Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8966162 | Geomorphology | 2018 | 19 Pages |
Abstract
The Big Spring Number Eight (BSNE) sampler is an important and widely used instrument in studies of aeolian sand transport. Its sampling efficiency is an important parameter and varies with particle size. However, little is known about the variations in sampling efficiency caused by the differences in particle size with height. The variations in particle size with height from 10 to 200â¯cm were obtained from a field experiment at four sites in the Taklimakan Desert from May 2010 to April 2011. The variation in the sampling efficiency of the BSNE sampler with particle size was estimated based on previous studies and a wind tunnel experiment. It was found that the average particle size decreased with height above ground from 10 to 200â¯cm at three experimental sites, while at the other site it decreased from 10 to 15â¯cm and then slightly increased. The percentage distribution of particle sizes with height was similar for sizes below 63â¯Î¼m and between 125 and 200â¯Î¼m at all experimental sites, but there were differences in the percentage of size classes between 63 and 125â¯Î¼m and above 200â¯Î¼m. The sampling efficiencies ranged from 66.27 to 58.98%, 64.97 to 57.47%, 56.04 to 52.76%, and 72.07 to 58.9% at the four sites, respectively, with an average of 64.84 to 57.03% at heights from 10 to 200â¯cm. After correcting for sampling efficiency, the amount of aeolian sand that passed through a section of 100â¯cm (width)â¯Ãâ¯200â¯cm (height) increased by 44.5, 52.1, 78.8, and 26.4% at the four sites, respectively, with an average of 50.5%. These results indicate that the sampling efficiency of the device needs to be considered when making observations across a gradient of particle sizes.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Earth-Surface Processes
Authors
Xinghua Yang, Minzhong Wang, Qing He, Ali Mamtimin, Wen Huo, Fan Yang, Chenglong Zhou,