Size-resolved chemical composition of the September 2009 Sydney dust storm

Abstract

In September 2009, a major dust storm crossed eastern Australia, blanketing Sydney on two occasions. We collected size-resolved aerosol samples on both days, and also on the following days, for comparison. The size distribution during the dust storm showed a strong coarse mode, as expected. We subjected these samples to Ion Beam Analysis at ANSTO, obtaining their size-resolved chemical composition. In this paper we present these results, and compare them with some of the analysis of similar samples obtained in field trips to the Lake Eyre Basin of central Australia, the source region for much of the dust. In particular, the Fe/Al ratios (roughly 0.9) are similar to LEB values (roughly 0.8 - 1.0), and higher than northern hemisphere values (roughly 0.55). Salt entrainment indicates a contribution from dry lakes. © 2010, Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand