April 12, 2023 - Severe Dust Storm Blankets Eastern Asia

Dust
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Whipping winds carried a massive cloud of dust across China and the
Korean Peninsula on April 11, 2023. The true-color image acquired by
the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board
NASA’s Terra satellite on that same day shows dense dust mixing with
cloud over eastern China, the Yellow Sea, and the Korean Peninsula. The
dust is so thick that the land and water underneath are obscured from
view over much of the area. Outlines that follow the coastlines have
been added to the image—without these, it would be very difficult to
tell where the land meets the water.

Dust storms are common over China, especially in the spring, when
strong winds sweep dust from the Gobi Desert. The Gobi Desert, located
in Mongolia and northwestern China, is filled with copious amounts of
dust and sand, which easily is lifted into the atmosphere by passing
winds. Since March 10, China has experienced four severe dust
storms—unusual in both severity and frequency even for springtime. It
is also unusual for such a severe storm to reach the Korean Peninsula
and Japan.

Dust storms can create serious health issues, especially when
particulate matter reaches high levels. On April 11, the Beijing
Municipal Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center reported that
PM10 concentrations measured more than 1,321 micrograms per cubic
meter—a level almost 30 times the daily guideline set by the World
Health Organization. PM10 are particles that measure less than 10
microns, allowing them to be inhaled and reach the lungs. On that same
day, Air Korea reported “very unhealthy” air in more than a dozen
locations in southern South Korea, especially Jeju Island (also known
as Jeju-do), which sits off the southern tip of South Korea.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 4/11/2023
Resolutions: 1km (661.7 KB), 500m (2 MB),
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-04-12

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