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Characterization of the particle size distribution, mineralogy, and Fe mode of occurrence of dust-emitting sediments from the Mojave Desert, California, USA

González-Romero, Adolfo ; González-Flórez, Cristina ; Panta, Agnesh ; Yus-Díez, Jesús ; Córdoba, Patricia ; Alastuey, Andres ; Moreno, Natalia ; Hernández-Chiriboga, Melani ; Kandler, Konrad ; Klose, Martina ; Clark, Roger N. ; Ehlmann, Bethany L. ; Greenberger, Rebecca N. ; Keebler, Abigail M. ; Brodrick, Phil ; Green, Robert ; Ginoux, Paul ; Querol, Xavier ; Pérez García-Pando, Carlos (2024)
Characterization of the particle size distribution, mineralogy, and Fe mode of occurrence of dust-emitting sediments from the Mojave Desert, California, USA.
In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2024, 24 (16)
doi: 10.26083/tuprints-00028024
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Item Type: Article
Type of entry: Secondary publication
Title: Characterization of the particle size distribution, mineralogy, and Fe mode of occurrence of dust-emitting sediments from the Mojave Desert, California, USA
Language: English
Date: 16 September 2024
Place of Publication: Darmstadt
Year of primary publication: 24 August 2024
Place of primary publication: Göttingen
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Journal or Publication Title: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Volume of the journal: 24
Issue Number: 16
DOI: 10.26083/tuprints-00028024
Corresponding Links:
Origin: Secondary publication DeepGreen
Abstract:

Constraining dust models to understand and quantify the effect of dust upon climate and ecosystems requires comprehensive analyses of the physiochemical properties of dust-emitting sediments in arid regions. Building upon previous studies in the Moroccan Sahara and Iceland, we analyse a diverse set of crusts and aeolian ripples (n=55) from various potential dust-emitting basins within the Mojave Desert, California, USA. Our focus is on characterizing the particle size distribution (PSD), mineralogy, aggregation/cohesion state, and Fe mode of occurrence. Our results show differences in fully and minimally dispersed PSDs, with crusts exhibiting average median diameters of 92 and 37 µm, respectively, compared to aeolian ripples with 226 and 213 µm, respectively. Mineralogical analyses unveiled strong variations between crusts and ripples, with crusts being enriched in phyllosilicates (24 % vs. 7.8 %), carbonates (6.6 % vs. 1.1 %), Na salts (7.3 % vs. 1.1 %), and zeolites (1.2 % and 0.12 %) and ripples being enriched in feldspars (48 % vs. 37 %), quartz (32 % vs. 16 %), and gypsum (4.7 % vs. 3.1 %). The size fractions from crust sediments display a homogeneous mineralogy, whereas those of aeolian ripples display more heterogeneity, mostly due to different particle aggregation. Bulk Fe content analyses indicate higher concentrations in crusts (3.0 ± 1.3 wt %) compared to ripples (1.9 ± 1.1 wt %), with similar proportions in their Fe mode of occurrence: nano-sized Fe oxides and readily exchangeable Fe represent ∼1.6 %, hematite and goethite ∼15 %, magnetite/maghemite ∼2.0 %, and structural Fe in silicates ∼80 % of the total Fe. We identified segregation patterns in the PSD and mineralogy differences in Na salt content within the Mojave basins, which can be explained by sediment transportation dynamics and precipitates due to groundwater table fluctuations described in previous studies in the region. Mojave Desert crusts show similarities with previously sampled crusts in the Moroccan Sahara in terms of the PSD and readily exchangeable Fe yet exhibit substantial differences in mineralogical composition, which should significantly influence the characteristic of the emitted dust particles.

Status: Publisher's Version
URN: urn:nbn:de:tuda-tuprints-280242
Classification DDC: 500 Science and mathematics > 530 Physics
500 Science and mathematics > 540 Chemistry
500 Science and mathematics > 550 Earth sciences and geology
Divisions: 11 Department of Materials and Earth Sciences > Earth Science > Atmospheric Aerosol
Date Deposited: 16 Sep 2024 11:25
Last Modified: 30 Sep 2024 07:54
SWORD Depositor: Deep Green
URI: https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/id/eprint/28024
PPN: 521766176
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