Climate–surface–pore‐water interactions on a salt crusted playa: implications for crust pattern and surface roughness development measured using terrestrial laser scanning |
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Authors: | Joanna M Nield Giles F S Wiggs James King Robert G Bryant Frank D Eckardt David S G Thomas Richard Washington |
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Institution: | 1. Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK;2. School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK;3. Département de géographie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada;4. Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK;5. Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa;6. Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa |
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Abstract: | Sodium accumulating playas (also termed sodic or natric playas) are typically covered by polygonal crusts with different pattern characteristics, but little is known about the short‐term (hours) dynamics of these patterns or how pore water may respond to or drive changing salt crust patterning and surface roughness. It is important to understand these interactions because playa‐crust surface pore‐water and roughness both influence wind erosion and dust emission through controlling erodibility and erosivity. Here we present the first high resolution (10?3 m; hours) co‐located measurements of changing moisture and salt crust topography using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and infra‐red imagery for Sua Pan, Botswana. Maximum nocturnal moisture pattern change was found on the crests of ridged surfaces during periods of low temperature and high relative humidity. These peaks experienced non‐elastic expansion overnight, of up to 30 mm and up to an average of 1.5 mm/night during the 39 day measurement period. Continuous crusts however showed little nocturnal change in moisture or elevation. The dynamic nature of salt crusts and the complex feedback patterns identified emphasize how processes both above and below the surface may govern the response of playa surfaces to microclimate diurnal cycles. © 2015 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |
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Keywords: | sodium sulphate terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) aeolian dust source playa polygon ridge dynamics wind erosion |
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