The Role of Cloud in the Transportation of Dust into Basin Area: A Case Study in Sichuan Basin, Southwesten China

Abstract

The existing knowledge illustrated the role of surrounding mountains in the transportation of dust into a basin, including the blocking of low-layer dust and the allowance of elevated dust intrusion. Taking the Sichuan Basin in southwestern China as an example, we found the impact of clouds on the transportation process of dust in the basin area. If there were low-level clouds on the basin edges, the dust particles could not penetrate the cloud layers, but settled down from upper air into the basin in the cloudless regions. They could be transported beneath clouds in the basin. Considering that the upslope airflow accompanied by dust transportation was conducive to the low-level clouds on the basin edge, this mechanism further reduced the dust intrusion besides the shelter of the surrounding mountains.

Keywords

• dust transportation
• cloud blocking
• Sichuan Basin