Publication on Emerging High-Latitude Dust Source in Yukon, Canada

The ’A’ą̈y Chù’ Valley in Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon, Canada has been the subject of recent interest accross several environmental research disciplines. The valley experienced a major hydrological change in 2016 with the rerouting of the ’A’ą̈y Chù’ river that is fed by the nearby Kaskawulsh Glacier, which is rceding under the effect of climate change. This has rendered the ’A’ą̈y Chù’ to a dry bed of glacial sediment, now exposed to strong valley winds, resulting in prime conditions for mineral dust production.

Mineral dust, like all types of particulate matter, has an impact on public health. The inhalation of particles and associated pollutants within the particles, such as metals, causes adverse health outcomes in human populations.

In 2021, a field campaign was conducted with the goal of quanitfying these parameters, using direct sampling of suspended dust particles in the valley and subsequent laboratory analysis. It was found that public health limits were frequently surpassed over the course of the campaign, but in terms of exposure to respirable particles and associated metal concentrations. The article presented here is the resulting publication of this work, published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics on January 27th, 2026.