Sr and Nd isotope compositions of atmospheric mineral dust at the summit of Mt. Sefuri, north Kyushu, southwest Japan: A marker of the dust provenance and seasonal variability

The net mass of water-insoluble inorganic matter in the collected mineral dust fluctuated from year-to-year; deposition on Mt. Sefuri was relatively large before 2001, decreased from 2002 to 2005, and increased greatly in spring 2006. These year-to-year differences probably reflected changes in the strength of the westerlies and in climate conditions in the arid source areas.