Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics www.atmos-chem-phys.net 1680-7316 1680-7324 8 10 2008 10.5194/acp-8-2717-2008 http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/8/2717/2008/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/8/2717/2008/acp-8-2717-2008.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/8/2717/2008/acp-8-2717-2008.pdf 2717 2728 2008-05-22 Asian dust storm influence on North American ambient PM levels: observational evidence and controlling factors T. L. Zhao S. L. Gong sunling.gong@ec.gc.ca X. Y. Zhang D. A. Jaffe Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada Centre for Atmosphere Watch and Services of CMA, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China University of Washington-Bothell, 18115 Campus Way NE, Bothell, WA 98011-8246, USA New observational evidence of the trans-Pacific transport of Asian dust and its contribution to the ambient particulate matter (PM) levels in North America was revealed, based on the interannual variations between Asian dust storms and the ambient PM levels in western North America from year 2000 to 2006. A high correlation was found between them with an R2 value of 0.83. From analysis of the differences in the correlation between 2005 and 2006, three factors explain the variation of trans-Pacific transport and influences of Asian dust storms on PM levels in western North America. These were identified by modeling results and the re-analysis data. 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