Relationship Between Sand Ripple Moving Speed and Wind Speed under Local Wind Tunnel Experiment by Using Natural Sand in Taklimakan Desert

Abstract

In this study, the directionally fixed air tunnel testing equipment are used for obtain nearly close natural uniform wind and provide more stable wind speed for tunnel test. The changes of sand ripple moving speed in different location are observed under given wind speed condition. The sand ripple lines formation and moving process are tested on flat surface of sand, in Taklimakan desert. The results shown that the sand ripple forming rapidly from non ripple surface to ripple surface and moving along the wind direction. Though the sand ripples in the testing region have some difference about its moving speed, the sand ripple moving speed appear linearity relationship between sand moving displacement and the moving time. This phenomenon indicate that the sand ripple almost occurs and moving at the same time in the uniform wind stream field.