Dynamic and thermal analysis of dust storm processes based on vertical observation data

Abstract

The Taklimakan Desert (TD) is a major dust-source region in East Asia, yet the dynamic and thermal processes associated with dust-storm development remain insufficiently understood from vertically resolved observations. This study combined dual-gradient tower observations from Tazhong (TZ) and Xiaotang (XT), ERA5 reanalysis, and backward trajectories calculated with the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model to examine eight dust-storm events in spring and summer 2024. Three main pre-storm airflow pathways were identified: east-inflow transport through the northeastern Tarim Basin, mountain-crossing transport across the Tianshan–Pamir region, and south-to-north transport across the Tibetan Plateau and Kunlun Mountains. ERA5 anomaly diagnostics show that spring events maintained stronger mean sea-level pressure-gradient and 850 hPa geopotential-height-gradient anomalies throughout the pre-onset period, while 10 m wind-speed anomalies increased rapidly after approximately -12 h. In contrast, summer events showed stronger thermal signals before approximately -18 h, including enhanced surface–air temperature contrast, positive net shortwave radiation anomalies, and boundary-layer growth. Tower observations further indicate stronger summer warming and closer-to-onset wind-speed and wind-shear enhancement. Differences between TZ and XT suggest that local terrain modulates the near-surface response to regional dynamic and thermal forcing. These eight cases provide observational evidence that spring and summer dust-storm processes in the TD may differ in their dominant dynamic and thermal preconditioning.