Mineralogy and geochemistry of Asian dust: dependence on migration path, fractionation, and reactions with polluted air

Abstract

Abstract. Mineralogical and geochemical data are essential for estimating the effects of long-range transport of Asian dust on the atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, and pedosphere. However, consistent long-term data sets of dust samples are rare. This study analyzed 25 samples collected during 14 Asian dust events occurring between 2005 and 2018 on the Korean Peninsula and compared them to 34 soil samples (<20 µm) obtained from the Mongolian Gobi Desert, which is a major source of Asian dust. The mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of Asian dust were consistent with those of fine source soils in general. In dust, clay minerals were most abundant, followed by quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar, calcite, and gypsum. The trace element contents were influenced by the mixing of dust with polluted air and the fractionation of rare earth elements. Time-series analyses of the geochemical data of dust, combined with satellite remote sensing images, showed a significant increase in the Ca content in the dust crossing the Chinese Loess Plateau and the sandy deserts of northern China. Calcareous sediments in the sandy deserts and pedogenic calcite-rich loess are probable sources of additional Ca. Dust-laden air migrating toward Korea mixes with polluted air over East Asia. Gypsum, a minor mineral in source soils, was formed by the reaction between calcite and pollutants. This study describes not only the representative properties of Asian dust but also their variation according to the migration path, fractionation, and atmospheric reactions.