Aeolian Research最新文献

Dust transport pathways from the Mesopotamian Marshes

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-04-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100975

Hesam Salmabadi , Mohsen Saeedi , Michael Notaro , Alexandre Roy

The Mesopotamian Marshes, located in southern Iraq and southwestern Iran, represent one of the world’s largest wetland ecosystems. These marshlands have undergone significant degradation primarily due to anthropogenic activities, including extensive dam construction, oil extraction, and political conflicts, transforming vast areas into potential dust sources. This study investigates the wind climatology over the marshes and analyzes the long-range transport pathways of dust originating from the region using forward air-parcel trajectories generated with the HYSPLIT model from 2000 to 2023, with each trajectory calculated over an 8-day period. Through trajectory clustering, we identified four primary transport pathways with distinct seasonal patterns. The dominant pathway (35%) follows the Shamal winds southeastward across the Persian Gulf, particularly active in summer and spring. A second pathway (35%) curves southwestward toward Africa, while a third (19%) moves northeastward toward the Caspian Sea and Kazakhstan during non-summer seasons. The fourth pathway (11%) represents high-altitude transport via mid-tropospheric westerlies, potentially reaching East Asia. Meteorological analysis suggests that dust emission potential is active year-round and is highest during summer. Summer is characterized by high temperatures (seasonal mean of

38.8^{\circ} C

), no precipitation, and the highest seasonal mean wind speeds (

5.31 m s^{- 1}

). These findings provide crucial insights into the spatial extent and seasonal variability of dust transport from the Mesopotamian Marshes, demonstrating their far-reaching impact on air quality, ecosystems, and climate in regions as distant as East Asia and North Africa, highlighting the need for targeted conservation to mitigate environmental impacts posed by dust from these degraded wetlands.

{"title":"Dust transport pathways from the Mesopotamian Marshes","authors":"Hesam Salmabadi , Mohsen Saeedi , Michael Notaro , Alexandre Roy","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100975","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100975","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Mesopotamian Marshes, located in southern Iraq and southwestern Iran, represent one of the world’s largest wetland ecosystems. These marshlands have undergone significant degradation primarily due to anthropogenic activities, including extensive dam construction, oil extraction, and political conflicts, transforming vast areas into potential dust sources. This study investigates the wind climatology over the marshes and analyzes the long-range transport pathways of dust originating from the region using forward air-parcel trajectories generated with the HYSPLIT model from 2000 to 2023, with each trajectory calculated over an 8-day period. Through trajectory clustering, we identified four primary transport pathways with distinct seasonal patterns. The dominant pathway (35%) follows the Shamal winds southeastward across the Persian Gulf, particularly active in summer and spring. A second pathway (35%) curves southwestward toward Africa, while a third (19%) moves northeastward toward the Caspian Sea and Kazakhstan during non-summer seasons. The fourth pathway (11%) represents high-altitude transport via mid-tropospheric westerlies, potentially reaching East Asia. Meteorological analysis suggests that dust emission potential is active year-round and is highest during summer. Summer is characterized by high temperatures (seasonal mean of <span><math><mrow><mn>38</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>8</mn><msup><mrow><mspace></mspace></mrow><mrow><mo>∘</mo></mrow></msup><mi>C</mi></mrow></math></span>), no precipitation, and the highest seasonal mean wind speeds (<span><math><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>31</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>m</mi><msup><mrow><mi>s</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span>). These findings provide crucial insights into the spatial extent and seasonal variability of dust transport from the Mesopotamian Marshes, demonstrating their far-reaching impact on air quality, ecosystems, and climate in regions as distant as East Asia and North Africa, highlighting the need for targeted conservation to mitigate environmental impacts posed by dust from these degraded wetlands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"73 ","pages":"Article 100975"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Suspended sediment transport over the lee slope and forest canopy downwind of a large Blowout/Parabolic dune

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-04-12 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100974

Brian Bodenbender , Brian Yurk , Suzanne DeVries-Zimmerman , Blake Harlow , Randall J. Schaetzl , Edward Hansen

Green Mountain Beach Dune is a large trough blowout migrating into a deciduous forest on the southeast shore of Lake Michigan, USA. Video cameras focused on the lee-slope of the dune recorded suspended sand transport in turbulent eddies rotating around both horizontal and vertical axes. A line of cups mounted on posts captured grainfall on the lee slope during a high wind event on November 21, 2017. Sediment mass in these traps decreased exponentially with distance from the brink. The relatively high half-length (distance at which 50 % of the sand has been deposited) of 6.2 m suggests that turbulence aids sand suspension. An array of grainfall traps in the forest beyond the base of the lee slope was sampled during 26 intervals over 30 months. Sediment masses in the forest traps decreased exponentially with distance from the dune with a mean half-distance of 46.7 m when leaves were off the trees and 62.6 m when leaves were on. We hypothesize that turbulence above the forest aids in suspending sand which also bounces off leaves and branches along the canopy. Sand in the grainfall traps fines with distance from the dune brink more rapidly in the lee slope than in the forest traps. Transport of sand beyond the lee slope plays a rather small part in the overall dune budget. However the relatively long distances of transport suggest that sand deposited within bogs or lakes can be a proxy for aeolian activity in an upwind dune.

{"title":"Suspended sediment transport over the lee slope and forest canopy downwind of a large Blowout/Parabolic dune","authors":"Brian Bodenbender , Brian Yurk , Suzanne DeVries-Zimmerman , Blake Harlow , Randall J. Schaetzl , Edward Hansen","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100974","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100974","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Green Mountain Beach Dune is a large trough blowout migrating into a deciduous forest on the southeast shore of Lake Michigan, USA. Video cameras focused on the lee-slope of the dune recorded suspended sand transport in turbulent eddies rotating around both horizontal and vertical axes. A line of cups mounted on posts captured grainfall on the lee slope during a high wind event on November 21, 2017. Sediment mass in these traps decreased exponentially with distance from the brink. The relatively high half-length (distance at which 50 % of the sand has been deposited) of 6.2 m suggests that turbulence aids sand suspension. An array of grainfall traps in the forest beyond the base of the lee slope was sampled during 26 intervals over 30 months. Sediment masses in the forest traps decreased exponentially with distance from the dune with a mean half-distance of 46.7 m when leaves were off the trees and 62.6 m when leaves were on. We hypothesize that turbulence above the forest aids in suspending sand which also bounces off leaves and branches along the canopy. Sand in the grainfall traps fines with distance from the dune brink more rapidly in the lee slope than in the forest traps. Transport of sand beyond the lee slope plays a rather small part in the overall dune budget. However the relatively long distances of transport suggest that sand deposited within bogs or lakes can be a proxy for aeolian activity in an upwind dune.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"73 ","pages":"Article 100974"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143823750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

On the relationship between air pollution indices and risk level of dust-related diseases and associated hospitalization

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-03-29 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100972

Abbas Miri

The air quality index (AQI), PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 reflect the level of air pollution and are used to assess the risk level of dust-related diseases and hospitalization. Previous studies have assessed the hospital admissions in relation to individual (e.g., PM₁₀) or multiple air pollutants (AQI, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5) to examine the efficacy of these indices in reflecting health risks. This study examined the efficacy of air pollutants (AQI, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5) and dust storm indices (wind speed, visibility and dust storm index (DSI)) in reflecting health risks. Hospital admissions for respiratory, eye, and cardiovascular diseases were received from the Zabol Medical Emergency Center during 13 dust storm events in 2022 and 20 events in 2023. PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were gathered from the Zabol University of Medical Sciences, and visibility and wind speed were collected from the Zabol meteorological station from May 2022 to Dec 2023. The results revealed AQI > 100 and an increase in hospital admissions with increasing AQI during the period of study. The greatest hospital admissions were observed in June and July 2023, consistent with highest levels of PM₁₀ and values of DSI. Significant positive correlations were found between hospital admissions and both air pollutants and dust storm indices. AQI, DSI, Vis < 2 km (visibility < 2 km) and wind speed showed the highest correlations (r² > 81). AQI and Vis < 2 km were the dominant factors contributing to hospital admissions. Further, the results suggested that AQI, PM₁₀, visibility, and DSI can function as a tool for risk communication and assessment of dust-related disease and hospitalization risk.

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引用次数: 0

Effect of the gravel-vegetation combination on shear-stress partitioning and sand transport rate

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-03-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100973

Liqiang Kang, Xiaomei Wang, Xueyong Zou, Zhicheng Yang

The existing research mainly focuses on the influence of a single type of roughness element on shear-stress partitioning and sediment transport. However, when the two types of roughness elements (such as gravel and vegetation) coexist, the laws of shear-stress partitioning and sediment transport are still unclear. Two different types of roughness elements are selected (one is the cylindrical gravel model, and the other is the flexible plant model). The distribution of surface shear stress, total shear stress and sand transport rate on different gravel-vegetation surfaces were measured in a wind tunnel. The results show that the shear-stress partitioning on gravel-vegetation surfaces is expressed as a function of the gravel lateral cover and the plant lateral cover, and the model parameters can be approximately characterized by the model parameters of gravel-only surface and vegetation-only surface. The sand transport rate on gravel-vegetation surface is related to the probability density function of surface shear stress which is expressed as a normal distribution function. For gravel lateral cover greater than 0.025, the parameter C in the model of sand transport rate decreases linearly with increasing gravel lateral cover and increases linearly with increasing plant frontal area, but is not influenced by plant lateral cover. The non-dimensional sand transport rate of gravel-vegetation surface decays exponentially with total lateral cover, and its decay rate is smaller than that of gravel-only surface, but larger than that of vegetation-only surface. The present research is helpful to improve wind erosion model in the future.

{"title":"Effect of the gravel-vegetation combination on shear-stress partitioning and sand transport rate","authors":"Liqiang Kang, Xiaomei Wang, Xueyong Zou, Zhicheng Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100973","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100973","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The existing research mainly focuses on the influence of a single type of roughness element on shear-stress partitioning and sediment transport. However, when the two types of roughness elements (such as gravel and vegetation) coexist, the laws of shear-stress partitioning and sediment transport are still unclear. Two different types of roughness elements are selected (one is the cylindrical gravel model, and the other is the flexible plant model). The distribution of surface shear stress, total shear stress and sand transport rate on different gravel-vegetation surfaces were measured in a wind tunnel. The results show that the shear-stress partitioning on gravel-vegetation surfaces is expressed as a function of the gravel lateral cover and the plant lateral cover, and the model parameters can be approximately characterized by the model parameters of gravel-only surface and vegetation-only surface. The sand transport rate on gravel-vegetation surface is related to the probability density function of surface shear stress which is expressed as a normal distribution function. For gravel lateral cover greater than 0.025, the parameter <em>C</em> in the model of sand transport rate decreases linearly with increasing gravel lateral cover and increases linearly with increasing plant frontal area, but is not influenced by plant lateral cover. The non-dimensional sand transport rate of gravel-vegetation surface decays exponentially with total lateral cover, and its decay rate is smaller than that of gravel-only surface, but larger than that of vegetation-only surface. The present research is helpful to improve wind erosion model in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"73 ","pages":"Article 100973"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143682847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Magnetic characteristics and source analysis of modern snow dust from the Tianshan Mountains

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-03-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100970

Yan Liu , Jia Jia , Lai Zhao , Yixiao Zhang , Junhuai Yang , Zhenhao Zhu , Yijiao Fan , Ziwei Tao , Zhenyuan Yao

Dust deposited in high-altitude snow is often exceptionally well-preserved, making high-altitude snow deposits an excellent medium for studying dust fluxes. We investigated the magnetic characteristics of snow dust at high altitudes in the Tianshan Mountains and then determined its potential source areas. Our results indicated the following: 1) The magnetic mineralogy of snow dust at high altitudes in the Tianshan Mountains is mainly magnetite with a minor amount of hematite. 2) There is a significant pollution contribution to the high-altitude snow in the Tianshan Mountains, as well as a natural contribution from surface sediments in the Yili Basin. 3) Composite fingerprint factor analysis showed that the relative contribution of anthropogenic pollution to snow dust in the Tianshan Mountains is about 6–42 %. Our results also indicate that the dust release capacity of sedimentary environments in the Yili Basin can be ordered as: desert > fluvial sediments > loess > alluvial fan.

引用次数: 0

East Asian winter monsoon during the late quaternary shifted the provenance of red earth in mid-subtropical China

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-03-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100971

Ruifei Yu , Lidong Zhu , Ji Wang , Tianyang Wang , Zhenzhen Ma , Fengquan Li , Xiao Zhang , Guangqin Du

The loess-like Quaternary red clay (QRC) covers extensive areas in South China, making its genesis and provenance essential for interpreting this unique paleoclimate archive in subtropical regions. However, it remains unclear whether the loess-like QRC originates from local fluvial deposits, the Chinese Loess Plateau, or a mixture of both. This study investigates the provenance of the loess-like QRC in mid-subtropical China, focusing on the interaction between local and distant dust sources. To achieve this, we applied geochemical methods, including grain size analysis, mineralogy, provenance indicators, and quantitative analysis, to two loess-like QRC sections (JL and LHH). Our findings indicate that the silt fraction is more effective for provenance discrimination, necessitating caution when interpreting bulk samples. Notably, the LHH section shows a shift from a predominance of local dust at the bottom to a significantly higher contribution from distant dust at the top. This trend suggests that since around 0.44 Ma, the intensification of the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM) has facilitated enhanced dust transport from Central Asia, shifting the provenance of red earth in mid-subtropical China and reinforcing the mixed-source origin of the loess-like QRC. Additionally, variations in heavy mineral content indicate weak silicate weathering and/or pedogenesis in the YBS and VYS layers, which also suggesting a dry and cold climate since 0.44 Ma. This research provides valuable insights into the sediment dynamics and climatic factors shaping the provenance of the loess-like QRC in subtropical regions.

{"title":"East Asian winter monsoon during the late quaternary shifted the provenance of red earth in mid-subtropical China","authors":"Ruifei Yu , Lidong Zhu , Ji Wang , Tianyang Wang , Zhenzhen Ma , Fengquan Li , Xiao Zhang , Guangqin Du","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100971","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100971","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The loess-like Quaternary red clay (QRC) covers extensive areas in South China, making its genesis and provenance essential for interpreting this unique paleoclimate archive in subtropical regions. However, it remains unclear whether the loess-like QRC originates from local fluvial deposits, the Chinese Loess Plateau, or a mixture of both. This study investigates the provenance of the loess-like QRC in mid-subtropical China, focusing on the interaction between local and distant dust sources. To achieve this, we applied geochemical methods, including grain size analysis, mineralogy, provenance indicators, and quantitative analysis, to two loess-like QRC sections (JL and LHH). Our findings indicate that the silt fraction is more effective for provenance discrimination, necessitating caution when interpreting bulk samples. Notably, the LHH section shows a shift from a predominance of local dust at the bottom to a significantly higher contribution from distant dust at the top. This trend suggests that since around 0.44 Ma, the intensification of the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM) has facilitated enhanced dust transport from Central Asia, shifting the provenance of red earth in mid-subtropical China and reinforcing the mixed-source origin of the loess-like QRC. Additionally, variations in heavy mineral content indicate weak silicate weathering and/or pedogenesis in the YBS and VYS layers, which also suggesting a dry and cold climate since 0.44 Ma. This research provides valuable insights into the sediment dynamics and climatic factors shaping the provenance of the loess-like QRC in subtropical regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"73 ","pages":"Article 100971"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143627866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The geomorphic and palaeoenvironmental significance of water-induced horizontal layering in arid inland and coastal mediterranean interdunes

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-02-15 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100963

Giora J. Kidron , Abraham Starinsky , Joel Roskin

Aeolian-fluvial processes on Earth and Mars are drawing recent attention. Hypothesizing that water-induced horizontal layering (WIHL) may serve as an important tool for the reconstruction of the paleogeomorphology and climatology of wind-driven dunefields and sandstone, the properties of three types of WIHL are analyzed. WIHL may stem from floods, runoff or high water table, the distinction of which may be complicated. To study their unique properties and the factors responsible for their occurrence in an inland (Nizzana, Negev Desert) and coastal (Nizzanim; southern coast of Israel) dunefields, basic soil properties were analyzed: the electrical conductivity (EC), silt and clay, i.e., fines content (FC), calcium carbonate (CC), and organic carbon (OC). The findings show thin (commonly ≤ 5–6 cm-thick) disconnected FC- and CC– enriched horizontally-laid lenses within the upper soil profile of the sandy interdune, interpreted as runoff-induced sediments. Flat thick (0.5–1.0 m) and 40–60 m-diameter patches (playas) of fines-enriched sediments, scattered within the Nizzana interdunes, were interpreted as flood-induced sediments. Albic (bleached) horizons at 10–30 cm depth at the coast, which did not exhibit significant changes in FC and CC, were interpreted to result from alternating oxidation and redox sequences during occasionally high water table. The current data indicate that variability in the spatial distribution of FC, CC and OC may point to the origin and factors responsible for the occurrence of variable WIHL. This may assist geologists and sedimentologists to reconstruct high-resolution paleoenvironmental and climatological aeolian-fluvial conditions of coastal, inland and past geological sand bodies and sandstones.

{"title":"The geomorphic and palaeoenvironmental significance of water-induced horizontal layering in arid inland and coastal mediterranean interdunes","authors":"Giora J. Kidron , Abraham Starinsky , Joel Roskin","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aeolian-fluvial processes on Earth and Mars are drawing recent attention. Hypothesizing that water-induced horizontal layering (WIHL) may serve as an important tool for the reconstruction of the paleogeomorphology and climatology of wind-driven dunefields and sandstone, the properties of three types of WIHL are analyzed. WIHL may stem from floods, runoff or high water table, the distinction of which may be complicated. To study their unique properties and the factors responsible for their occurrence in an inland (Nizzana, Negev Desert) and coastal (Nizzanim; southern coast of Israel) dunefields, basic soil properties were analyzed: the electrical conductivity (EC), silt and clay, i.e., fines content (FC), calcium carbonate (CC), and organic carbon (OC). The findings show thin (commonly ≤ 5–6 cm-thick) disconnected FC- and CC– enriched horizontally-laid lenses within the upper soil profile of the sandy interdune, interpreted as runoff-induced sediments. Flat thick (0.5–1.0 m) and 40–60 m-diameter patches (playas) of fines-enriched sediments, scattered within the Nizzana interdunes, were interpreted as flood-induced sediments. Albic (bleached) horizons at 10–30 cm depth at the coast, which did not exhibit significant changes in FC and CC, were interpreted to result from alternating oxidation and redox sequences during occasionally high water table. The current data indicate that variability in the spatial distribution of FC, CC and OC may point to the origin and factors responsible for the occurrence of variable WIHL. This may assist geologists and sedimentologists to reconstruct high-resolution paleoenvironmental and climatological aeolian-fluvial conditions of coastal, inland and past geological sand bodies and sandstones.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 100963"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143420503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Influences of soil moisture and vegetation cover on dust emission using satellite observations

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-02-10 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100961

Faisal AlNasser , Abdelghani Chehbouni , Dara Entekhabi

This study presents an observational analysis of dust emission co-factors to high winds using remote sensing data across the North Africa and Western Asia dust belt. Co-factors are parameterized in climate and weather models. Observational evidence of their role and functional dependencies advance our capability to model and predict the important role of dust in radiative processes, far-field ecological nutrient transfers, and human health impacts. We use multiple years of high-temporal resolution (hourly) dust plume data, which enables analyses of emission sources, and plume extents. It also allows us to co-locate environmental factors such as wind speed, soil moisture, and vegetation and synchronize them with the time and location of major dust emission events. We focus on the combined effect of these factors in determining the frequency and intensity of dust storms, as well as identifying wind speed thresholds for dust emission at source areas. Key findings reveal wind speed thresholds twice as high as those reported in previous studies. We focus on two case studies to demonstrate the prominence of the co-factors. The case study of the Syrian Desert during the summer of 2022 illustrates the impact of dry soil, strong winds, and declining vegetation cover on the formation of severe dust storms. Additionally, the case study of the Bodélé Depression demonstrates the influence of reduced wind speed on emission frequency. The findings offer insights into how environmental conditions influence dust emission dynamics, establishing the basis for the development of more accurate dust emission models.

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引用次数: 0

Potential PM10 emission from soil affected by different temperatures in a Caldén Forest of semiarid Pampas, Argentina

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-02-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100962

L.A. de Oro , F. Avecilla , M.S. Larroulet , R.N. Comas , M.J. Mendez

Wind erosion is a major soil degradation process in arid and semi-arid environments, like the semi-arid region of Argentina. Xerophytic Caldén forests in these areas, often experience natural summer fires which reduce vegetation cover and its protective effect on the soil. PM10 (particles with diameters < 10 µm) emission is part of the wind erosion process. In the Caldén forest, cyclically fires affect the physico-chemical properties of the soil, depending on surface temperatures. However, information on how these changes affect soil susceptibility to wind erosion and PM10 emission is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of temperatures from 100 to 600 °C on Caldén forest soil with varying vegetation cover and its potential to emit PM10 (PE-PM10). Soil samples were collected from Grassland site (gramineous-herbaceous stratum without woody plants influence) and Forest site (shrubby and arboreal stratum). The study evaluated physical (texture, microaggregation, erodible fraction < 0.84 mm) and chemical (total organic carbon −TOC-) surface changes and PE-PM10 after exposure to different temperatures. In both sites, temperatures above 400 °C decreased TOC and altered physical properties by reducing clay and coarse sands content while increasing silt and fine sands content. Erodible fraction increased and the microaggregation decreased with rising temperature. PE-PM10 was correlated in a linear and positive way with temperature in both sites (p < 0.05), with highest emission at 600 °C. Grassland site showed higher emissions than Forest. These results suggested that higher temperatures reduced clay and TOC content, key to soil stability, leading to increased PM10 emissions as microaggregates break down.

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引用次数: 0

Fluid-driven surface change in sediment-limited interdune environments and relevance to Titan

IF 3.1 3区地球科学 Q2 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Aeolian Research

Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100960

A.L. Cohen-Zada , R.C. Ewing , J. Radebaugh

Interdune areas and purported playa-type environments in Saturn’s moon Titan’s dune fields show substantial spatial variability in radar backscatter expression. Using examples from Death Valley, the Middle East, and northern China, this work evaluates terrestrial causes of spatial backscatter heterogeneity in similar aeolian environments. It introduces the importance of temporal change detection in interdune area backscatter expression. Using optical images, time-series radar synthetic aperture radar images, and coordinated meteorological and river discharge data (where available), backscatter variations are related to spatially changing sedimentary environments within sediment-limited areas, i.e., interdune and playas, and temporally changing surface or near-surface moisture conditions. In terrestrial environments, backscatter expression varies over seasonal and annual timescales as a function of the cumulative history of surface change, primarily driven by changes in surface and near-surface moisture from either precipitation or groundwater table rise and fall. On Titan, evidence for equatorial methane flow channels suggests that arid-climate surfaces may undergo temporal evolutions like those observed on Earth. Fluid flow and evaporite formation play crucial roles in the existence and alteration of patterns in Earth’s interdunes. By analogy, these mechanisms are also expected to be at work on Titan. Despite differences between terrestrial and Titan radar observations, considering surface dynamics and evolution over time on Titan may be critical for analyzing its arid, equatorial environments.

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引用次数: 0