Spatial Heterogeneity of Surface Soil Grain Size in Central Asia and Its Response to Seasonal Atmospheric Circulation Dynamics

Central Asia's surface soil grain-size distribution (GSD) exhibits pronounced spatial heterogeneity, with coarse-textured soils dominating northwestern and eastern desert plains while fine-grained sediments accumulate in southeastern mountain-basin systems. This pattern is rigorously governed by seasonal atmospheric circulation dynamics: the Siberian High drives coarse particle transport during spring, whereas mid-latitude westerlies and local topographic barriers (e.g., Tian Shan and Pamir) control fine-grained sorting. The desiccated Aral Sea bed acts as an anthropogenic dust source, further disrupting natural sorting patterns. Based on 325 soil samples across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, this study provides critical empirical constraints for dust emission modeling, highlighting the sensitivity of Central Asian land surfaces to shifting atmospheric circulation patterns.

Qiao, C., Song, Y., Wei, H., Gholami, H., Galymzhan, S., Shukurov, S., Zhang, M., Shukurov, N., Orozbaev, R., & Mamadjanov, Y. (2026). Spatial Heterogeneity of Surface Soil Grain Size in Central Asia and Its Response to Seasonal Atmospheric Circulation Dynamics. Atmosphere, 17(7), 633. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17070633