The Change Characteristics of Sandstorm in Gansu Province and its impacts to agriculture

Based on the data about sandstorm which come from 75 meteorological stations from 1960 ~ 2006 in Gansu Province, using the methods of wavelet analysis and correlation, The Seasonal Change Characteristics of Sandstorm in Gansu Province was analyzed. The results show: Seasonal sandstorm days have declined in recent 47 years, and they represent the 6-year and 9-year periodic oscillation by the wavelet analysis. The sandstorm results in the heavy economic damage to agricultural production in Gansu Provincre, especially the "5.5 Black Wind" in 1993. Therefore, the studies on sandstorm, sandstorm damage and how to control, monitor and predict sandstorm should be reinforced.