Coarse cliff-top aeolian sedimentation in northern Gaspésie,Québec (Canada)

This paper deals with the effects of wind on rockwall dynamics. On 5 and 6 January, 1988 very strong northwest winds (blizzard) were blowing onto the rockwall of Mount Saint-Pierre (alt.: 424 m), Gaspésie, Québec (Canada). The most violent recorded squall reached 99·4 km h^?1. During this event, the summit plateau received a large amount of aeolian sediments originating from the shale rockwall that forms the mountain's northwest side. In the 15 to 20 m wide by 75 m long belt located along the top of the rockwall, over a 1200 m² area, a continuous layer of debris completely covered the snow. This layer of debris had a mean thickness of 11·4 mm, which represents an accumulated volume in the order of 13 m³. Largely dominated by sand and granules (2–4 mm), the 28 samples collected for grain-size analysis also contained numerous thin shale flakes, many of which were longer than 10 mm. The largest flake measured had a width of 134 mm and a weight of 164·3 g. Six available ¹⁴C dates provide information concerning mean cliff-top aeolian sedimentation rate for the last thousand years (c. 1·8 mmyr^?1).     

风沙地貌学研究与展望

风沙地貌学在全球环境变化研究中占有重要地位，但与其它地貌学分支学科相比，目前风沙地貌学的研究还显得比较薄弱，这在我国更是如此。通过分析当前这一学科的主要研究内容，介绍国外研究的最新动态，从而指出了我国风沙地貌学今后应注意的主要研究方向。     

Aeolian dune‐field development in a water table‐controlled system: Skeiđarársandur,Southern Iceland

Aeolian dune fields characterized by partly vegetated bedforms undergoing active construction and with interdune depressions that lie at or close to the water table are widespread on Skei?arársandur, Southern Iceland. The largest aeolian dune complex on the sandur covers an area of 80 km² and is characterized by four distinct landform types: (i) spatially isolated aeolian dunes; (ii) extensive areas of damp and wet (flooded) interdune flat with small fluvial channels; (iii) small aeolian dune fields composed of assemblages of bedforms with simple morphologies and small, predominantly damp, interdune corridors; and (iv) larger aeolian dune fields composed of assemblages of complex bedforms floored by older aeolian dune deposits that are themselves raised above the level of the surrounding wet sandur plain. The morphology of each of these landform areas reflects a range of styles of interaction between aeolian dune, interdune and fluvial processes that operate coevally on the sandur surface. The geometry, scale, orientation and facies composition of sets of strata in the cores of the aeolian dunes, and their relationship to adjoining interdune strata, have been analysed to explain the temporal behaviour of the dunes in terms of their mode of initiation, construction, pattern of migration, style of accumulation and nature of preservation. Seasonal and longer‐term flooding‐induced changes in water table level have caused episodic expansion and contraction of the wet interdune ponds. Most of the dunes are currently undergoing active construction and migration and, although sediment availability is limited because of the high water table, substantial aeolian transport must occur, especially during winter months when the surface of the wet interdune ponds is frozen and sand can be blown across the sandur without being trapped by surface moisture. Bedforms within the larger dune fields have grown to a size whereby formerly damp interdune flats have been reduced to dry enclosed depressions and dry aeolian system accumulation via bedform climb is ongoing. Despite regional uplift of the proximal sandur surface in response to glacial retreat and unloading over the past century, sediment compaction‐induced subsidence of the distal sandur is progressively placing aeolian deposits below the water table and is enabling the accumulation of wet aeolian systems and increasing the likelihood of their long‐term preservation. Wet, dry and stabilizing aeolian system types all co‐exist on Skei?arársandur and the dunes are variously undergoing coeval construction, accumulation, bypass, stabilization and destruction as a result of interactions between localized factors.     

Origins and genesis of loess deposits in central Spain,as indicated by heavy mineral compositions and grain‐size variability

The formation of loess deposits strongly depends on the availability of deflatable dust‐sized material. Identification of source areas and mechanisms of dust production is essential for an appropriate characterization of related palaeoenvironmental conditions. So far, little research has been done on loess deposits in the Mediterranean region and information about mechanisms of dust production is very rare. In this context, it is not clear from where the loess deposits from the upper Tagus Basin in central Spain originated. The main objective of this study was to find out whether these loess deposits were formed primarily by mountain processes and fluvial comminution, or whether they have their origin in the weathering of Tertiary marls in the centre of the Madrid Basin. A further concern was to link the determined source areas with loess formation mechanisms and concomitant environmental contexts. Following a comprehensive approach using heavy minerals and grain‐size data, together with information on stratigraphic features and geomorphic positions, different local loess sources could be identified. This study shows that during the last 35 kyr a major proportion of the Tagus loess deposits was deflated from river floodplains, while the mountain region of the Iberian Range was identified as a significant source of respective floodplain sediments. Based on heavy mineral compositions and dating results, it was found that during Heinrich Stadial 3, sediment supply from the Iberian Range strongly increased, suggesting an environmental shift from initially warmer towards colder temperatures in late Marine Isotope Stage 3. Furthermore, it was found that grain‐size patterns clearly indicate maximum wind strengths during Heinrich Stadial 3, followed by Heinrich Stadial 2 and Heinrich Stadial 1. These results demonstrate that the formation of dust‐sized particles in this part of the Mediterranean operated similar to many other places in temperate and continental regions, and that weathering processes linked to hot and dry environments were only of minor importance.     

Sedimentary architecture of an ancient linear megadune (Barremian,Neuquén Basin): Insights into the long‐term development and evolution of aeolian linear bedforms

Linear aeolian bedforms are the most abundant bedform type in Earth's dune fields, and are very common in the Solar System. Despite their abundance, the long‐term development of these bedforms and its impact upon the resulting sedimentary architecture in the geological record is still poorly understood. The aim of this paper is to study the exposed record of an ancient linear megadune in order to discuss its development and the factors that impact the sedimentary architecture of aeolian linear bedforms. The outcrops of the ancient Troncoso Sand Sea (Barremian, Neuquén Basin, Argentina) provide a unique opportunity to study a preserved megadune record with an external body geometry that confirms its linear morphology. Architectural analysis reveals significant differences in cross‐stratified set bodies and bounding surfaces’ features and allows for the identification of three architectural complexes within the bedform's record. Analysis of deterministic models, sedimentary body relative chronology and distribution suggest that these architectural complexes result from distinctive phases in bedform development. It also clearly shows that construction of the megadune was achieved by expansion from a core, and that its development was characterized by sustained growth and strong longitudinal dynamics, without net accumulation. This study indicates how sustained bedform growth, rather than accretion, can be a critical factor conditioning linear bedform architecture towards a more ‘classic’ (bimodal bounding surface and cross‐bedding dip directions) concentric sedimentary architecture style. Furthermore, this research reveals how this style of architecture could only be relatively common in the geological record when related to bedform topography preservation.     

Do swarms of migrating barchan dunes record paleoenvironmental changes? — A case study spanning the middle to late Holocene in the Pampa de Jaguay, southern Peru

Swarms of barchan dunes are common in arid environments. Unlike immobile or slowly moving dunes whose stratigraphy can be used to reconstruct paleoenvironmental changes, the high migration rate of barchans seems to prohibit their use as geoarchives. In this paper, a possible use of barchan swarms for paleoenvironmental reconstructions is presented. The approach is based on dune migration. In a case study based on 500 dunes in the Pampa de Jaguay aeolian transport corridor in coastal southern Peru, middle to late Holocene changes in the supply of aeolian material are inferred from calculating the time of dune initiation at the coastline. Limitations posed by the assumptions underlying this approach are discussed.     

长江中游砂山沉积物磁组构特征及其指示的古风场

本文通过对新发现的江西九江新港砂山剖面沉积物磁化率各向异性测量和磁化率椭球体主轴的统计分析,揭示了该风成砂剖面磁组构参数在不同层位的变化特征,获得了古风向特征及其演变规律.(1)整个时期内该区的主导风向为NW-SE和NNW-SSE向,但在不同时期风向和风力强度又有所不同,变化最为剧烈的时期是砂2层,风向发生了根本性的改变,由原来的NW-SE为主,变为NE-SW向为主,且该阶段沉积环境相对比较稳定;(2)砂2、砂5、砂6层具有较大P、F、L和较小的q值,说明在其形成时气候最为寒冷,冬季风的风力最强、风速比较稳定,这与野外观察到的在这几层中大型板状斜层理发育,砂层粒度较粗,黏土含量较少的结果一致;(3)晚更新世末期长江中游的风成沙丘广泛发育,表明该时段是长江中下游地区气候最干冷、风力作用最强的时期,有着与北方沙漠—黄土区相类似的气候环境;(4)研究表明,AMS主轴的等面积赤平投影法和玫瑰花图,可以用来分析古风向的变化规律,是一种简易有效的方法.     

风沙跃移运动发展过程的离散动力学模拟

采用类似分子动力学的离散方法对二维风沙跃移过程运用高性能并行计算进行理论模拟。在本模拟模型中,考虑了沙粒与床面的碰撞、跃移沙粒与气流的相互作用等基本力学过程组成的复杂系统。通过并行运算技术使计算沙粒数达到72000的巨量计算得以实现。初步结果显示：自然跃移运动的基本特征如风沙流层内输沙率廓线可以较为成功的得以模拟。     

Rapid age assessment in the Namib Sand Sea using a portable luminescence reader

A rapid assessment of burial age for sedimentary materials is useful to aid in-situ interpretation of sites and sequences during fieldwork. This can assist with targeted field sampling strategies for full dating back in the laboratory, for example when the study is concerned with reconstructing landscape dynamics during a specific time period. Field-based luminescence measurements are possible using a portable luminescence reader; the challenge is translating relative portable luminescence reader signal intensities of samples into an estimate of age. This study uses a portable luminescence reader for the first time in the analysis of African dunefield sediments. Samples from the Namib Sand Sea (NSS) with established luminescence ages are used to assess what in-situ information about relative sample age can be gleamed at and between sites using the portable luminescence reader, and to establish whether first-order estimates of sample age can be obtained. Two sites in the NSS, which are of modern, very late Holocene and last interglacial age were selected for this assessment and a simple calibration between portable luminescence reader signals and sample age is made. Results show that portable luminescence reader signals differ by over two orders of magnitude between late Holocene and last interglacial age samples and that useful relative-age information can be established using bulk material in the field. Predicted ages from portable luminescence reader signals using a linear regression appear to be indicative and useful. Further development of this calibration using a wider range of sample ages would confirm its applicability in the NSS, and a similar approach is applicable to other sand sea environments.     

Measurement of particle rotation in a saltation layer

Two computational methods to measure particle rotations from shadow images of sand particles saltating in a wind tunnel are presented. One method calculates the maximum of the cross‐correlations through multiple angular rotations of an imaged particle. The second method polar transforms both images and then calculates the correlation coefficient for multiple pixel displacements in the θ axis, corresponding to particle rotations. The results from both methods were analysed as a function of height above sand bed (3.7–33.4 mm) and particle size (0.32–0.93 mm equivalent mean diameter). Our results indicate little evidence that particle rotation speeds depend on either their size or height above the sand bed. Though similar results were obtained from both methods, there existed different advantages and disadvantages between the methods. Erroneous results likely arose from particles that were inadequately described by a 2‐D rotation axis, or from poorly imaged particles. At a wind tunnel speed of about 12 m/s, most particles rotated at around 300–400 rev/s. Negative rotations were also found, and their proportion was approximately 15% within the total range of ?450 to 850 rev/s. The ratio of displacement kinetic energy to rotation energy was compared across the various groups and had values between 15 and 40. The quotient showed little dependence on height, though decreased with increasing particle size. Wider applicability of the measurement methodology to study snow particle rotation is also discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.