The effect of wind gusts, moisture content and fetch length on sand transport on a beach

Davidson‐Arnott, Robin; MacQuarrie, Kelvin; Aagaard, Troels

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.04.008

Cited by 178 publications

(127 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(35 reference statements)

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“…Previous field experiments have captured some of the spatial and temporal characteristics of this transport mechanism using saltation impact sensors at single or multiple points (Baas and Sherman, 2005;Baas and Sherman, 2006;Baas, 2008), whilst wind tunnel work has elucidated characteristic surface controls on saltation dynamics (McKenna Neuman and Scott, 1998;Bauer et al, 2004;McKenna Neuman, 2004), but there is a need to concurrently determine both surface characteristics and saltation metrics over larger spatial scales through time. Surface moisture is a key controlling factor in transport dynamics as it increases the shear velocity threshold required to entrain sediment (Sarre, 1988;Namikas and Sherman, 1995;Wiggs et al, 2004b;Davidson-Arnott et al, 2005;Davidson-Arnott et al, 2008;Bauer et al, 2009;Davidson-Arnott and Bauer, 2009). However, moisture can also facilitate the formation of a hard surface, inducing elastic rebound of particles which results in an increase in saltation height and efficiency (McKenna Neuman and Scott, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The application of terrestrial laser scanning to aeolian saltation cloud measurement and its response to changing surface moisture

Nield

Wiggs

2010

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Saltation is the dominant form of aeolian transport of sand sized grains, yet its heterogeneous spatial and temporal distribution, and inherent feedback and interaction with the surface over which sand is transported, hinders large scale quantification. In this letter we present preliminary data on saltation cloud characteristics quantified using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS). These data, together with surface moisture and surface roughness patterns, elucidate the importance of saltation in the development of protodunes on a drying beach, and indicate the potential usefulness of TLS in examining aeolian processes in both beach and desert environments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The application of terrestrial laser scanning to aeolian saltation cloud measurement and its response to changing surface moisture

Nield

Wiggs

2010

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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“…The movement of grains is adapted to the near-surface wind velocity profile by a complex momentum exchange, and the trajectories of saltating grains are also dependent on many complex impact factors, such as sand size and shape, wind strength and frequency (Spies et al, 2000), sand bed topography, and environmental temperature and humidity (McKenna Neuman, 2004;Wiggs et al, 2004;Davidson-Arnott et al, 2005). The complexity of the saltation problem is apparent.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wind tunnel experimental investigation of sand velocity in aeolian sand transport

Kang

Guo

et al. 2008

Geomorphology

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Sand velocity in aeolian sand transport was measured using the laser Doppler technique of PDPA (Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer) in a wind tunnel. The sand velocity profile, probability distribution of particle velocity, particle velocity fluctuation and particle turbulence were analyzed in detail. The experimental results verified that the sand horizontal velocity profile can be expressed by a logarithmic function above 0.01 m, while a deviation occurs below 0.01 m. The mean vertical velocity of grains generally ranges from −0.2 m/s to 0.2 m/s, and is downward at the lower height, upward at the higher height. The probability distributions of the horizontal velocity of ascending and descending particles have a typical peak and are right-skewed at a height of 4 mm in the lower part of saltation layer. The vertical profile of the horizontal RMS velocity fluctuation of particles shows a single peak. The horizontal RMS velocity fluctuation of sand particles is generally larger than the vertical RMS velocity fluctuation. The RMS velocity fluctuations of grains in both horizontal and vertical directions increase with wind velocity. The particle turbulence intensity decreases with height. The present investigation is helpful in understanding the sand movement mechanism in windblown sand transport and also provides a reference for the study of blowing sand velocity.

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“…Although the relevance of dune-building grasses has been recognized (3,11), most geomorphological research has focused on the role of sand supply (a combination of sand availability and wind-transport potential) as a function of beach morphology and wind regime in the dune-forming process (1,2,4,12,13). The empirical finding that foredune size correlates with beach type, with foredunes up to 10 times higher on dissipative beaches than on reflective ones (1, 2), combined with conceptual models that predict enhanced aeolian transport on dissipative beaches (1,14,15), has motivated the common assumption that maximum foredune size is primarily controlled by sand supply (1,4,15,16).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation controls on the maximum size of coastal dunes

Durán

Moore

2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

246

232

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Coastal dunes, in particular foredunes, support a resilient ecosystem and reduce coastal vulnerability to storms. In contrast to dry desert dunes, coastal dunes arise from interactions between biological and physical processes. Ecologists have traditionally addressed coastal ecosystems by assuming that they adapt to preexisting dune topography, whereas geomorphologists have studied the properties of foredunes primarily in connection to physical, not biological, factors. Here, we study foredune development using an ecomorphodynamic model that resolves the coevolution of topography and vegetation in response to both physical and ecological factors. We find that foredune growth is eventually limited by a negative feedback between wind flow and topography. As a consequence, steady-state foredunes are scale invariant, which allows us to derive scaling relations for maximum foredune height and formation time. These relations suggest that plant zonation (in particular for strand "dune-building" species) is the primary factor controlling the maximum size of foredunes and therefore the amount of sand stored in a coastal dune system. We also find that aeolian sand supply to the dunes determines the timescale of foredune formation. These results offer a potential explanation for the empirical relation between beach type and foredune size, in which large (small) foredunes are found on dissipative (reflective) beaches. Higher waves associated with dissipative beaches increase the disturbance of strand species, which shifts foredune formation landward and thus leads to larger foredunes. In this scenario, plants play a much more active role in modifying their habitat and altering coastal vulnerability than previously thought.ecomorphodynamic modeling | dune stabilization | sediment budget

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The effect of wind gusts, moisture content and fetch length on sand transport on a beach

Cited by 178 publications

References 27 publications

The application of terrestrial laser scanning to aeolian saltation cloud measurement and its response to changing surface moisture

The application of terrestrial laser scanning to aeolian saltation cloud measurement and its response to changing surface moisture

Wind tunnel experimental investigation of sand velocity in aeolian sand transport

Vegetation controls on the maximum size of coastal dunes

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