Application of piezoelectric transducers in simulated rainfall erosivity assessment |
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| Authors: | Mohamed A M Abd Elbasit Hiroshi Yasuda Atte Salmi |
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| Institution: | 1. Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University , Hamasaka, 1390, Tottori, Japan;2. National Center for Research, Desertification Research Institute , Khartoum, Sudan mbasit@alrc.tottori-u.ac.jpl m_abdelbasit@hotmail.com;4. Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University , Hamasaka, 1390, Tottori, Japan;5. Vaisala Oyj , Helsinki, Finland |
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| Abstract: | Abstract Rainfall simulators have often been used to mimic natural rainfall for studies of various land-surface and water interaction processes. The characteristics of the simulated rainfall are the main indicators used to judge the performance of the rainfall simulators. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of piezoelectric transducers for measuring and evaluating a dripper-type simulated rainfall drop-size distribution (DSD) and kinetic energy (KE). The directly measured KE was significantly correlated with the estimated KE using the drop-size distribution and empirical rain drop fall velocity relationships. This result emphasizes the potential use of the piezoelectric sensor to directly measure and evaluate rainfall kinetic energy. Also, the relationship between rainfall intensity and KE showed good patterns of agreement between simulated rainfall and natural rainfall. Citation Abd Elbasit, M. A. M., Yasuda, H. & Salmi, A. (2011) Application of piezoelectric transducers in simulated rainfall erosivity assessment. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(1), 187–194. |
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| Keywords: | raindrop size distribution land degradation soil erosion rainfall simulator |
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