Wind regime and sand transport in China’s Badain Jaran Desert

Zhang, Zhengcai; Dong, Zhibao; Li, Chunxiao

doi:10.1016/j.aeolia.2015.01.004

Cited by 75 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 35 publications

(57 reference statements)

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“…In the study area, Mz was fine at the crest, which was similar to the findings by Lancaster [36] and Livingstone et al [37]. However, there were three types (coarser, finer, or no difference between the windward slope and leeward slope) of Mz variations over the dune surfaces in the Tengger Desert and Hexi Corridor Desert [14,15].…”

Section: Grain Size Parameterssupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The total drift potential DP was calculated using the formula DP = ∑ 16 i=1 DP i , while the resultant drift potential RDP was obtained from RDP = ∑ 16 i=1 |DP i e i |, where e i is the unit vector pointing in the direction i. Although this approach makes a number of interpretative simplifications and assumptions [10,11], previous studies of the wind energy environments of global sand seas have demonstrated its value [10][11][12][13][14][15]. More detailed descriptions of these methods can be found in [14,15].…”

Section: Wind Regimementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although this approach makes a number of interpretative simplifications and assumptions [10,11], previous studies of the wind energy environments of global sand seas have demonstrated its value [10][11][12][13][14][15]. More detailed descriptions of these methods can be found in [14,15]. Although only two years of wind data were collected in the study area, a previous study indicated that the wind regime did not change greatly from 2001 to 2011 on the downwind side of the study area (in Jinta county, DP was 73 ± 20 UV, RDP was 52 ± 18 UV, RDD was 299 ± 3 • , and RDP/DP was 0.7 ± 0.1; [14]).…”

Section: Wind Regimementioning

confidence: 99%

“…More detailed descriptions of these methods can be found in [14,15]. Although only two years of wind data were collected in the study area, a previous study indicated that the wind regime did not change greatly from 2001 to 2011 on the downwind side of the study area (in Jinta county, DP was 73 ± 20 UV, RDP was 52 ± 18 UV, RDD was 299 ± 3 • , and RDP/DP was 0.7 ± 0.1; [14]). To investigate the effects of the wind direction changes on dune movement, the maximum wind direction (data come from The National Basic Weather Stations) from 2000 to 2015 on the upwind side of the study region (Jiuquan) was analyzed.…”

Section: Wind Regimementioning

confidence: 99%

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Migration and Morphology of Asymmetric Barchans in the Central Hexi Corridor of Northwest China

Zhang

Dong

et al. 2018

Geosciences

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Crescent-shaped barchan dunes often display an asymmetric shape, with one limb longer than the other. As shown in previous studies, asymmetric bimodal winds constitute one major cause of barchan asymmetry, but the heterogeneous conditions of sand availability or flux, as well as topographic influences, may be also important. Understanding the morphology and dynamics of asymmetric barchans may have an impact in a broad range of areas, particularly as these dunes may serve as a proxy for planetary wind regimes and soil conditions in extraterrestrial environments. However, in addition to the existing theories and numerical models that explain barchan asymmetry, direct measurements of migration rates and morphologic changes of real asymmetric barchans over a time span of several years would be beneficial. Therefore, here we report such measurements, which we have acquired by investigating asymmetric barchans in the Hexi Corridor, northwest of China. We have found that dune interactions and asymmetric influx conditions are the most important causes of barchan asymmetry in this field. Particle size distributions in the Hexi Corridor display strong variations over different parts of the asymmetric barchans, as well as over different dunes, with gravel particles being incorporated from the substrate as the dunes migrate. Our observations have shown that upwind sediment sources are important for dune formation in the Hexi Corridor, and that interdune interactions affect dune shape in different ways, depending on their offset. The asymmetric barchans in the Hexi Corridor are active, with an average migration rate (MR) between 8 and 53 m year −1 , in spite of the different asymmetric shapes. Our data for dune migration rates can be described well by a scaling of MR = A/(W + W0), where W is the barchan cross-wind width, A ≈ 2835 m 2 s −1 , and W0 ≈ 44 m. A similar scaling fits very well the migration rate as a function of dune along-wind width L, (i.e., MR = B/(L + L0), with B ≈ 1722 m 2 s −1 and L0 ≈ 13 m). Linear relations are also found between both dune widths and the average limb and windward side lengths, thus indicating that the morphometric relations that are predicted from models for steady-state, symmetric crescent-shaped dunes can be applied to different transitional morphologies of interacting, asymmetric barchans.

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Section: Grain Size Parameterssupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Wind Regimementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Wind Regimementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Wind Regimementioning

confidence: 99%

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Migration and Morphology of Asymmetric Barchans in the Central Hexi Corridor of Northwest China

Zhang

Dong

et al. 2018

Geosciences

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“…Based on previous results from both field observations and wind tunnel experiments, the threshold velocity in the study region is 6.0 m s À1 (Zu et al, 2008). More detailed descriptions of the method can be found in previous studies (Fryberger and Dean, 1979;Zhang et al, 2015). More detailed descriptions of the method can be found in previous studies (Fryberger and Dean, 1979;Zhang et al, 2015).…”

Section: Wind Regimesmentioning

confidence: 96%

Migration of barchan dunes in the western Quruq Desert, northwestern China

Yang

Dong

Liu

et al. 2019

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Barchan dunes are common on Earth, Mars and Titan. Previous studies have shown that their formation, migration and evolution are influenced by the wind regime and other factors, but details vary among regions. Understanding barchan morphology and migration will both improve our understanding of dune geomorphology and provide a basis for describing the environmental conditions that affect the formation and development of these dunes on Earth and other planets. Here, we provide detailed measurements of barchan dune migration in China's Quruq Desert, in the lower reaches of the Tarim River. We monitored their migration direction and rate, and their morphological changes during migration, by comparing Google Earth images acquired in 2003 and 2014. The dunes migrated west‐southwest, close to the local resultant drift direction. The migration rate averaged 8.9 to 32.1 m year−1, with obvious spatial variation. In addition to the wind regime, the migration rate depended on dune morphology, density and vegetation cover; the rate was negatively related to dune height, density and vegetation cover, but positively linearly related to the length/width ratio (LU/W) and to the decrease in this ratio from 2003 to 2014. We found correlations among the dune morphometric parameters, but the relationships were weaker than in previous research. Due to the complexity of the factors that affect the processes that underlie sand dune development and migration, the morphological changes during dune migration were also complex. Our measurements suggest that the aeolian environment played a dominant role in dune migration and its spatial variation in the Quruq Desert. These results will support efforts to control dune migration in the western Quruq Desert and improve our understanding of dune morphodynamics. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Foredune height variations along the western coast of Taiwan Strait

Cai

Liu

et al. 2022

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Knowledge of the morphological characteristics of coastal foredunes, particularly crest height, is of crucial importance in evaluating coastal vulnerability to marine disasters. However, the factors driving variation in foredune height and the corresponding mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially for regional, large‐scale landscapes. In this contribution, an extensive foredune–beach topographic survey and comprehensive data collection, including regional wind regime, wave and tide climate, were conducted along the ~400 km‐long western coast of Taiwan Strait. The results show that the factor with the most significant effect on the spatial variation in foredune height is wave power, followed by aeolian drift potential (shore‐normal component), while beach width and grain size appear to have only marginal impacts for our study sites. Under a relatively high‐energy wave climate, significant volumes of sandy sediments can be delivered to the beach–dune system, and the beach state tends to be more dissipative, thus contributing to a higher/larger foredune. In particular, the in‐phase synchronization of sediment supply (contributed by wave processes) and transport potential (controlled by wind processes) can lead to the greatest potential for foredune growth. Finally, the source (river) to sink (coastal foredune) dispersal of sediments along this ~400 km‐long strait coastal regime is summarized.

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Wind regime and sand transport in China’s Badain Jaran Desert

Cited by 75 publications

References 35 publications

Migration and Morphology of Asymmetric Barchans in the Central Hexi Corridor of Northwest China

Migration and Morphology of Asymmetric Barchans in the Central Hexi Corridor of Northwest China

Migration of barchan dunes in the western Quruq Desert, northwestern China

Foredune height variations along the western coast of Taiwan Strait

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