This project is responsible for managing and integrating the scientific results obtained in the Dust Storm Intensive Monitoring Program, to set up a web site to provide updated inform to the publics, and to propose suitable adaptation strategy. A few discussion meetings and two workshops has been organized in this project. This report analyzes the air pollution data collected during January ~ June, 2003, and the numerical simulation data run by US Navy NAAPS. Some findings are noted: Influence of mainland dust storms on local air quality is weaker than past events. The main reason behind is a stronger frontal rainfall over central and southern China, hence most of the dust loading have been scavenged along the way to Taiwan. Even so, there are still 13 events happened. Among them, four days have an influencing level of 1 (1/23, 2/20, 3/22, 5/30), and only one day with an influencing level of 2 (1/19). On January 19, there are three stations with PSI larger than 100, but influence by local air pollution and biomass burning from southern China are not negligible. In short, even though the influence of this year’s dust storm is weaker than the past, we can not ignore the possibility of sudden intensification of future dust events. Even though the influence of dust storm is weaker than the past, the improvement in numerical forecasting is noticeable. A total of five intensive monitoring events has been called upon, i.e. on 2/18 ~ 19, 2/23 ~25, 3/6 ~ 9, 3/25 ~ 3/30 and 4/25 ~ 4/28. Among these days, the highest PM10 hourly-mean concentration of 130 μ g m-3 is observed on noon of March 8 at Wanli. While, a much higher level of PM10 occurs on 2/20 and 3/22, when no intensive monitoring has been requested, with PM10 of 171 and 160 μg m-3, respectively.

Influence of mainland dust storm, monitoring, management