Aerodynamic grain‐size distribution of blown sand

Aeolian sand entrainment, saltation and deposition are important and closely related near surface processes. Determining how grains are sorted by wind requires a detailed understanding of how aerodynamic sand transport processes vary within the saltating layer with height above the bed. Grain‐size distribution of sand throughout the saltation layer and, in particular, how the associated flux of different grain size changes with variation in wind velocity, remain unclear. In the present study, a blowdown wind tunnel with a 50 cm thick boundary layer was used to investigate saltating sand grains by analyzing the weight percentage and transport flux of different grain‐size fractions and the mean grain size at different wind velocities. It was found that mean grain size decreases with height above the sand bed before undergoing a reversal. The height of the reversal point ranges from 4 to 40 cm, and increases with wind velocity following a non‐linear relationship. The content of the finer fractions (very fine and fine sand) initially increases above the sand bed and then decreases slightly with height, whereas that of the coarser fractions (medium and coarse sand) exhibits the opposite trend. The content of coarser grains and the mean grain size of sand in the saltation layer increase with wind velocity, indicating erosional selectivity with respect to grains in multi‐sized sand beds; but this size selectivity decreases with increasing wind velocity. The vertical mass flux structure of fine sand and very fine sand does not obey a general exponential decay pattern under strong wind conditions; and the coarser the sand grain, the greater the decrease rate of their transport mass with height. The results of these experiments suggest that the grain‐size distribution of a saltating sand cloud is governed by both wind velocity and height within the near‐surface boundary layer.     

Steady state saltation in air

Coupled equations of motion for steady state saltation over an infinite plane are derived and solved for a simplified model of the grain-surface impact process. Experimentally observed features of the wind velocity profile in saltation are qualitatively reproduced, including a diminution of the sub-saltation layer mean wind speed, as the friction speed increases. In this model the surface impact velocity of the saltating grains remains relatively constant over a wide range of free-stream shear stresses, and the grain mass flux increases with friction speed u_f* less rapidly than u_f³.     

The significance of Gobi desert surfaces for dust emissions in China: an experimental study

A series of experiments to determine the direct emission of dust-sized particles from Gobi surfaces by clean wind (wind without sand), and the potential for aeolian abrasion of Gobi surfaces and beds of gravel and mobile sand to produce fine (<100 μm) and dust-sized (<10 μm, PM₁₀) particles under sand-laden winds were conducted. Parent material was obtained from Gobi areas of the Ala Shan Plateau, the region with high dust emissions in arid China. The fine particles produced by aeolian processes were collected using sand traps and sieved the captured materials to exclude particles >100 μm in diameter and then PM₁₀ by sedimentation was acquired. The Gobi surface provided most of the emitted fine particles during the initial dust emission processes, but subsequently, release of the clay coatings of particles by abrasion becomes the dominant source of fine materials. Under sand-laden winds, PM₁₀ production rates produced by aeolian abrasion of Gobi surfaces ranged between 0.002 and 0.244% of blown materials. After removal of sand, silt, or clay with low resistance to erosion from the Gobi surfaces by the wind, the PM₁₀ production rates caused by aeolian abrasion were similar to those from gravel and sand beds. The results also indicated that after the dust-sized particles with low resistance to erosion were removed, the production of dust-sized particles was unrelated to wind velocity. Under aeolian processes, Gobi deserts in this region therefore play a major role in dust emissions from arid and semiarid China.     

Characteristics of particle size for creeping and saltating sand grains in aeolian transport

Creep and saltation are the primary modes of surface transport involved in the fluid‐like movement of aeolian sands. Although numerous studies have focused on saltation, few studies have focused on creep, primarily because of the experimental difficulty and the limited amount of theoretical information available on this process. Grain size and its distribution characteristics are key controls on the modes of sand movement and their transport masses. Based on a series of wind tunnel experiments, this paper presents new data regarding the saltation flux, obtained using a flat sampler, and on the creeping mass, obtained using a specifically designed bed trap, associated with four friction velocities (0·41, 0·47, 0·55 and 0·61 m sec^?1). These data yielded information regarding creeping and saltating sand grains and their particle size characteristics at various heights, which led to the following conclusions: (i) the creeping masses increased as a power function (q = ?1·02 + 14·19u_*³) of friction wind velocities, with a correlation (R²) of 0·95; (ii) the flux of aeolian sand flow decreases exponentially with increasing height (q = a exp(–z/b)) and increases as a power function (q = ?26·30 + 428·40 u_*³) of the friction wind velocity; (iii) the particle size of creeping sand grains is ca 1·15 times of the mean diameter of salting sand grains at a height of 0 to 2 cm, which is 1·14 times of the mean diameter of sand grains in a bed; and (iv) the mean diameter of saltating sand grains decreases rapidly with increasing height whereas, while at a given height, the mean diameter of saltating sand grains is positively correlated with the friction wind velocity. Although these results require additional experimental validation, they provide new information for modelling of aeolian sand transport processes.     

Testing the auto‐abrasion hypothesis for dust production using diatomite dune sediments from the Bodélé Depression in Chad

This study examines the role of quartz sand in the production of dust using mixtures of quartz sand from the Sahara and diatomite aggregates from the Bodélé Depression in Chad. An aeolian abrasion chamber is used to reproduce the physical processes of aeolian abrasion and test the hypothesis that the breakdown of saltating diatomite flakes as they collide in saltation, and with the surface, is the most prolific mechanism of dust production (auto‐abrasion). This hypothesis is tested against the competing hypothesis that a hard, higher‐density quartz sand impactor is required to abrade fine‐grained sediments to generate dust. The results show that dust can be produced by a mixture of saltating diatomite and quartz sand particles. However, quartz sand is not required for saltating aggregates to produce dust. Indeed, these results, which used a mixture of very coarse‐grained aggregate (1 to 2 mm diameter) with fine quartz sand, indicate that the addition of quartz sand can decrease dust production. For a very coarse aggregate (1 to 2 mm), a pure diatomite aggregate produced the most dust, although using a coarse‐grained aggregate (0·5 to 1·0 mm) with a mixture of 20% quartz and 80% aggregate was found to produce the most dust overall. The results of this study confirm the auto‐abrasion hypothesis for the breakdown of diatomite particles in the Bodélé Depression, which is the single biggest source of atmospheric mineral dust on Earth.     

Seasonal statistical analysis of the impact of meteorological factors on fine particle pollution in China in 2013–2017

Based on long-term PM_2.5 data observed at high temporal and spatial resolution, the relationships between PM_2.5, primary emission, and weather factors in China during four seasons were examined using statistical analysis. The results reveal that primary emission plays a decisive role in the spatial distribution and seasonal variability of PM_2.5, except in western China, where PM_2.5 is controlled by dust weather. In addition to the accumulation of primary emissions, unfavorable meteorological conditions for the diffusion of air pollution lead to the occurrence of PM_2.5 pollution. The significant dynamic factors affecting PM_2.5 concentration are surface wind speed, planet boundary layer height, and ventilation coefficient, especially in winter. The ventilation coefficient is inversely correlated with PM_2.5. Better ventilation is more favorable for the dilution and outflow of local PM_2.5. However, in spring and autumn, ventilation coefficient and PM_2.5 are positively correlated over the southern regions with low emission, indicating that ventilation also affects the inflow of PM_2.5 from outside the region. Wind shear, 850 hPa divergence, and vertical velocity have insignificant effects on the long-term variations in PM_2.5. The significant thermal factor is 850 hPa temperature in winter, except in the Pearl River Delta and Xinjiang regions. In spring, the influence of each thermal factor is weak. In summer, the influences of temperature and humidity are more significant than in spring. In autumn, the influence of humidity is relatively obvious, compared with other thermal factors. The correlation coefficients between multi-factors regressed and observed PM_2.5 concentrations pass the 95% confidence test, and are higher than that of single-factor regression over most regions. The observed data from December 2016 to February 2017 were chosen to test the regression equation. The test result reveals that the regression equation is effective for predicting PM_2.5 concentrations over regions with high primary emission.     

Variations in dust-related PM<Subscript>10</Subscript> emission from an arid land due to surface composition and topsoil disturbance

Aeolian (wind) erosion is most common in arid regions. The resulted emission of PM₁₀ (particulate matter that is smaller than 10 μm in diameter) from the soil has many environmental and socioeconomic consequences such as soil degradation and air pollution. Topsoil resistance to aeolian transport highly depends on the surface composition. The study aim was to examine variations in PM₁₀ fluxes in a desert-dust source due to surface composition and topsoil disturbance. Aeolian field experiments using a boundary layer wind tunnel alongside soil composition analysis were integrated in this study. The results show variations in PM₁₀ fluxes (ranging from 9.5 to 524.6 mg m^?2 min^?1) in the studied area. Higher wind velocity increased significantly the PM₁₀ fluxes in all surface compositions. A short-term natural disturbance caused changes in the aggregate soil distribution (ASD) and increased significantly PM₁₀ emissions. Considering that PM₁₀ contains clays, organic matter, and absorbed elements, the recorded PM₁₀ fluxes are indicative of the potential soil loss and degradation by wind erosion in such resource-limited ecosystems. The findings have implications in modeling dust emission from a source area with complex surfaces.     

Field measurement and numerical modelling of aeolian mass flux distributions on a sandy beach

ABSTRACT The vertical and horizontal distributions of aeolian mass flux were measured at Oceano Dunes, California, and these data were used to evaluate a numerical model of saltation. Grain‐size analyses showed that the distributions of the modal sediment size class corresponded closely to those of the total sediment population, and modelling thus focused on replicating the distributions of the mean grain size. Although much previous work has assumed that the mean launch speed of saltating particles varies in proportion to shear velocity, simulations using a constant mean launch speed were found to yield the closest approximations to the mass flux distributions observed in the field. Both exponential and gamma distributions of launch velocity produced realistic simulations, although the latter approach required the inclusion of an additional reptation component to achieve good results. A range of mean launch angles and an equivalent sphere correction were also found to generate comparable results, providing the other input parameters could be varied freely. All the modelling approaches overestimated the proportion of mass flux occurring at the bottom of the vertical distributions, and underestimated the proportion occurring at the upwind end of the horizontal distributions. No theoretical shortcoming that would account for these small, but systematic, discrepancies could be identified, and experimental error thus represents a more plausible explanation. The conclusion that mean grain launch speeds are essentially constant and independent of shear velocity suggests that the additional kinetic energy extracted by grains under more energetic wind conditions is largely transferred to the bed, and that increases in the transport rate are therefore driven primarily by the ejection of additional grains. It is suggested that the kinetic energy of rebounding grains is constrained by the ability of the bed to resist deformation, equivalent to a plastic limit. Hence, grains of larger mass (diameter) rebound from the bed at lower speeds, and follow shorter, lower trajectories, as has been widely observed previously.     

Successive aeolian saltation: studies of idealized collisions

As observed by Bagnold and experimentally reconfirmed by other workers, the impact angles of saltating grains are remarkably constant over a wide range of conditions, lying between 10° and 16°. It can be shown that successive saltation contains a mechanism which very effectively confines impact angles to that range. This control mechanism is most effective at windspeeds less than about 15–30 m s^-1, depending on grain diameter and mass. The control mechanism is evaluated from model calculations of grain populations saltating over a level bed consisting of a layer of loose grains. The grains are assumed to be spherical and uniform in size and mass, also rigid and perfectly elastic. The model also describes distributions of maximum height of grain paths and of lift-off-angles. Compared to other processes involved in aeolian saltation, successive saltation is the only process with a high probability of transferring energy from horizontal into vertical grain movement. This fact, together with the calculations presented, strongly suggests that successive saltation plays a major role in saltation in air. Successive saltation of uniform grains is theoretically impossible if the ground over which saltation occurs is tilted by about 15° against wind direction. Values of tilt angles in this range are observed in nature as stoss-side angles of dunes and ripples, leading to the concept that stoss-sides are tilted up by deposition until successive saltation is subdued.     

Air quality and elemental enrichment factors of aerosol particulate matter in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

Air particulate matter (PM) samples were collected from June 2006 to May 2007 for determination of chemical elements. PM samples were taken in two size fractions (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) with MiniVolume air samplers on rooftops of various buildings (15–25 m above ground) in the city of Riyadh. The samples were subjected to X-ray fluorescence analysis to measure major (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Si, P, S, and Fe) and trace elements (Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Ba). The results showed that the PM concentrations were higher for PM₁₀ compared to PM_2.5, indicating that the major PM source was local dust. Also the spatial distribution with high PM concentrations was observed in the south and southeast of the city and the lowest levels were in the center and northeast of the city. This spatial distribution was attributed to different factors such as wind direction and velocity, emission from cement factories, and the presence of buildings, trees, and paved streets that reduce the amount of dust resuspended into the atmosphere. The air quality of the city was found to range from good to hazardous based on PM_2.5, and from good to very hazardous based on PM₁₀. The element-enrichment factors revealed two element groups according to their changing spatial behavior. The first group showed no significant spatial changes indicating they have the same common source. The second group (mainly S and Ni) exhibited significant changes as expected from anthropogenic inputs. The origin of S is possibly a combination of minerals (CaSO₄) and fossil fuel combustion. The source of Ni is probably from fossil fuel combustion.     

Characterizing the height profile of the flux of wind-eroded sediment

Wind erosion causes severe environmental problems, such as aeolian desertification and dust storms, in arid and semiarid regions. Reliable prediction of the height profile of the wind-eroded sediment flux is crucial for estimation of transport rates, verification of computer models, understanding of particle-modified wind flows, and control of drifting sand. This study defined the basic height profile for the flux of wind-eroded sediment and the coefficients that characterize its equation. Nine grain-size populations of natural sand at different wind velocities were tested in a wind tunnel to measure the flux of sediment at different heights. The resulting flux profiles resemble a golf club with a small back-turn where the flux increases with increasing height within 20 mm above the surface. If the small back-turns are neglected, the flux profiles can be expressed by an exponential-decay function where q _r(z) is the dimensionless relative flux of sediment at height z, which follows the exponential-decay law proposed by previous researchers for aeolian saltation. Three coefficients (a creep proportion, a relative decay rate, and an average saltation height) are proposed to characterize the height profile. Coefficients a and b in the above equation represent the creep proportion and relative decay rate as a function of height, respectively. Coefficient a varies widely, depending on grain size and wind velocity, but averages 0.09. It is suggested that the grain size and wind velocity must be specified when discussing creep proportion. Coefficients a and b are nearly linearly correlated and decrease as grain size and wind velocity increase. The average saltation height (the average height sediment particles can reach) was a function of grain size and wind velocity, and was well correlated with coefficients a and b.     

Sedimentation by river-induced turbidity currents: field measurements and interpretation

Turbidity currents, initiated from spring runoffs of an influent river, were observed in the upper region of a reservoir in Hokkaido, Japan, by measuring water temperature, velocity and suspended-sediment concentration. Their profiles offer some physical parameters for the sedimentary conditions, assuming the turbidity currents to be quasi-uniform. The bottom sediment deposited by the turbidity currents was then collected by a portable core sampler. The bottom sediment consists of more than 90% silt and clay, and thus offers a hydraulically smooth bed for shear flow; a plane bed as a bed configuration was formed on the reservoir bed, probably because of the low shear velocity and small grain size of sediment. Using a graphic method with log-normal probability paper, the bottom sediment is divided into several overlapping log-normal subpopulations. Grain-size analysis indicates that the bottom sediment may be regarded as cohesionless; criteria for ‘complete deposition’ of transported grains can then be incorporated into the ‘extended Shields diagram’ giving the minimum shear stress to erode bottom sediment. Applying the new diagram to the grain size distribution of the bottom sediment, it is suggested that each of the log-normal subpopulations was deposited in each of four different ‘modes of deposition’, i.e. ‘traction’, ‘saltation (or intermittent suspension)’, ‘suspension’ and ‘suspension under equilibrium’. The last mode may be observed under a sedimentary condition where upward flux of suspended sediment by eddy diffusion is almost equal to its depositional flux due to gravity. The mean and critical grain sizes for bottom sediment and each of the corresponding subpopulations decrease consistently with an increase of Ψ=F_d² log₁₀Re (F_d is the densimetric Froude number and Re is the flow Reynolds number). Ψ correlates inversely with shear velocity, which bears a linear relationship to mean velocity. These results lead to the conclusion that relatively fine suspended sediment is deposited as a result of decreasing bottom friction with a relative decrease of turbulent energy.     

Inorganic chemistry,granulometry and mineralogical characteristics of the dust fall over phosphate mine adjacent area,central Jordan

Eight selected heavy metals and phosphorus (Fe, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, Cd, Ni and P) were analyzed in the dust fall samples collected from the surrounding areas adjacent to Al-Hisa phosphate mine central Jordan during summer 2008. The chemical analysis was done using the ICP-AES, after being digested with (HNO₃/HCl/HF) acid mixture, beside the identification of their mineral constituents using the XRD. Moreover, the particulate matter (PM) size was investigated and divided into four fractions (PM_2.5, PM_2.5–10, PMC_10–100 and PM_>100). The PM₁₀–PM₁₀₀ were found to be the most abundant in the local atmosphere followed by PM_2.5–PM₁₀, while the respirable fraction (PM_2.5) and giant fraction (PM_>100) showed lower levels. The studied samples contain less PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ particulates (9.39 and 28.67), respectively, than samples located far from the mine area (blank samples) (17.32 and 51.7) for PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, respectively. The meteorological effects, mainly the prevailing wind direction beside the distance to emission sources affect the distribution of dust particle sizes. Heavy metal contents in studied samples are similar to some extent to those found in Isa Town (Bahraian), which related to similar arid and low precipitation climatic conditions. The effect of phosphate mining activities was obvious as indicated from the presence of apatite as the main mineral phase and the higher P contents. Moreover, the studied samples contain higher Zn, Ni, Cu and to lesser extent Cr than blank samples. They exhibited a significant positive correlation with P, as they are usually associated with the phosphate rocks.     

The effects of atmospheric stability intensity on the movement of windblown sand

Using a model that couples wind flow with the motion of sand particles under different atmospheric stability intensities, this paper studied the effects of atmospheric stability on the trajectory and velocity of sand particles in the saltation layer, and the duration before a steady state was achieved. The vertical velocity, horizontal distance, and the maximum height of saltating sand particles increased with increasingly negative stability intensity under unstable conditions. The wind–sand flow reached equilibrium more quickly with increasingly negative stability intensity under unstable conditions, but reached equilibrium more slowly with increasing stability intensity under stable conditions.     

Inter‐annual variability of southerly winds in a coastal area of the Atacama Desert: implications for the export of aeolian sediments to the adjacent marine environment

The analysis of the aeolian content of marine cores collected off the coast of the Atacama Desert (Mejillones Bay, Chile) suggests that marine sediments can record inter‐annual to inter‐decadal variations in the regional southerly winds responsible for particle entrainment at the surface of the nearby desert. However, the establishment of a simple and direct correlation between the sediment and wind records is complicated by the difference of time scales between the erosion and accumulation processes. The aim of this work is to: (i) assess the inter‐annual variability of the surface winds responsible for the sand movements; and (ii) determine whether the integration over periods of several months completely smoothes the rapid changes in characteristics of the transported and deposited aeolian material. To accomplish this aim, 14 years of 10 m hourly wind speed, measured at the Cerro Moreno (Antofagasta) Airport between 1991 and 2003 and at the Orica Station between 2000 and 2004, were analyzed. For each year, the wind speed statistical distribution can be represented by a combination of two to three Weibull functions. Winds of the lowest Weibull mode are too weak to move the sand grains at the surface of the pampa; this is not the case for the intermediate mode and especially for the highest speed mode which are able to erode the arid surface and transport particles to the bay. In each individual year of the period of study, the highest speed mode only accounted for a limited number of strong erosion events. Quantitative analysis of the distribution of the friction velocities and of their impact on erosion using a saltation model suggests that, although all wind speeds above threshold produce erosion events, values around 0·45 m sec^?1 contribute less to the erosion flux. This gap allows separation of the erosion events into low and high saltation modes. The correlation (r = 0·997) between the importance of the third Weibull mode and the extent of higher rate saltation indicates that the inter‐annual variability of the erosion at the surface of the pampa, as well as the transport of coarse particles (>100 μm), are directly related to inter‐annual variations in the prevalence of the strongest winds. Finally, a transport and deposition model is used to assess the possible impact of the wind inter‐annual variability on the deposition flux of mineral particles in the bay. The results suggest that inter‐annual differences in the wind speed distributions have a quantifiable effect on the intensity and size‐distribution of this deposition flux. This observation suggests that a detailed analysis of the sediment cores collected from the bay could be used for reconstructing the inter‐annual variability of past winds.     

High-resolution simulations of particulate matter emitted by different agriculture tillage under different weather conditions in California,USA

Agriculture tillage can result in the high concentration of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM₁₀) that can cause serious health problems. To understand how different agriculture tillage methods and wind conditions affect the transmission and distribution of PM₁₀, four model runs were performed using the high resolution Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with a chemistry component (WRF-Chem). In these runs, the observed emission rates under the conventional and combined tillage methods and different wind speeds were inputted into WRF-Chem. The simulated results show that the WRF-Chem model can reasonably capture the meteorological conditions at 500 m horizontal resolution over an agricultural field in California. The atmospheric concentration of particulate matter increases significantly with an increase in the emission area. Substantial reduction, 50%, of aerosolized PM₁₀ dust emissions can be achieved by using combined tillage, when considered under the same meteorological conditions when compared to that caused by the conventional tillage method. Using the same conventional tillage emission rates, the lower velocity wind produces larger airborne concentrations of pollutants than does a stronger wind. Conversely, a stronger wind distributes the particulate matter over a larger area though with a diminished concentration when compared to a weaker wind. The atmospheric concentration of particulate matter was found to have a direct relationship to its emission intensity and area and wind conditions.     

Dust emission and transport in Mali, West Africa

Vertical dust fluxes were measured in the Inland Delta region of the Niger River, Mali, West Africa, during April-June, 1989 and 1990. Measurements of dust flux represent, for the most part, non-dust storm conditions or ‘dust haze’ periods. The observed concentration versus height relationships are similar to data presented by other investigators. The relationship between wind shear velocity (u_*, m s^?1) and vertical dust flux (F, μg m^?2 s^?1) can be described by a relationship in which F is proportional to u_*⁴. However, there is considerable scatter within the data set which is attributable to textural controls and surface conditions. The vertical dust fluxes measured in Mali are compared to dust fluxes measured in Texas, USA, and Yukon Territories, Canada. The significantly different values for the constant of proportionality (a) in the F α a u_*⁴ relationship for these geographically diverse areas is a function of surficial controls on the release of sediments to the air stream. Dust concentrations measured in Mali were found to be uniformly high and in general exceed WHO health standards for acceptable total suspended particulate loadings. As a result background dust may be considered a long term stress on health for the people of this region of Mali.     

High resolution aerosol data from MODIS satellite for urban air quality studies

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) provides daily global coverage, but the 10 km resolution of its aerosol optical depth (AOD) product is not suitable for studying spatial variability of aerosols in urban areas. Recently, a new Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm was developed for MODIS which provides AOD at 1 km resolution. Using MAIAC data, the relationship between MAIAC AOD and PM_2.5 as measured by the 27 EPA ground monitoring stations was investigated. These results were also compared to conventional MODIS 10 km AOD retrievals (MOD04) for the same days and locations. The coefficients of determination for MOD04 and for MAIAC are R² =0.45 and 0.50 respectively, suggested that AOD is a reasonably good proxy for PM_2.5 ground concentrations. Finally, we studied the relationship between PM_2.5 and AOD at the intra-urban scale (?10 km) in Boston. The fine resolution results indicated spatial variability in particle concentration at a sub-10 kilometer scale. A local analysis for the Boston area showed that the AOD-PM_2.5 relationship does not depend on relative humidity and air temperatures below ～7 °C. The correlation improves for temperatures above 7–16 °C. We found no dependence on the boundary layer height except when the former was in the range 250–500 m. Finally, we apply a mixed effects model approach to MAIAC aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals from MODIS to predict PM_2.5 concentrations within the greater Boston area. With this approach we can control for the inherent day-to-day variability in the AOD-PM_2.5 relationship, which depends on time-varying parameters such as particle optical properties, vertical and diurnal concentration profiles and ground surface reflectance. Our results show that the model-predicted PM_2.5 mass concentrations are highly correlated with the actual observations (out-of-sample R² of 0.86). Therefore, adjustment for the daily variability in the AOD-PM_2.5 relationship provides a means for obtaining spatially-resolved PM_2.5 concentrations.     

An experimental study of multiple grain-size ejecta produced by collisions of saltating grains with a flat bed

Collision data are presented from coloured high-speed films of three size fractions of sand grains saltating over a bed of the total grain population. Each fraction was colour tagged and the proportion of each size ejected by grains colliding with the surface was recorded on a number of films taken as the bed was progressively eroded. The results confirm earlier findings that V₃/V₁?0.5–0.6, V_n/V₁?.08 and the rebound angle increases with decreasing grain size. Ejected grains are examined in relation to their size, the impactor size, ejection speed and angle and the number of ejecta per collision. In addition, changes in grain parameters are observed with time. For fine impactors, ejection speeds generally increase with a decrease in ejecta size, but the fine fraction does not follow this trend for the coarse and medium impactors. Ejection angles are typically between 40° and 60°, with coarse grains having shallower mean angles than fine ejecta. The number of ejections per collision increases with a decrease in particle size for each impactor size. The general tendency for coarse particles to be ejected at lower speeds and shallower angles than fine particles will lead to sorting of the grain sizes. There is poor correlation between the forward momentum loss of the saltating grams at collision and both the forward momentum of the ejected grains and the number of ejected grains. Much of the forward momentum of the saltating grains is transfered to creeping grains. The composition and geometry of the bed are considered to be important factors in the evolution of the saltation cloud.     

Air density effects on aeolian sand movement: Implications for sediment transport and sand control in regions with extreme altitudes or temperatures

Aeolian sand transport results from interactions between the ground surface and airflow. Previous research has focused on the effects on sand entrainment and mass transport of surface features and wind velocity, but the influence of air density, which strongly constrains airflow characteristics and the resulting sand flow, has not been widely considered. In the present study, entrainment, saltation characteristics and transport rates were examined at nine experimental sites ranging in elevation from ?154 m below sea‐level (Aiding Lake) to 5076 m above sea‐level (Tanggula Mountain pass on the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau). At each site, a portable wind tunnel and high‐speed camera system were set up, and the friction wind velocity, threshold friction velocity and sand flow structure were observed systematically. For a given volumetric airflow, lower air density increases the wind velocity. Low air density also creates a high threshold friction velocity. The Bagnold wind erosion threshold model remains valid, but the value of empirical parameter A decreased with decreasing air density and ranged from 0·10 to 0·07, the smallest values reported in the literature. For a given wind velocity, increased altitude reduced total sand transport and creeping, but the saltation rate and saltation height increased. The present results provide insights into the fundamental mechanisms of the initiation and transport of sand by wind in regions with an extreme temperature or altitude (for example, alpine deserts and low‐lying lake basins) or on other planets, including Mars. These results also provide theoretical support for improved sand‐control engineering measures. The data and empirical equations provided in this paper improve the ability to estimate threshold and transport conditions for wind‐blown sand.