The Cross-Correlation Function as a Tool for Detecting Source-Receptor Relationships: Application to Asian Dust Transport to North America

The cross-correlation function was used in conjunction with the daily values of the aerosol index (AI) from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) to establish and qualify a source-receptor relationship between dust over the Gobi desert and the West Coast of the United States. An objective method that can be used to determine the trajectory of dust transport and the transportation time at different locations along the trajectory across the Pacific are presented in this report. The spring season was analyzed (March to May), and the results showed that dust reaches the western United States in approximately five to six days. Although dust transport from the Gobi desert was demonstrated in the present study, the proposed cross-correlation technique can be applied to other regions and can be used to obtain useful insights on relationships between major dust sources and downwind receptor locations utilizing remotely sensed dust estimates.