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Rain and dust : magnetic records of climate, and pollution.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>08/2009
<mark>Journal</mark>Elements
Issue number4
Volume5
Number of pages6
Pages (from-to)229-234
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Magnetic susceptibility measurements of sediments from the Chinese Loess Plateau – the biggest accumulation of windblown sediments on Earth – contain one of the best records of continental climate change available, providing a detailed picture of glacial and interglacial cycles and variations in the East Asian summer monsoon stretching back over more than 2 million years. In the case of anthropogenic airborne particles, the spread of particulate pollutants can be robustly traced throughout a city environment by measuring the magnetic properties of leaves, which trap magnetic particles released from vehicle exhausts and/or industry emissions.