As an important parameter of aerosols,mass density affects the complex chemical reactions in the atmosphere,and is closely related to the transport process and spatial distribution of aerosols.In this paper,column mass densities of dust aerosols and dust PM_2.5 aerosols in the Tarim Basin are studied over period of 1980-2018 based on the MERRA-2 data.Generally,the column mass densities of dust aerosols and dust PM_2.5 aerosols over the Tarim Basin show large variations with average values of 0.33 g/m² and 0.086 g/m²,respectively,as well as distinctive annual,monthly and seasonal patterns.The annual average column mass densities of dust aerosols and dust PM_2.5 aerosols in the Tarim Basin vary in ranges of 0.24-0.41 g/m² and 0.06-0.11 g/m²,respectively.As for their seasonal and monthly variations,the column mass densities are large in spring (0.47 g/m²and 0.12 g/m²) and small in winter (0.13 g/m² and 0.04 g/m²),which peak in May with values of 0.57 g/m²and 0.14 g/m²,and lowest in January with values of 0.1 g/m² and 0.03 g/m²,for dust aerosols and dust PM_2.5 aerosols,respectively.