Aerosol　sampling　and　meteorological　observations　Were　carried　out　from　March　2001　to　April　2004　at　Aksu,　in　the　northern　part　of　the　Taklimakan　Desert　in　north-west　China.　There　were　three　intensive　observation　periods　(IOP):　11-24　April　2002,　16-26　March　2003　and　10-17　March　2004.　The　observed　maximum　concentration　of　total　suspended　particles　(TSP)　w　as　5.2　mg　m-3　during　the　dust　event　of　April　2003.　Variations　in　the　TSP　and　PM11　(particles　smaller　than　11　μm)　show　that　high　atmospheric　concentrations　were　observed　during　dust　events　that　occurred　mainly　in　spring　and　summer.　According　to　the　meteorological　observations,　dust　storms　or　blowing　sand/dust　occurred　not　only　in　spring,　but　also　in　summer　and　autumn,　though　floating　dust　occurred　mainly　in　March　and　April.　The　frequency　of　dust　events　was　consisted　with　the　results　of　dry　deposition.　During　spring　and　summer,　the　size-　distribution　of　aerosols　is　unimodal　with　a　maximum　in　the　range　3.3-7.0　μm,　while　in　winter　the　size-distribution　shows　a　bimodal　pattern　with　two　peaks;　at　3.3-7.0　μm　for　soil　particles　and　0.65-1.1　μm　for　anthropogenic　particles.　From　the　results　of　size　distribution　of　soluble　ion　concentration,　anthropogenic　particles　consist　mainly　of　ammonium　sulfate　and　ammonium　nitrate,　which　result　from　coal　combustion　for　heating　during　winter.　C　oncerning　chemical　composition,　aerosols　from　Aksu　contain　a　significant　amount　of　evaporate　minerals　such　as　calcium　carbonate　(calcite),　sodium　chloride　(halite),　and　calcium　sulfate　(gypsum　and　anhydrite).　These　evaporates　are　common　minerals　in　the　saline　soils　which　are　widespread　around　observation　site,　and　it　is　suggested　that　they　are　provided　into　atmosphere　from　the　ground　surface　together　with　soil　particles.　Major　element　composition　for　aerosols　in　Aksu　show　a　l　ower　SiO2　content　and　higher　FeO,　K2O　and　MgO　content　compared　with　that　for　the　saline　soils　(φ　<　125　μm),　the　loess　deposits　in　the　Tarim　Basin　and　Central　Loess　Plateau,　and　Taklimakan　Desert　sands　(φ　<　125　μm).　This　suggests　that　minerals　rich　in　Fe,　K　and　Mg,　such　as　clay　minerals　and　mica,　come　selectively　from　the　soil　surface　into　the　atmosphere　as　mineral　aerosols.　This　is　because　their　particle　size　is　generally　smaller　than　that　of　quartz,　the　main　constituent　minerals　in　the　soil.　©　2005,　Meteorological　Society　of　Japan.