This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/jun/20/dust-on-desert-winds-reduces-air-pollution
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Dust on desert winds reduces air pollution | Dust on desert winds reduces air pollution |
| (7 months later) | |
| Study of Gobi sand blowing over east China finds air stagnates and human-made pollution rises when dusty winds die down | |
| Kate Ravilious | |
| Tue 20 Jun 2017 21.30 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 21.30 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| People in China breathe more easily when dust-laden winds blow in from the Gobi desert. Paradoxical as it sounds, desert dust helps to keep human-made pollution down, a new study shows. | People in China breathe more easily when dust-laden winds blow in from the Gobi desert. Paradoxical as it sounds, desert dust helps to keep human-made pollution down, a new study shows. |
| Air pollution is a big issue in China, with hundreds of millions of people suffering from respiratory problems. An estimated 1.6 million deaths (17% of mortalities) a year are attributed to China’s dirty air. | Air pollution is a big issue in China, with hundreds of millions of people suffering from respiratory problems. An estimated 1.6 million deaths (17% of mortalities) a year are attributed to China’s dirty air. |
| In particular, eastern China has had severe and persistent winter haze episodes in recent years, with cities, including Beijing, being regularly issued “red alerts” for air quality. Belching coal-fired power stations, traffic fumes and industrial chimneys are to blame, but it is the weather conditions that determine how long the pollution lingers. | In particular, eastern China has had severe and persistent winter haze episodes in recent years, with cities, including Beijing, being regularly issued “red alerts” for air quality. Belching coal-fired power stations, traffic fumes and industrial chimneys are to blame, but it is the weather conditions that determine how long the pollution lingers. |
| Using historical data, Yang Yang, a scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in Washington State, US, and his colleagues, simulated 150 years of wind and dust patterns over eastern China. | Using historical data, Yang Yang, a scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in Washington State, US, and his colleagues, simulated 150 years of wind and dust patterns over eastern China. |
| This research showed that when the winds were slack the lack of desert dust in the air allowed more solar radiation to reach the surface. This lessened the temperature difference between land and sea, reducing winds even further and helping the air to stagnate over east China, creating the perfect conditions for a build-up of pollutants produced by people. The effect was most pronounced during the winter monsoon season. | This research showed that when the winds were slack the lack of desert dust in the air allowed more solar radiation to reach the surface. This lessened the temperature difference between land and sea, reducing winds even further and helping the air to stagnate over east China, creating the perfect conditions for a build-up of pollutants produced by people. The effect was most pronounced during the winter monsoon season. |
| The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that air pollution in eastern China increases by as much as 13% when the desert winds are at their slackest. | The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that air pollution in eastern China increases by as much as 13% when the desert winds are at their slackest. |
| Observational data from dozens of sites backed up the model findings, showing that the air became cleaner two or three days after the winds brought dust into the region. | Observational data from dozens of sites backed up the model findings, showing that the air became cleaner two or three days after the winds brought dust into the region. |
| China | |
| Weatherwatch | |
| Deserts | |
| Pollution | |
| Meteorology | |
| China | |
| (World news) | |
| Asia | |
| features | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |