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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Geology

Central Washington University

Dust

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Alluvial Sediment Or Playas: What Is The Dominant Source Of Sand And Silt In Desert Soil Vesicular A Horizons, Southwest Usa, Mark R. Sweeney, Eric V. Mcdonald, Christohper E. Markley Mar 2013

Alluvial Sediment Or Playas: What Is The Dominant Source Of Sand And Silt In Desert Soil Vesicular A Horizons, Southwest Usa, Mark R. Sweeney, Eric V. Mcdonald, Christohper E. Markley

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Vesicular A (Av) soil horizons form beneath desert pavements from the accretion of aeolian sediment (dust) commonly thought to be derived primarily from desiccating pluvial lakes and playas, with contributions from ephemeral washes and alluvial fans. Particle size distributions of Av horizons are typically bimodal with primary modes of very fine silt and fine sand, suggesting that the horizon matrix is derived from multiple sources. Here we conduct detailed chemical and physical analysis of both Av horizon soil samples and potential sources of aeolian sediment to better constrain the relative contributions of dust associated with the development of Av horizons. …


Recent Increase In Black Carbon Concentrations From A Mt. Everest Ice Core Spanning 1860-2000 Ad, Susan D. Kaspari, M. Schwikowski, M. Gysel, M. G. Flanner, S. Kang, S. Hou, P. A. Mayewski Feb 2011

Recent Increase In Black Carbon Concentrations From A Mt. Everest Ice Core Spanning 1860-2000 Ad, Susan D. Kaspari, M. Schwikowski, M. Gysel, M. G. Flanner, S. Kang, S. Hou, P. A. Mayewski

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

A Mt. Everest ice core spanning 1860–2000 AD and analyzed at high resolution for black carbon (BC) using a Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) demonstrates strong seasonality, with peak concentrations during the winter‐spring, and low concentrations during the summer monsoon season. BC concentrations from 1975–2000 relative to 1860–1975 have increased approximately threefold, indicating that BC from anthropogenic sources is being transported to high elevation regions of the Himalaya. The timing of the increase in BC is consistent with BC emission inventory data from South Asia and the Middle East, however since 1990 the ice core BC record does not indicate …