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| Yellow Dust: Integrative Model
Approaches |
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Principal Investigators
MIT:
K.Polenske
UT: K.Takeuchi, A.Tsunekawa, A.Sumi, T.Nakajima,
R.ohtsuka, H.Shiroyama
Chalmers: G.Borg, B.Steen,
L.Ericsson
Yellow dust from arid lands of China and
neighboring countries is an annual phenomenon that affects the
environment, productivity, and human health in the East Asian
region. It causes air pollution and dust storms, impacts agriculture
and transportation infrastructure, and interferes with high tech
industrial operations in China, Japan, and Korea. It is suspected of
causing a number of diseases along its trajectory. Some mitigation
activities require water and land needed for agriculture, often in
conflict with local demands. The increased incidences of the
dust-blowing activity in recent decades and greater awareness have
turned this phenomenon into a major debating point among the three
nations.
Different aspects of the issue have been studied
using best available methods and modeling tools in various
disciplines. However, previous analyses tended to be
compartmentalized, and have not captured the problem in a holistic
manner. The complexity of the environmental concerns as well as
socio-economic considerations associated with this problem warrant a
systematic approach that encompasses various disciplines.
Goal/Objective
The oval goal of the project is to
conduct a comprehensive study of the yellow dust problem by
developing a system to link the existing problem solving techniques
that maximize their merits. Specific objectives include the
following:
- To obtain a comprehensive understanding and to conduct a
quantitative evaluation of the anthropogenic effect of the dust
particle emission in China and societal impacts in nearby
regions
- To evaluate long-term policy needs for mitigating and
preventing hazards by simulating the effectiveness of
desertification control measures
The research aims to
carry out a holistic and systematic analysis of how to minimize the
economic and health impacts in different regions, alleviate effects
on water and land resources in various sectors, and suggest
necessary countermeasures. To do so, the research team has proposed
to use an “interactive model approach” to describe complex
interactions of the yellow dust phenomena by combining independent
models.
Results/Findings
1) Interactive
Model-Building Group
This group focuses on maintaining the
consistency of parameters in sub-models. Consistent parameterization
is most crucial for modeling dust transportation to enable the
incorporation of explicit physical processes. UT researchers
responsible for building the dust emission model and dust
transportation model have found four key factors that connect the
two models, which are the wind velocity vector, rainfall,
aerodynamic roughness length, and dust concentration.
2)
Dust-Particle Emission Group
This group is analyzing the model
development of dust emission process in the dust source area in
North China. UT is responsible for the broad scale modeling of dust
emissions.
Chalmers has constructed a new wind tunnel to examine
the relationship between wind erosion and various environmental
factors, such as soil water content and aerodynamic properties. The
Chalmers team aims to refine a model that couples wind erosion and
soil water content. This group has found that soil moisture plays a
significant role in suppressing wind erosion in the affected
regions, compared to drier areas such as the Saharan region. This
finding implies that the intensity of wind erosion in China is
sensitive to environmental changes, as soil moisture is one of the
key factors that fluctuates the most.
3) Dust-Particle
Distribution, Deposition, and Chemical Adsorption and Reaction
Group
This group is conducting the modeling of dust particle
transportation. The UT team is responsible for global simulation of
aerosol transportation. The modeling results thus far agree well
with those reported by Japanese and US space agencies. Mineral dust
aerosols are being transported simultaneously with aerosols
generated from industrial fossil fuel combustion and biomass
burning. Modeling has shown that dust storms and accompanying
anthropogenic aerosols can reach the west coast of North America as
observed.
4) Health-Impact Evaluation Group
This subject
focuses on the health hazards from the dust particulates. The group
discussed the difficulty of quantifying yellow-dust particle
emissions separately from particle emissions from local industries
and transportation. The UT team is currently in the process of
developing a common questionnaire to be used in a health survey, to
be carried out with field collaborators in various areas in Japan
with serious yellow dust problems. The survey is expected to begin
in the later half of the year 2002-2003.
5) Economic-Impact
Evaluation Group
This subgroup is analyzing the economic impacts
of yellow dust, specifically (1) an economic evaluation of the
damage of dust events in China and (2) the water and land
redistribution in the case of revegetation and its impact on local
communities. Through pilot calculations with input-output models,
this group found that the indirect effect of yellow dust on industry
is much larger than the direct effect. For example, strong
yellow-dust storms may break down electric power lines, which
further affect the production and service of all sectors.
6)
Countermeasures Evaluation Group
This group aims to provide a
comprehensive review of countermeasures by identifying options and
analyzing resource needs for implementation. NIAES has conducted
field surveys in Inner Mongolia for more than 10 years, analyzing
the scientific basis for traditional Chinese mitigation measures,
and evaluating the effectiveness of alternative countermeasures.
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