Composition of dust deposited to snow cover in the Wasatch Range (Utah, USA): Controls on radiative properties of snow cover and comparison to some dust-source sediments

Reynolds, Richard L.; Goldstein, Harland L.; Moskowitz, Bruce M.; Bryant, A. C.; Skiles, M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Flagg, Cody; Yauk, Kimberly; Berquó, Thelma S.; Breit, George N.; Ketterer, Michael E.; Fernandez, D. P.; Miller, Mark E.; Painter, T. H.

doi:10.1016/j.aeolia.2013.08.001

Cited by 55 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…Further details are given in Text S3. These results are similar those reported for DOS samples from the Wasatch Range (Utah, USA) by Reynolds, Goldstein et al (2014).…”

Section: Results and Interpretationssupporting

confidence: 92%

“…The principle evidence for this conclusion is that reflectance values correlated negatively with HIRM (Figure 6), which appeared to be carried primarily by microcrystalline hematite. Similar correlations of HIRM with reflectance values have been found in our three prior studies of dust using identical methods (Reynolds, Goldstein et al, 2014,Reynolds, Cattle et al, 2014; Moskowitz et al, 2016). Microcrystalline and (or) crystalline goethite may also have contributed to HIRM, but most goethite occurred in nano‐sizes and thereby was not measured by HIRM.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…In addition, our on‐going investigations of regional dust sources in the American Southwest confirm the common presence of ferric iron oxide minerals in dust‐source sediments. Moreover, our investigations have pointed to the potential albedo effects of other heat‐absorbing particles as revealed by the presence of ferrous‐ferric iron oxide (e.g., Fe 3 O 4 , magnetite) in some DOS and source‐area samples (Moskowitz et al, 2016; Reynolds, Goldstein et al, 2014). We also consider here possible roles of carbonaceous matter in albedo reduction, even though our dust‐collection site is remote from major sources of black carbon, such as industrial areas, sites of fossil‐fuel combustion for energy, and heavily used transportation corridors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 74%

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Dust Deposited on Snow Cover in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado, 2011–2016: Compositional Variability Bearing on Snow‐Melt Effects

et al. 2020

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Light‐absorbing particles in atmospheric dust deposited on snow cover (dust‐on‐snow, DOS) diminish albedo and accelerate the timing and rate of snow melt. Identification of these particles and their effects is relevant to snow‐radiation modeling and water‐resource management. Laboratory‐measured reflectance of DOS samples from the San Juan Mountains (USA) were compared with DOS mass loading, particle sizes, iron mineralogy, carbonaceous matter type and content, and chemical compositions. Samples were collected each spring for water years 2011–2016, when individual dust layers had merged into one (all layers merged) at the snow surface. Average reflectance values of the six samples were 0.2153 (sd, 0.0331) across the visible wavelength region (0.4–0.7 μm) and 0.3570 (sd, 0.0498) over the full‐measurement range (0.4–2.50 μm). Reflectance values correlated inversely to concentrations of ferric oxide, organic carbon (1.4–10 wt.%), magnetite (0.05–0.13 wt.%), and silt (PM63‐3.9; median grain sizes averaged 21.4 μm) but lacked correspondence to total iron and PM10 contents. Measurements of reflectance and Mössbauer spectra and magnetic properties indicated that microcrystalline hematite and nano‐size goethite were primarily responsible for diminished visible reflectance. Positive correlations between organic carbon and metals attributed to fossil‐fuel combustion, with observations from electron microscopy, indicated that some carbonaceous matter occurred as black carbon. Magnetite was a surrogate for related light‐absorbing minerals, dark rock particles, and contaminants. Similar analyses of DOS from other areas would help evaluate the influences of varied dust sources, wind‐storm patterns, and anthropogenic inputs on snow melt and water resources in and beyond the Colorado River Basin.

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“…Further details are given in Text S3. These results are similar those reported for DOS samples from the Wasatch Range (Utah, USA) by Reynolds, Goldstein et al (2014).…”

Section: Results and Interpretationssupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 74%

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Dust Deposited on Snow Cover in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado, 2011–2016: Compositional Variability Bearing on Snow‐Melt Effects

et al. 2020

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“…In this setting, extreme wind erosion occurred as unstable coarse sediments eroded and abraded downwind lake sediments through saltation, thereby facilitating detachment, further erosion, and release of fine-grained sediments into the air (Shao et al 1993). Once entrained, airborne fine sediments are able to travel long distances and negatively affect air quality in downwind urban areas (Whicker et al 2006, Miller et al 2012) and speed the melting of mountain snow pack (Painter et al 2007, Reynolds et al 2014, among other effects.…”

Section: How Then To Decide If Active Rehabilitation Is Needed and Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating rehabilitation efforts following the Milford Flat Fire: successes, failures, and controlling factors

2015

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Abstract. Uncontrolled wildfire in arid and semiarid ecosystems has become an increasing concern in recent decades. Active rehabilitation of fire-affected areas is often quickly initiated to minimize long-term ecosystem damage. However, the complex soil-geomorphic-vegetation patterns and low and variable moisture conditions in these regions makes restoration challenging. To further inform these post-fire management decisions, we present results from 5 years of vegetation and sediment flux monitoring following the Milford Flat Fire in west-central Utah, USA. Our sampling design includes monitoring plots in areas not burned, areas burned but where no rehabilitation was attempted, and burned areas where various rehabilitation approaches were implemented. At each of the 25 plots, vegetation cover and composition data were collected annually, and wind-driven sediment flux was measured using passive dust traps. To evaluate effectiveness of post-fire rehabilitation treatments in establishing desired species and limiting dominance of undesired species, we analyzed the temporal response of individual species and functional groups as well as community-level multivariate responses. The warm and dry conditions that persisted for approximately 12 months post-treatment, coupled with the surface disturbing rehabilitation approaches used, resulted in near-surface dust fluxes several orders of magnitude higher in treated areas than in unburned or burned areas where no rehabilitation occurred. These dry conditions and high surface sediment flux limited the establishment of seeded species in rehabilitation areas for nearly 3 years. Post-fire rehabilitation did not limit dominance by invasive annual species of concern. Perennial species composition in the areas burned but not subject to post-fire rehabilitation was relatively similar to unburned throughout the study period. In contrast, the burned plots where rehabilitation was attempted were characterized by no (,3%) perennial cover or, in response to moister conditions, seeded forage species. These results suggest the post-fire rehabilitation efforts conducted in the lower elevation regions affected by the Milford Flat Fire were not generally successful. Though dry conditions are likely to blame for the lack of success, the low and variable precipitation characteristic of these regions suggest future post-fire rehabilitation decisions must assume that precipitation is going to be insufficient and plan rehabilitation efforts that are resilient to dry conditions.

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“…Winter inversions in the Salt Lake Valley may increase aerosol deposition in nearby snow‐covered areas. Anthropogenic air pollution in the Wasatch Range during winter, for example, has been shown to represent a significant source of ion deposition to snow‐covered ecosystems [ Hall et al ., ], and carbonaceous matter, in particular, is associated with a significant reduction in snow albedo in the Wasatch Range of northern Utah [ Reynolds et al ., ]. Here we have shown that wintertime BC in Salt Lake Valley originates primarily from fossil fuel combustion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using radiocarbon to constrain black and organic carbon aerosol sources in Salt Lake City

et al. 2017

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Black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC) aerosols are important components of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in polluted urban environments. Quantifying the contribution of fossil fuel and biomass combustion to BC and OC concentrations is critical for developing and validating effective air quality control measures and climate change mitigation policy. We used radiocarbon (14C) to measure fossil and contemporary biomass contributions to BC and OC at three locations in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, during 2012–2014, including during winter inversion events. Aerosol filters were analyzed with the Swiss_4S thermal‐optical protocol to isolate BC. We measured fraction modern (fM) of BC and total carbon in PM2.5 with accelerator mass spectrometry and derived the fM of OC using isotope mass balance. Combined with 14C information of end‐member composition, our data set of 31 14C aerosol measurements provided a baseline of the fossil and contemporary biomass components of carbonaceous aerosol. We show that fossil fuels were the dominant source of carbonaceous aerosol during winter, contributing 88% (80–98%) of BC and 58% (48–69%) of OC. While the concentration of both BC and OC increased during inversion events, the relative source contributions did not change. The sources of BC also did not vary throughout the year, while OC had a considerably higher contemporary biomass component in summer at 62% (49–76%) and was more variable. Our results suggest that in order to reduce PM2.5 levels in Salt Lake City to meet national standards, a more stringent policy targeting mobile fossil fuel sources may be necessary.

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Composition of dust deposited to snow cover in the Wasatch Range (Utah, USA): Controls on radiative properties of snow cover and comparison to some dust-source sediments

Cited by 55 publications

References 85 publications

Dust Deposited on Snow Cover in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado, 2011–2016: Compositional Variability Bearing on Snow‐Melt Effects

Dust Deposited on Snow Cover in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado, 2011–2016: Compositional Variability Bearing on Snow‐Melt Effects

Evaluating rehabilitation efforts following the Milford Flat Fire: successes, failures, and controlling factors

Using radiocarbon to constrain black and organic carbon aerosol sources in Salt Lake City

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