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.