The spatial and temporal changes in aeolian transport over a dune are fundamental factors that control the morphology of the dune. In the present study, we obtained direct field observations of aeolian transport over ...The spatial and temporal changes in aeolian transport over a dune are fundamental factors that control the morphology of the dune. In the present study, we obtained direct field observations of aeolian transport over a developing transverse dune at the Shapotou Aeolian Experiment Site in the southeastern part of China＇s Tengger Desert. The transport rate versus wind speed relationship relationships over flat surfaces and over dunes that are s complicated over a developing dune compared with the n equilibrium with the wind. We obtained trend lines for transport rate over the transverse dune versus distance. The transport rate generally increased from the toe to the crest above the stoss slope, but the difference in transport rate between the crest and the toe was smaller than those that have been proposed for taller dunes. The crest/toe ratio for transport rates therefore seems to depend greatly on dune height. Flux density profiles for different points above the dune at different wind speeds were well described by the exponential decay law, as has been proposed for saltation flux density profiles. Coefficients in the flux density profile function can be defined in terms of the transport rate and wind speed. However, the dependence of relative decay rate with height and average saltation height on wind speed was weaker than that observed in a wind tunnel and above a fiat surface. The preliminary results obtained in this study require more evidence from field observations to fully describe aeolian transport above developing dunes.展开更多
The probability distributions of sand particles＇ lift-off and incident velocities in a wind-blown sand flux play very important roles in the simulation of the wind-blown sand movement. In this paper, the vertical and...The probability distributions of sand particles＇ lift-off and incident velocities in a wind-blown sand flux play very important roles in the simulation of the wind-blown sand movement. In this paper, the vertical and the horizontal speeds of sand particles located at 1.0 mm above a sand-bed in a wind-blown sand flux are observed with the aid of Phase Doppler Anemometry （PDA） in a wind tunnel. Based on the experimental data, the probability distributions of not only the vertical lift-off speed but also the lift-off velocity as well as its horizontal component and the incident velocity as well as its vertical and horizontal components can be obtained by the equal distance histogram method. It is found, according to the results of the X^2-test for these probability distributions, that the probability density functions （pdf＇s） of the sand particles＇ lift-off and incident velocities as well as their vertical com- ponents are described by the Gamma density function with different peak values and shapes and the downwind incident and lift-off horizontal speeds, respectively, can be described by the lognormal and the Gamma density functions, These pdf＇s depend on not only the sand particle diameter but also the wind speed.展开更多
The increasing intensity and frequency of sand-dust storms in China has led to greater prominence of associated environmentaland health issues. Many studies have focused on the health effects of air particulate contam...The increasing intensity and frequency of sand-dust storms in China has led to greater prominence of associated environmentaland health issues. Many studies have focused on the health effects of air particulate contaminants, but fewformal investigations have studied the effects of sand-dust storms on human and animal health. The aim of this study wasto investigate the effects of dust storms on rat lung by using high resolution computed tomography （HRCT） and blood gasanalysis through a wind tunnel simulating. We found that the rat lung damage effects can be detected by the HRCT imagingafter exposure to sand-dust storm environments, but had no obvious result through blood gas analysis. Exposure durationspositively correlated with the damage degree to lung tissue. These will provide some evidence for clinical diagnosis ofnon-occupational pneumoconiosis.展开更多
Understanding the relationship between the changes in lake water volume and climate change can provide valuable information to the recharge sources of lake water. This is particularly true in arid areas such as the Ba...Understanding the relationship between the changes in lake water volume and climate change can provide valuable information to the recharge sources of lake water. This is particularly true in arid areas such as the Badain Jaran Sand Sea, an ecologically sensitive area, where the recharge sources of lakes are heatedly debated. In this study, we determined the areas of 50 lakes （representing 70% of the total permanent lakes in this sand sea） in 1967, 1975, 1990, 2000 and 2010 by analyzing remote-sensing images using image processing and ArGIS software. In general, the total lake area decreased from 1967 to 1990, remained almost unchanged from 1990 to 2000, and increased from 2000 to 2010. Analysis of the relationship between these changes and the contemporaneous changes in annual mean temperature and annual precipitation in the surrounding areas suggests that temperature has significantly affected the lake area, but that the influence of precipitation was minor. These results tend to su- pport the palaeo-water recharge hypothesis for lakes of the Badain Jaran Sand Sea, considering the fact that the distribution and area of lakes are closely related to precipitation and the size of mega-dunes, but the contemporaneous precipitation can hardly balance the lake water.展开更多
Maqu County is located in the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and it is the main watershed for the Yellow River. The ecosystem there is extremely vulnerable and sensitive to climate change and human activities, whi...Maqu County is located in the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and it is the main watershed for the Yellow River. The ecosystem there is extremely vulnerable and sensitive to climate change and human activities, which have caused significant deterioration of the eco-environment in this region. In order to restore the ecological environment, a government project to restore the grazing areas to grassland was implemented in Maqu County in early 2004. This study evaluates the effects of that restoration project on land use and land cover change （LUCC）, and explores the driving forces of LUCC in Maqu County. In the study we used Landsat images obtained in 1989, 2004, 2009, and 2014 to establish databases of land use and land cover. Then we derived LUCC information by overlaying these layers using GIS software. Finally, we analyzed the main forces responsible for LUCC. The results showed that forests, high-coverage grasslands, and marshes experienced the most significant decreases during 1989–2004, by 882.8 ha, 35,250.4 ha, and 2,753.4 ha, respectively. However, moderate- and low-coverage grasslands and sand lands showed the opposite trend, increasing by 12,529.7 ha, 25,491.0 ha, and 577.5 ha, respectively. LUCC in 2004–2009 showed that ecological degradation slowed compared with 1989？2004. During 2009–2014, high- and moderate-coverage grasslands increased obviously, but low-coverage grasslands, marshes, unused lands, sand lands, and water areas showed the opposite trend. These results suggested that the degradation of the eco-environment was obvious before 2009, showing a decrease in the forests, grasslands, and water areas, and an increase in unused lands. The ecological degradation was reversed after 2009, as was mainly evidenced by increases in high- and mod-erate-coverage grasslands, and the shrinkage rate of marshes decreased obviously. These results showed that the project of restoring grazing lands to grassland had a positive effect on the LUCC. Other major factors that influence the LUCC include increasing temperature, variation in the seasonal frozen soil environment, seasonal overgrazing, and pest and rodent damage.展开更多
We investigated how dustfall flux (DF) and dust particle size (DPS) were affected by geomorphic conditions, wind speed, and precipitation using data from 27 sites in northern China. The sites with the greatest DF and ...We investigated how dustfall flux (DF) and dust particle size (DPS) were affected by geomorphic conditions, wind speed, and precipitation using data from 27 sites in northern China. The sites with the greatest DF and greatest median diameter of dustfall (MDD) were primarily in desert regions and had extensive mobile sands. DF and MDD were lowest in agricultural regions, which had low levels of coarse particles because of human land use and high vegetation coverage that restrained blowing sand. DF values were higher and MDD values were lower in the western agricultural region than in the eastern agricultural region because the former is closer to desert regions and contains more fine dust that has traveled far. In regions with extensive desertified lands, DF values were lower than those in desert regions, and MDD values were greater than in agricultural regions, possibly due to coarsening of soil texture by desertification processes combined with higher vegetation coverage and soil moisture than in desert regions, thereby restraining blowing sand. Although high DF and MDD always coincided spatially with strong winds and low precipitation, the strong winds and low precipitation did not always mean high DF and MDD. High DF also coincided temporally with periods of low precipitation, but low precipitation did not always mean high DF. Thus, although the spatial trends in DF and DPS were controlled mostly by geomorphic conditions, and monthly trends in DF were controlled mainly by wind speed, weak wind and high precipitation can restrain the blowing sand at certain times and locations. Seasonal changes in DPS may be controlled simultaneously by geomorphic conditions, meteorological factors, and distance from source areas, not solely by the winter monsoon.展开更多
A wind tunnel experiment was performed to investigate aeolian grain motions in the transverse direction, which is perpendicular to the incoming flow and parallels the sand bed. The trajectories in the horizontal plane...A wind tunnel experiment was performed to investigate aeolian grain motions in the transverse direction, which is perpendicular to the incoming flow and parallels the sand bed. The trajectories in the horizontal plane were recorded by high-speed camera. Statistical analysis of 630 trajectories shows that both the motion orientation and the time-averaged speed follow Gaussian distributions. An exclusive method was used to analyze the driving mechanism. It was concluded that the three-dimensional turbulent air flow, rather than the spin of grain or grain-bed collisions, controls the transverse motion.展开更多
The spatial trends of dustfall of different sizes over northern China during April and May 2001,and March 2002,and their influencing factors,were analyzed.We divided the dustfall into seven grades based on particle si...The spatial trends of dustfall of different sizes over northern China during April and May 2001,and March 2002,and their influencing factors,were analyzed.We divided the dustfall into seven grades based on particle size.Total dustfall and dustfall for each grade were highest in desert regions then in regions undergoing desertification,and the total dustfall,dustfall 【100 μm and dustfall 】250 μm were higher in western agricultural regions closer to desert areas than in eastern agricultural regions.The spatial trends in dustfall 【300 μm in diameter were most strongly correlated with dust events,and the content of coarse particles increased with increasing severity of dust events.Because the spatial trend for dust events appears to be controlled by geomorphic conditions,vegetation coverage,soil moisture,and the distance from dust source,dustfall 【300 μm in diameter appears to have the same controlling factors as dust events,but the control decreases with increasing particle size.Wind,the driving force for dust emissions,also influenced the spatial trends in dustfall 【200 μm in diameter,and especially for dustfall 50 to 100 μm in diameter.Although dustfall 【300 μm in diameter and precipitation were not strongly spatially correlated,there is some evidence that high precipitation decreased deposition by restraining blowing sand.The coarser the dustfall,the weaker the correlation with wind speed;however,transport of larger particles still occurs,and further research will be required to test the possibility that this dust is entrained mainly by the small-scale dust devils that are commonly observed in the study area.展开更多
In this article, the quantitative impact and significance of factors on dust storm occurrence have been analyzed in detail, based on spring daily data sets of 17 meteorological factors and dust storm records during th...In this article, the quantitative impact and significance of factors on dust storm occurrence have been analyzed in detail, based on spring daily data sets of 17 meteorological factors and dust storm records during the period of 1954-2005 for 60 gauge stations distributed over Gansu Province of China. Results show that daily mean and maximum wind speeds and evaporation have a positive effect on dust storm occurrence, i.e., their increase can result in an increase of dust storm occurrence. Inversely, daily mean and minimum relative humidity, lowest surface air pressure, vapor pressure and number of sunny hours have a negative effect on dust storm occurrence. However, daily mean and highest surface air pressure; mean, highest and lowest surface air temperature; and precipitation of 20：00-08：00, 08：00-20：00 and 20：00-20：00 have a positive effect on dust storm occurrence in some places but negative in other places. On average, daily maximum and mean wind speeds, direction of the maximum wind, number of sunny hours and evaporation have a significant effect on dust storm occurrence in Gansu Province, but precipitation of 20：00--08：00, 08：00-20：00 and 20：00-20：00, and mean surface air pressure and temperature all have a minor influence upon dust storm occurrence.展开更多
In a blowing sand system,the wind provides the driving forces for the particle movement while the moving particles exert the opposite forces to the wind by extracting its momentum.The wind-sand interaction that can be...In a blowing sand system,the wind provides the driving forces for the particle movement while the moving particles exert the opposite forces to the wind by extracting its momentum.The wind-sand interaction that can be characterized by shear stress and force exerted on the wind by moving particles results in the modification of wind profiles.Detailed wind pro-files re-adapted to blown sand movement are measured in a wind tunnel for different grain size populations and at differ-ent free-stream wind velocities.The shear stress with a blowing sand cloud and force exerted on the wind by moving par-ticles are calculated from the measured wind velocity profiles.The results suggest that the wind profiles with presence of blowing sand cloud assume convex-upward curves on the u(z)-ln(z) plot compared with the straight lines characterizing the velocity profiles of clean wind,and they can be better fitted by power function than log-linear function.The exponent of the power function ranging from 0.1 to 0.17 tends to increase with an increase in wind velocity but decrease with an increase in particle size.The force per unit volume exerted on the wind by blown sand drift that is calculated based on the empirical power functions for the wind velocity profiles is found to decrease with height.The particle-induced force makes the total shear stress with blowing sand cloud partitioned into air-borne stress that results from the wind velocity gradient and grain-borne stress that results from the upward or downward movement of particles.The air-borne stress in-creases with an increase in height,while the grain-borne stress decreases with an increase in height.The air-borne shear stress at the top of sand cloud layer increases with both wind velocity and grain size,implying that it increases with sand transport rate for a given grain size.The shear stress with a blowing sand cloud is also closely related to the sand transport rate.Both the total shear stress and grain-borne stress on the grain top is directly proportional to the square root of sand transport rate.So,the profound effect of the moving particles on the airflow must be considered in modeling the blown sand movement.With the presence of sand movement,the boundary layer with a blowing sand cloud is no longer a con-stant air shear layer.展开更多
Dunhuang Yardang National Geo-park, situated in the Gansu Province of northwestern China （40°25′36″N-40°33′10″N, 93°00′00″E-93°13′30″E）, was chosen as a research locality of aesthetics ev...Dunhuang Yardang National Geo-park, situated in the Gansu Province of northwestern China （40°25′36″N-40°33′10″N, 93°00′00″E-93°13′30″E）, was chosen as a research locality of aesthetics evaluation of yardang landforms landscape. The yardang landforms landscape is a composite structural system of patch-corridor-matrix, with four landscape unit elements as dense group, sparse group, single body and remnant. The study of the landscape aesthetics spatial pattern of Dunhuang Yardang National Geo-park shows that yardang dense group, sparse group and single body provide the greatest contribution to the aesthetic value of yardang landforms landscape. Yardang bodies are scarce, unique, irreplaceable, and priceless resources in yardang landforms areas. However, they are easily destroyed under the influence of the natural and artificial factors. Therefore, when the tourism potential of yardang landforms landscape is exploited, the protection should be fully improved.展开更多
Based on daily data sets of 17 meteorological factors during the period of 1954-2005 for 60 gauge stations distributed over Gansu Province of China and the corresponding dust storm records, the dust storm probabilitie...Based on daily data sets of 17 meteorological factors during the period of 1954-2005 for 60 gauge stations distributed over Gansu Province of China and the corresponding dust storm records, the dust storm probabilities related to different classes of each factor have been calculated and analyzed. On the basis of statistical analysis, a meteorological descriptor quantifying the daily dust storm occurrence probability for each station, which is referred to as the Dust Storm Occurrence Probability Index （DSOPI）, has been effectively established. According to the statistical characteristics of DSOPI for each station, a feasible judging criterion for a dust storm event has been determined, which can greatly contribute to forecasting dust storms and completing the unavailable historic dust storm records. Meanwhile, the average daily dust storm probability related to each factor on the dust storm day for each station has been specially analyzed in detail, finally disclosing that, in general, the more signifi- cant one factor＇s influence on dust storms, the greater its contribution to them; and each factor＇s contribution clearly varies from place to place. Moreover, on average, maximum and mean wind speeds, maximum-speed wind direction, daily sunny hours, evaporation, mean and lowest relative humidity, lowest surface air pressure and vapor pressure contribute to dust storm events in Gansu Province most greatly in order among all the 17 involved factors.展开更多
Dustfall collections were carried out in April and May 2001 and in March 2002 at six sites in northern China.Our results showed that the total deposition of dust fractions 【250 μm in diameter and the deposition of F...Dustfall collections were carried out in April and May 2001 and in March 2002 at six sites in northern China.Our results showed that the total deposition of dust fractions 【250 μm in diameter and the deposition of Fe both decreased exponentially with increasing distances from the source areas,and that the half-attenuation distance (HAD) for dust deposition was about 229 km in this re-gion.The HAD was closely related to the grain-size distribution of the dust,and the 15 to 20 μm fractions had the longest HAD.However,the fractions 【15 μm in diameter can be easily adsorbed to coarse particles and deposited after only short distances,and the HAD for the fractions 15 to 100 μm in diameter showed a power relationship with the grain-size distribution.The HAD for Fe deposition was 233 km,which was a little longer than that of total dust deposition,which suggests that the Fe content is higher in fine particles than in coarse particles,as previous studies have suggested.In addition,our analysis showed that under the control of current climatic conditions,the coarse fractions in dust derived from northwestern China cannot be transported over long distances,instead,it is transported primarily by near-surface winds (【3 km above the ground).The Fe in aeolian dust generated from arid and semiarid regions of China and deposited in the North Pacific region is usually transported by the upper westerlies.展开更多
We analyzed dust event occurrence and its seasonal distribution at 16 sites in the Tarim Basin,China.Although the overall frequency of dust events was the highest in spring in this region,its variation in other season...We analyzed dust event occurrence and its seasonal distribution at 16 sites in the Tarim Basin,China.Although the overall frequency of dust events was the highest in spring in this region,its variation in other seasons could be classified into three patterns:(1) frequency of dust events in autumn > that in summer > that in winter(at the Kashi and Kuche sites);(2) frequency in summer > that in winter > that in autumn(at the Ruoqiang site);and(3) frequency in summer > that in autumn > that in winter(at all other areas of the Tarim Basin).The frequency of dust events and their seasonal variations in the Tarim Basin were mainly controlled by wind speed and locally available dust sources;the former was the key control when dust sources did not differ significantly.The seasonal variation in evaporation had a smaller,but still significant effect on the frequency of dust events.展开更多
Sand transport by wind plays an important role in environmental problems.Formulating the sand-transport rate model has been of continuing significance,because the majority of the existing models relate sand-transport ...Sand transport by wind plays an important role in environmental problems.Formulating the sand-transport rate model has been of continuing significance,because the majority of the existing models relate sand-transport rate to the wind-shear velocity.However,the wind-shear velocity readapted to blown sand is difficult to determine from the measured wind profiles when sand movement occurs,especially at high wind velocity.Detailed wind tunnel tests were carried out to reformulate the sand-transport rate model,followed by attempts to relate sand-transport rate to parameters of wind velocity,threshold shear-velocity,and grain size.Finally,we validated the model based on the data from field observations.展开更多
The momentum profile of an aeolian saltation cloud is poorly understood. In this paper, height profiles for saltation momentum are reconstructed for three particle-size populations at four wind velocities based on pro...The momentum profile of an aeolian saltation cloud is poorly understood. In this paper, height profiles for saltation momentum are reconstructed for three particle-size populations at four wind velocities based on profiles for mean particle velocity and relative particle concentration of saltation cloud obtained using particle image velocimetry in a wind tunnel. The results suggest that the saltation momentum profiles are characterized by peak curves with a maximum at some height above the surface. The height of this maximum increases with increasing wind velocity, but decreases with increasing particle size. It is linearly correlated with average saltation height and is comparable with the results of numerical simulations in a previous study. Our results confirm that Bagnold’s kink is an important feature of wind velocity profiles modified by the presence of saltating particles and that the height of the kink is closely related to the average trajectories of the saltating particles.展开更多
Studies of interactions between wind and saltating particles （i.e., the wind-saltation interaction） are usually conducted without consideration of the downwind air pressure gradient. However, in a wind tunnel with l...Studies of interactions between wind and saltating particles （i.e., the wind-saltation interaction） are usually conducted without consideration of the downwind air pressure gradient. However, in a wind tunnel with limited size, this gradient is required to maintain the movement of the saltation cloud. Attempts are made to investigate the effects of the downwind air pressure gradient on the wind-saltation interaction in a saltation boundary layer based on the experimental results from a wind tunnel with a relatively small cross-sectional area. The wind-saltation interaction is characterized by airborne stress, grain-borne stress, and the force exerted on the wind by the saltation cloud. Basic equations were developed for wind-saltation interactions without and with a downwind air pressure gradient. The results reveal that unacceptable values of negative grain-borne stress and negative force exerted on the wind by the saltation cloud are obtained if the downwind air pressure gradient is ignored. When this air pressure gradient is defined using the measured wind velocity profiles in the presence of saltation and the downwind air pressure gradient is taken into account, reasonable values for grain-borne stress and the force exerted on the wind by the saltation cloud are obtained. These results suggest that attention must be paid to the effects of downwind air pressure gradients when studying the wind-saltation interaction in a wind tunnel. Consideration of the downwind air pressure gradient, inertial forces, and other unidentified variables will provide a more thorough understanding of the interactions within a saltation boundary layer.展开更多
基金funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41130533, 41171010)
文摘The spatial and temporal changes in aeolian transport over a dune are fundamental factors that control the morphology of the dune. In the present study, we obtained direct field observations of aeolian transport over a developing transverse dune at the Shapotou Aeolian Experiment Site in the southeastern part of China＇s Tengger Desert. The transport rate versus wind speed relationship relationships over flat surfaces and over dunes that are s complicated over a developing dune compared with the n equilibrium with the wind. We obtained trend lines for transport rate over the transverse dune versus distance. The transport rate generally increased from the toe to the crest above the stoss slope, but the difference in transport rate between the crest and the toe was smaller than those that have been proposed for taller dunes. The crest/toe ratio for transport rates therefore seems to depend greatly on dune height. Flux density profiles for different points above the dune at different wind speeds were well described by the exponential decay law, as has been proposed for saltation flux density profiles. Coefficients in the flux density profile function can be defined in terms of the transport rate and wind speed. However, the dependence of relative decay rate with height and average saltation height on wind speed was weaker than that observed in a wind tunnel and above a fiat surface. The preliminary results obtained in this study require more evidence from field observations to fully describe aeolian transport above developing dunes.
基金The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(10532040)the Hundred Talents Project.the Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZCX2-304).
文摘The probability distributions of sand particles＇ lift-off and incident velocities in a wind-blown sand flux play very important roles in the simulation of the wind-blown sand movement. In this paper, the vertical and the horizontal speeds of sand particles located at 1.0 mm above a sand-bed in a wind-blown sand flux are observed with the aid of Phase Doppler Anemometry （PDA） in a wind tunnel. Based on the experimental data, the probability distributions of not only the vertical lift-off speed but also the lift-off velocity as well as its horizontal component and the incident velocity as well as its vertical and horizontal components can be obtained by the equal distance histogram method. It is found, according to the results of the X^2-test for these probability distributions, that the probability density functions （pdf＇s） of the sand particles＇ lift-off and incident velocities as well as their vertical com- ponents are described by the Gamma density function with different peak values and shapes and the downwind incident and lift-off horizontal speeds, respectively, can be described by the lognormal and the Gamma density functions, These pdf＇s depend on not only the sand particle diameter but also the wind speed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41161019, 41461020)
文摘The increasing intensity and frequency of sand-dust storms in China has led to greater prominence of associated environmentaland health issues. Many studies have focused on the health effects of air particulate contaminants, but fewformal investigations have studied the effects of sand-dust storms on human and animal health. The aim of this study wasto investigate the effects of dust storms on rat lung by using high resolution computed tomography （HRCT） and blood gasanalysis through a wind tunnel simulating. We found that the rat lung damage effects can be detected by the HRCT imagingafter exposure to sand-dust storm environments, but had no obvious result through blood gas analysis. Exposure durationspositively correlated with the damage degree to lung tissue. These will provide some evidence for clinical diagnosis ofnon-occupational pneumoconiosis.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41130533)
文摘Understanding the relationship between the changes in lake water volume and climate change can provide valuable information to the recharge sources of lake water. This is particularly true in arid areas such as the Badain Jaran Sand Sea, an ecologically sensitive area, where the recharge sources of lakes are heatedly debated. In this study, we determined the areas of 50 lakes （representing 70% of the total permanent lakes in this sand sea） in 1967, 1975, 1990, 2000 and 2010 by analyzing remote-sensing images using image processing and ArGIS software. In general, the total lake area decreased from 1967 to 1990, remained almost unchanged from 1990 to 2000, and increased from 2000 to 2010. Analysis of the relationship between these changes and the contemporaneous changes in annual mean temperature and annual precipitation in the surrounding areas suggests that temperature has significantly affected the lake area, but that the influence of precipitation was minor. These results tend to su- pport the palaeo-water recharge hypothesis for lakes of the Badain Jaran Sand Sea, considering the fact that the distribution and area of lakes are closely related to precipitation and the size of mega-dunes, but the contemporaneous precipitation can hardly balance the lake water.
基金the funding received from the Natural Science Foundation of China (41301003, 41371026, and 31470480)the Technology of the People's Republic of China (No. 2013CB956000)
文摘Maqu County is located in the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and it is the main watershed for the Yellow River. The ecosystem there is extremely vulnerable and sensitive to climate change and human activities, which have caused significant deterioration of the eco-environment in this region. In order to restore the ecological environment, a government project to restore the grazing areas to grassland was implemented in Maqu County in early 2004. This study evaluates the effects of that restoration project on land use and land cover change （LUCC）, and explores the driving forces of LUCC in Maqu County. In the study we used Landsat images obtained in 1989, 2004, 2009, and 2014 to establish databases of land use and land cover. Then we derived LUCC information by overlaying these layers using GIS software. Finally, we analyzed the main forces responsible for LUCC. The results showed that forests, high-coverage grasslands, and marshes experienced the most significant decreases during 1989–2004, by 882.8 ha, 35,250.4 ha, and 2,753.4 ha, respectively. However, moderate- and low-coverage grasslands and sand lands showed the opposite trend, increasing by 12,529.7 ha, 25,491.0 ha, and 577.5 ha, respectively. LUCC in 2004–2009 showed that ecological degradation slowed compared with 1989？2004. During 2009–2014, high- and moderate-coverage grasslands increased obviously, but low-coverage grasslands, marshes, unused lands, sand lands, and water areas showed the opposite trend. These results suggested that the degradation of the eco-environment was obvious before 2009, showing a decrease in the forests, grasslands, and water areas, and an increase in unused lands. The ecological degradation was reversed after 2009, as was mainly evidenced by increases in high- and mod-erate-coverage grasslands, and the shrinkage rate of marshes decreased obviously. These results showed that the project of restoring grazing lands to grassland had a positive effect on the LUCC. Other major factors that influence the LUCC include increasing temperature, variation in the seasonal frozen soil environment, seasonal overgrazing, and pest and rodent damage.
基金the funding from the Natural Science Foundation of China through Grant No. 40638038 and 2010011044-1
文摘We investigated how dustfall flux (DF) and dust particle size (DPS) were affected by geomorphic conditions, wind speed, and precipitation using data from 27 sites in northern China. The sites with the greatest DF and greatest median diameter of dustfall (MDD) were primarily in desert regions and had extensive mobile sands. DF and MDD were lowest in agricultural regions, which had low levels of coarse particles because of human land use and high vegetation coverage that restrained blowing sand. DF values were higher and MDD values were lower in the western agricultural region than in the eastern agricultural region because the former is closer to desert regions and contains more fine dust that has traveled far. In regions with extensive desertified lands, DF values were lower than those in desert regions, and MDD values were greater than in agricultural regions, possibly due to coarsening of soil texture by desertification processes combined with higher vegetation coverage and soil moisture than in desert regions, thereby restraining blowing sand. Although high DF and MDD always coincided spatially with strong winds and low precipitation, the strong winds and low precipitation did not always mean high DF and MDD. High DF also coincided temporally with periods of low precipitation, but low precipitation did not always mean high DF. Thus, although the spatial trends in DF and DPS were controlled mostly by geomorphic conditions, and monthly trends in DF were controlled mainly by wind speed, weak wind and high precipitation can restrain the blowing sand at certain times and locations. Seasonal changes in DPS may be controlled simultaneously by geomorphic conditions, meteorological factors, and distance from source areas, not solely by the winter monsoon.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 10904055)
文摘A wind tunnel experiment was performed to investigate aeolian grain motions in the transverse direction, which is perpendicular to the incoming flow and parallels the sand bed. The trajectories in the horizontal plane were recorded by high-speed camera. Statistical analysis of 630 trajectories shows that both the motion orientation and the time-averaged speed follow Gaussian distributions. An exclusive method was used to analyze the driving mechanism. It was concluded that the three-dimensional turbulent air flow, rather than the spin of grain or grain-bed collisions, controls the transverse motion.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of China through grant No. 40638038
文摘The spatial trends of dustfall of different sizes over northern China during April and May 2001,and March 2002,and their influencing factors,were analyzed.We divided the dustfall into seven grades based on particle size.Total dustfall and dustfall for each grade were highest in desert regions then in regions undergoing desertification,and the total dustfall,dustfall 【100 μm and dustfall 】250 μm were higher in western agricultural regions closer to desert areas than in eastern agricultural regions.The spatial trends in dustfall 【300 μm in diameter were most strongly correlated with dust events,and the content of coarse particles increased with increasing severity of dust events.Because the spatial trend for dust events appears to be controlled by geomorphic conditions,vegetation coverage,soil moisture,and the distance from dust source,dustfall 【300 μm in diameter appears to have the same controlling factors as dust events,but the control decreases with increasing particle size.Wind,the driving force for dust emissions,also influenced the spatial trends in dustfall 【200 μm in diameter,and especially for dustfall 50 to 100 μm in diameter.Although dustfall 【300 μm in diameter and precipitation were not strongly spatially correlated,there is some evidence that high precipitation decreased deposition by restraining blowing sand.The coarser the dustfall,the weaker the correlation with wind speed;however,transport of larger particles still occurs,and further research will be required to test the possibility that this dust is entrained mainly by the small-scale dust devils that are commonly observed in the study area.
基金supported by the Hundred Talent Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences granted to Dr. Y. Yuthe Primary Natural Sciences Foundation of China (40633014) granted to Professor S.H. Lü
文摘In this article, the quantitative impact and significance of factors on dust storm occurrence have been analyzed in detail, based on spring daily data sets of 17 meteorological factors and dust storm records during the period of 1954-2005 for 60 gauge stations distributed over Gansu Province of China. Results show that daily mean and maximum wind speeds and evaporation have a positive effect on dust storm occurrence, i.e., their increase can result in an increase of dust storm occurrence. Inversely, daily mean and minimum relative humidity, lowest surface air pressure, vapor pressure and number of sunny hours have a negative effect on dust storm occurrence. However, daily mean and highest surface air pressure; mean, highest and lowest surface air temperature; and precipitation of 20：00-08：00, 08：00-20：00 and 20：00-20：00 have a positive effect on dust storm occurrence in some places but negative in other places. On average, daily maximum and mean wind speeds, direction of the maximum wind, number of sunny hours and evaporation have a significant effect on dust storm occurrence in Gansu Province, but precipitation of 20：00--08：00, 08：00-20：00 and 20：00-20：00, and mean surface air pressure and temperature all have a minor influence upon dust storm occurrence.
基金funding from the Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Science (KZCX3-SW-341)National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of the Natural Science Foundation of China(40225003)
文摘In a blowing sand system,the wind provides the driving forces for the particle movement while the moving particles exert the opposite forces to the wind by extracting its momentum.The wind-sand interaction that can be characterized by shear stress and force exerted on the wind by moving particles results in the modification of wind profiles.Detailed wind pro-files re-adapted to blown sand movement are measured in a wind tunnel for different grain size populations and at differ-ent free-stream wind velocities.The shear stress with a blowing sand cloud and force exerted on the wind by moving par-ticles are calculated from the measured wind velocity profiles.The results suggest that the wind profiles with presence of blowing sand cloud assume convex-upward curves on the u(z)-ln(z) plot compared with the straight lines characterizing the velocity profiles of clean wind,and they can be better fitted by power function than log-linear function.The exponent of the power function ranging from 0.1 to 0.17 tends to increase with an increase in wind velocity but decrease with an increase in particle size.The force per unit volume exerted on the wind by blown sand drift that is calculated based on the empirical power functions for the wind velocity profiles is found to decrease with height.The particle-induced force makes the total shear stress with blowing sand cloud partitioned into air-borne stress that results from the wind velocity gradient and grain-borne stress that results from the upward or downward movement of particles.The air-borne stress in-creases with an increase in height,while the grain-borne stress decreases with an increase in height.The air-borne shear stress at the top of sand cloud layer increases with both wind velocity and grain size,implying that it increases with sand transport rate for a given grain size.The shear stress with a blowing sand cloud is also closely related to the sand transport rate.Both the total shear stress and grain-borne stress on the grain top is directly proportional to the square root of sand transport rate.So,the profound effect of the moving particles on the airflow must be considered in modeling the blown sand movement.With the presence of sand movement,the boundary layer with a blowing sand cloud is no longer a con-stant air shear layer.
基金supported by fund project from professor for "Yangtze River Scholar" of the Ministry of Education(No.801813)
文摘Dunhuang Yardang National Geo-park, situated in the Gansu Province of northwestern China （40°25′36″N-40°33′10″N, 93°00′00″E-93°13′30″E）, was chosen as a research locality of aesthetics evaluation of yardang landforms landscape. The yardang landforms landscape is a composite structural system of patch-corridor-matrix, with four landscape unit elements as dense group, sparse group, single body and remnant. The study of the landscape aesthetics spatial pattern of Dunhuang Yardang National Geo-park shows that yardang dense group, sparse group and single body provide the greatest contribution to the aesthetic value of yardang landforms landscape. Yardang bodies are scarce, unique, irreplaceable, and priceless resources in yardang landforms areas. However, they are easily destroyed under the influence of the natural and artificial factors. Therefore, when the tourism potential of yardang landforms landscape is exploited, the protection should be fully improved.
基金funded by National Program on Key Basic Research Project (973 Program, Grant No. 2009CB421402)the open foundation from Key Laboratory for Semi-Arid Climate Change of the Ministry of Education,Lanzhou University,and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40975007)
文摘Based on daily data sets of 17 meteorological factors during the period of 1954-2005 for 60 gauge stations distributed over Gansu Province of China and the corresponding dust storm records, the dust storm probabilities related to different classes of each factor have been calculated and analyzed. On the basis of statistical analysis, a meteorological descriptor quantifying the daily dust storm occurrence probability for each station, which is referred to as the Dust Storm Occurrence Probability Index （DSOPI）, has been effectively established. According to the statistical characteristics of DSOPI for each station, a feasible judging criterion for a dust storm event has been determined, which can greatly contribute to forecasting dust storms and completing the unavailable historic dust storm records. Meanwhile, the average daily dust storm probability related to each factor on the dust storm day for each station has been specially analyzed in detail, finally disclosing that, in general, the more signifi- cant one factor＇s influence on dust storms, the greater its contribution to them; and each factor＇s contribution clearly varies from place to place. Moreover, on average, maximum and mean wind speeds, maximum-speed wind direction, daily sunny hours, evaporation, mean and lowest relative humidity, lowest surface air pressure and vapor pressure contribute to dust storm events in Gansu Province most greatly in order among all the 17 involved factors.
基金funding from the Natural Science Foundation of China through Grant No. 40638038
文摘Dustfall collections were carried out in April and May 2001 and in March 2002 at six sites in northern China.Our results showed that the total deposition of dust fractions 【250 μm in diameter and the deposition of Fe both decreased exponentially with increasing distances from the source areas,and that the half-attenuation distance (HAD) for dust deposition was about 229 km in this re-gion.The HAD was closely related to the grain-size distribution of the dust,and the 15 to 20 μm fractions had the longest HAD.However,the fractions 【15 μm in diameter can be easily adsorbed to coarse particles and deposited after only short distances,and the HAD for the fractions 15 to 100 μm in diameter showed a power relationship with the grain-size distribution.The HAD for Fe deposition was 233 km,which was a little longer than that of total dust deposition,which suggests that the Fe content is higher in fine particles than in coarse particles,as previous studies have suggested.In addition,our analysis showed that under the control of current climatic conditions,the coarse fractions in dust derived from northwestern China cannot be transported over long distances,instead,it is transported primarily by near-surface winds (【3 km above the ground).The Fe in aeolian dust generated from arid and semiarid regions of China and deposited in the North Pacific region is usually transported by the upper westerlies.
基金the funding from the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40638038)
文摘We analyzed dust event occurrence and its seasonal distribution at 16 sites in the Tarim Basin,China.Although the overall frequency of dust events was the highest in spring in this region,its variation in other seasons could be classified into three patterns:(1) frequency of dust events in autumn > that in summer > that in winter(at the Kashi and Kuche sites);(2) frequency in summer > that in winter > that in autumn(at the Ruoqiang site);and(3) frequency in summer > that in autumn > that in winter(at all other areas of the Tarim Basin).The frequency of dust events and their seasonal variations in the Tarim Basin were mainly controlled by wind speed and locally available dust sources;the former was the key control when dust sources did not differ significantly.The seasonal variation in evaporation had a smaller,but still significant effect on the frequency of dust events.
基金the funding received from the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (290828911)the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40638038)
文摘Sand transport by wind plays an important role in environmental problems.Formulating the sand-transport rate model has been of continuing significance,because the majority of the existing models relate sand-transport rate to the wind-shear velocity.However,the wind-shear velocity readapted to blown sand is difficult to determine from the measured wind profiles when sand movement occurs,especially at high wind velocity.Detailed wind tunnel tests were carried out to reformulate the sand-transport rate model,followed by attempts to relate sand-transport rate to parameters of wind velocity,threshold shear-velocity,and grain size.Finally,we validated the model based on the data from field observations.
基金the funding from the Natural Science Foundation of China (40638038)the Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX3-YW-329)
文摘The momentum profile of an aeolian saltation cloud is poorly understood. In this paper, height profiles for saltation momentum are reconstructed for three particle-size populations at four wind velocities based on profiles for mean particle velocity and relative particle concentration of saltation cloud obtained using particle image velocimetry in a wind tunnel. The results suggest that the saltation momentum profiles are characterized by peak curves with a maximum at some height above the surface. The height of this maximum increases with increasing wind velocity, but decreases with increasing particle size. It is linearly correlated with average saltation height and is comparable with the results of numerical simulations in a previous study. Our results confirm that Bagnold’s kink is an important feature of wind velocity profiles modified by the presence of saltating particles and that the height of the kink is closely related to the average trajectories of the saltating particles.
基金the funding received from the Natural Science Foundation of China (40638038)
文摘Studies of interactions between wind and saltating particles （i.e., the wind-saltation interaction） are usually conducted without consideration of the downwind air pressure gradient. However, in a wind tunnel with limited size, this gradient is required to maintain the movement of the saltation cloud. Attempts are made to investigate the effects of the downwind air pressure gradient on the wind-saltation interaction in a saltation boundary layer based on the experimental results from a wind tunnel with a relatively small cross-sectional area. The wind-saltation interaction is characterized by airborne stress, grain-borne stress, and the force exerted on the wind by the saltation cloud. Basic equations were developed for wind-saltation interactions without and with a downwind air pressure gradient. The results reveal that unacceptable values of negative grain-borne stress and negative force exerted on the wind by the saltation cloud are obtained if the downwind air pressure gradient is ignored. When this air pressure gradient is defined using the measured wind velocity profiles in the presence of saltation and the downwind air pressure gradient is taken into account, reasonable values for grain-borne stress and the force exerted on the wind by the saltation cloud are obtained. These results suggest that attention must be paid to the effects of downwind air pressure gradients when studying the wind-saltation interaction in a wind tunnel. Consideration of the downwind air pressure gradient, inertial forces, and other unidentified variables will provide a more thorough understanding of the interactions within a saltation boundary layer.
