Snow chemistry on the glaciers of alpine regions is a good indicator of atmospheric environmental change. The researchers examine snow chemistry in three snowpits at different altitudes on the Haxilegen Glacier No. 51, in the Kuitun River source,Tian Shan, China, during July-September 2004 to 2007.The researchers use correlation analysis，factor analysis and sea-salt tracing methods to examine the characteristics and sources of major ions and mineral dust particles in the snow. Results show that mineral dust particles and major ions in the snow pits vary seasonally. During the Asian dust period in springtime, the concentration of mineral dust particles and major ions deposited in snow is high,while the concentration is relatively low during the non-dust period of summer and autumn. This may be caused by dust storm activity in central Asia. The order of major ionic concentrations in the snow packs was determined to be Ca2+ > SO42- > NH4+ > NO3- > Cl-> Na+ > Mg2+ > K+. Ca2+ was the dominant cation;SO42- was the dominant anion. The researchers find, with the exception of NO3-, that the variabilities of ionic concentrations are highly correlated. Results show that the glacier region was significantly affected by dust activity and anthropogenic source. The major ions, especially Na+, originate from dust sources of central Asia and from the Ocean, transported by the westerly winds.

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