Glaciers around the globe provide a unique medium for investigating th
e temporal and spatial variation of dust deposition. Here we investiga
te the spatial and seasonal distribution of eolian dust deposition in
central Asia through the analysis of concentrations and size distribut
ions of insoluble particles (over the size range 1-22 mum diameter) in
snow and ice samples collected from eight glaciers in the mountains o
f central Asia. The sample locations cover a wide geographic area and
fall within 4 distinct landscape/climate zones: the southern slopes of
the eastern Himalaya; the Karakoram; south eastern Tibetan Plateau; n
orthern/western Tibetan Plateau. Snow samples from each of the 4 lands
cape/climatic zone displays distinct dust deposition characteristics w
hich are dependent upon the physiographic location of the sampling sit
e with respect to source regions of dust and atmospheric transport pat
hways. The southern slopes of the eastern Himalaya show very low parti
cle concentrations and low annual dust deposition. This region is rela
tively free from the influence of Asian dust. The Karakoram appears to
be a major sink for particles less than 2 mum in diameter which have
been transported long distances with the westerly jet stream. Glaciers
in the south eastern Tibetan Plateau record the influx of dust genera
ted in the arid and semi-arid regions to the west. Glaciers on the nor
thern and western margin of the Tibetan Plateau lie adjacent to vast a
rid and semi-arid regions of western China and provide dust depostion
records mainly of local significance. Our results suggest that high el
evation glaciers in the eastern Himalaya, Karakoram and the south east
ern Tibetan Plateau are those most likely to provide longer term dust
deposition records which reflect regional to hemispheric signals.