Dust storm sources in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Dust storms is a common dangerous weather phenomenon in arid and
semi­arid regions of Kazakhstan, especially in its southern parts with a
great variety of desert types and are a powerful source of mineral and salt
aerosols. In this study was used long­term meteorological data on dust
storms recurrence and their regional division in Kazakhstan. On the basis of generalization and analyses of the meteorological observations, we
identified the powerful sources of dust storms. The regions in Kazakhstan
with the highest frequency of dust storms are: Aral Sea region; southern
Kazakhstan regions; northern Caspian plain; central Kazakhstan region;
southern Pre­Balkhash Deserts. The most active source of dust storms is
located in sandy deserts or in areas, which have suffered from human economic activity. They are particularly dangerous for the environment and
have a great negative impact on soil conditions.
Key words: dust storms, arid region, soil texture