS frequency, <italic>SDSI</italic> can be applied to studies relevant to SDS intensity. Finally, five major SDS transportation routes were identified based on the surface prevailing wind direction, <italic>SDSI</italic>, and the existing literature. The SDS routes, combined with <italic>SDSI</italic>, could help governments and policy-makers cooperate on a regional level to combat SDS events more effectively.
- Subjects
SANDSTORMS; DUST storms; METEOROLOGICAL databases
- Publication
Sustainability (2071-1050), 2018, Vol 10, Issue 7, p2372
- ISSN
2071-1050
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/su10072372