Major components of aerosols in North China: Desert region and the Yellow Sea in the spring and summer of 1995 and 1996

Aerosol samples were collected from the northwest China desert region (i.e., Minqin), a coastal suburb area (i.e., Qingdao), and an island from the Yellow Sea (i.e., Qianliyan), respectively, in spring and summer of 1995 and 1996. Samples were analyzed for major components (Al, Ca, K, Mg, and Na), carbon (RAC), and sulphur (RAS). The results show that concentration of aerosols change considerably in time and space. The application of a three end-member-mixing model indicates that dust-dominated materials contribute up to 80%-90% of total aerosols when the cold fronts pass through over the Yellow Sea. The crust-dominated aerosols carried by cold front systems may well reduce the percentage concentrations of pollutant and sea salt over the Yellow Sea. The sea salt and regional aerosols become dominant fractions in atmosphere in summer when the dust storms expire in desert regions and the southeast monsoon starts in the subtropical Pacific Ocean.