This study investigates the relationship between the size of windblown dust aerosols and wind conditions over topography at a regional scale, utilizing 10 years of dust reanalysis data. Linear regression and machine learning models suggest that greater wind speeds and land slopes, particularly under uphill winds, are associated with increased fractions of coarser dust. Moreover, these positive correlations weaken during summer and afternoon events, probably related to the haboob storms.

Gas–particle partitioning governs the fate of organic molecules and the formation of organic aerosols in the atmosphere. Based on field measurement data, we built machine learning models to predict gas–particle partitioning. We also unveiled previously unrecognized interactions that led to the deviations of partitioning from the equilibrium state under real atmospheric conditions. Our study provided valuable insights for future research in atmospheric chemistry.

Atmospheric reanalysis products reconstruct past states of the atmosphere. These products are often used to study winds and temperatures in the upper-level monsoon circulation, but their ability to reproduce composition fields like water vapor and ozone has been questionable at best. Here we report clear signs of improvement in both consistency across reanalyses and agreement with satellite observations, outline limitations, and suggest steps to further enhance the usefulness of these fields.

Mercury exchange between the ocean and atmosphere is poorly understood due to limited in situ data. Here, using atmospheric mercury observations from ground-based monitoring stations along with air mass trajectories, we found that atmospheric Hg levels increase with air mass ocean exposure time, matching predictions for ocean Hg emissions. This finding indicates that ocean emissions directly influence atmospheric Hg levels and enables us to estimate these emissions on a global scale.

This study performed comprehensive sensitivity model simulations to explore the surface O₃ responses to historical and projected climate change in Northwestern China (NW). Our results reveal that substantial wetting trends since the 21st century have mitigated O₃ growth in this region, with the influence of wetting on O₃ evolution outweighing the warming effect. These findings should be taken into account in future policymaking aimed at scientifically reducing O₃ pollution in NW.