On the importance of Mongolian cyclones to East Asian dust storms
In East Asia, dust storms typically occur in spring with adverse impacts on socio-economic activities, loss of life, and climate. Mongolian cyclones that form downstream of the Altai-Sayan Mountain have been known for some time as drivers of spring dust storms in East Asia. The passage of Mongolian cyclones primarily induces dust-emitting winds in the Gobi Desert, leading to dust emissions and favoring the subsequent transport of dust aerosols across Northern China. Herein, the relative contributions of Mongolian cyclones to dust emissions in the Gobi Desert and subsequent dust storm activity in Northern China are assessed from a climatological perspective for the first time in this dissertation. Furthermore, this study provides the first evidence that dust activity in the Taklamakan Desert, which is located in the west of the Gobi Desert, is also supported by Mongolian cyclones. This assessment aims to illustrate the importance of Mongolian cyclones in generating spring dust storms across East Asia.
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