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| Chemical components and transport mechanics of wind-erodible playa sediments, Ebinur Lake, Xinjiang. |
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Abstract Severe salt dust storms in north-western Xinjiang became frequent with the desiccation of the Ebinur Lake, and caused severe ecological consequences. With the intention of reducing the dust, the chemical composition of some main soils/sediment surfaces in the primary dust production zone were examined and the transport of aqueous-soluble solutes in dust were investigated. Sulfate and chloride were main evaporite minerals in the 0~5cm layer of surface crusts on the lake bottom. The content of aqueous-soluble solutes in aeolian dust showed a significant interaction with dust trap location and time of collection. Wind erosion of the lake bed and salt dust storm occurred frequently in the spring and autumn; dust collectors on the near-dust sources area, such as Jinghe, generally contained significantly more aqueous-soluble solutes and had greater total flux of solutes, then decreased with distance downwind and time. Chloride was found to deposit earlier than sulfate.
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Received: 16 July 2008
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