Rain and dust; magnetic records of climate and pollution
Rain and dust; magnetic records of climate and pollution
Elements (August 2009) 5 (4): 229-234
- Asia
- atmospheric precipitation
- Cenozoic
- China
- clastic sediments
- climate
- climate change
- dust
- Far East
- human activity
- Loess Plateau
- magnetic minerals
- magnetic susceptibility
- monitoring
- monsoons
- paleoclimatology
- paleomagnetism
- paleosols
- particulate materials
- pollution
- public health
- Quaternary
- rain
- risk assessment
- sediments
- urban environment
Two contrasting examples of the application of mineral magnetism to environmental problems are discussed. Magnetic susceptibility measurements of sediments from the Chinese loess Plateau--the biggest accumulation of windblown sediments on earth--reveal one of the best records of continental climate change available. these records provide a detailed picture of glacial and interglacial cycles and variations in the east asian summer monsoon stretching back more than 2 million years. in the case of anthropogenic airborne particles, the spread of particulate pollutants can be robustly traced throughout a city environment by measuring the magnetic properties of leaves, which trap magnetic particles released from vehicle exhausts and/or industry emissions.
