Dust/sand storm is a common phenomenon in arid and semi-arid regions of Kazakhstan, especially in its southern parts, where areas are covered by a great variety of deserts and are a powerful source of mineral and salt aerosols. We considered the long-term meteorological data and satellite images on dust storms recurrence and their regional division in Kazakhstan. On the basis of generalization and analyses of the numerous cartographic materials, meteorological observations and satellite images, we identified seats of the powerful sources of dust/sand/salt storms. We found areas in Kazakhstan with the highest frequency of dust storms. These are Pre-Aral Karakum and Aralkum deserts; Kyzylkum and Moiynkum deserts; Ryn sands (northern Caspian plain); and southern Pre-Balkhash deserts. The most active source of dust storms is located in sandy deserts or in areas, which have suffered from human activity. Dust storms have a great negative impact on soil conditions and they are particularly dangerous for the environment.

We investigated glacier changes in the Karatal river basin, the largest basin in Zhetysu (Dzhungar) Alatau, Kazakhstan, for the periods 1956–89, 1989–2001 and 2001–12, based on Landsat TM/ETM+ data analysis. In 1989, we found 243 glaciers with a total area of 142.8 km²; by 2012 these had shrunk to 214 glaciers with a total area of 109.3 km², a decrease of 33.5 km² over 23 years (1.02%a^-1). This very high shrinkage rate is likely connected with a general trend of increasing temperatures, and small glaciers being situated at the relatively low altitude of the outer Zhetysu Alatau ranges. We also analyzed the shrinkage rate of glaciers based on their differences in size, altitude and aspect of slopes, as well as other topographic parameters, in four sub-basins where glacier shrinkage varied between 18% and 39%. Weather-station climate data showed a significant temperature increase and stable precipitation trends over the study period. We conclude that glacierized areas of the Karatal river basin are located in the most unfavorable conditions for glaciation, and as a result showed a higher shrinkage rate than other glacierized areas of the Tien Shan from 1956 to 2012.

While rock glaciers (RGs) are widespread in the Zhetysu Alatau mountain range of Tien Shan (Kazakhstan), they have not yet been systematically investigated. In this study, we present the first rock glacier inventory of this region containing 256 rock glaciers with quantitative information about their locations, geomorphic parameters, and downslope velocities, as established using a method that combines SAR interferometry and optical images from Google Earth. Our inventory shows that most of the RGs are talus-derived (61%). The maximum downslope velocity of the active rock glaciers (ARGs) was 252 mm yr⁻¹. The average lower height of rock glaciers in this part of the Zhetysu Alatau was 3036 m above sea level (ASL). The largest area of rock glaciers was located between 2800 and 3400 m ASL and covered almost 86% of the total area. Most rock glaciers had a northern (northern, northeastern, and northwestern) orientation, which indicated the important role of solar insolation in their formation and preservation.