River dust-induced air pollution in a changing climate: A study of Taiwan's Choshui and Kaoping Rivers

This study investigates river dust episodes along the Choshui and Kaoping Rivers in Taiwan, focusing on their spatiotemporal distribution and correlation with hydrometeorological factors (temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, and wind speed). Using the Improved Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (ICEEMDAN) algorithm and time-dependent intrinsic correlation (TDIC) analysis, we identified significant annual and diurnal correlations between PM10 concentrations and these factors. The analysis revealed that wind speed at Lunbei station had a positive annual correlation with PM10, while other factors exhibited significant negative correlations. Seasonal variations in PM10 correlations with temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed were observed, aligning with the prevailing seasons of river dust episodes. Wind motion analysis highlighted diurnal associations with land-sea breezes and annual correlations with the winter monsoon. Specifically, the Choshui River's dust events coincided with the northeast monsoon, whereas the Kaoping River's events occurred during the northwest and southwest monsoons. The study also uncovered that downstream stations (Lunbei and Daliao) were more prone to severe dust events than upstream stations (Douliu and Pingtung). These findings enhance our understanding of the dynamics and environmental impacts of river dust episodes, providing valuable insights for air quality management and health risk mitigation.