干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Based on a 39.8 m ice core drilled at the East Rongbuk Glacier (27 degrees 590N, 86 degrees 55’E 6518 m a.s.l,), north slope of Mt. Qomolangma (Everest), central Himalaya, the changes of dust storm over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) recorded by insoluble particle and its possible connection with the winter (JFM) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are investigated. The results show that the level of dust storm activity exhibits a significant decreasing trend during the past similar to 50 years. This may be attributed, at least partly, to a decrease in wind speed over the TP and its surrounding regions. The normalized time series of the winter NAO index shows a significant inverse correlation with the mass concentration of insoluble particle implying a possible connection between the winter NAO and the dust storm activity over the TP.