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Wind and sand environment and spatial differentiation of sediment in the west desert of Yinshan Mountain in China

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Abstract

To investigate the regular patterns by wind and sand in low hilly basins, we analyzed the particle size, component end element and fractal variability of surface sediments, as well as the near-surface wind energy and sand transport potential, and determined the characteristics of their spatial differentiation in the desert west of Yinshan Mountain in China. The results showed that the regional dominant wind was mainly westerly and southwest wind, and the average annual average wind speed of sand wind was 6.56–7.62 m s–1, the annual average drift potential of the sand wind was 359.99 VU, and the average annual value of synthetic drift potential was 204.46 VU, which classified region as a the middle-wind-energy environment with middle-wind-direction variability. Under the action of dominant wind, the particle size of dune sediment gradually refined from the northwest to the southeast and northeast, and the fractal dimension gradually increased. The sediments of Baiyinchagan Desert, Boketai Desert, and southern Yamaleike Desert dunes were fine (the average particle size was 0.191 mm), and the average fractal dimension value was 2.372; the Haili Desert and the northern Yamaleike Desert dunes was large (the average particle size was 0.212 mm), and the average fractal dimension was 2.327. At the same time, fed by the near source Gobi coarse sand, under the action of long-term wind and sand, the Haili and Yamaleike Deserts formed tall and stable crescent sand dunes and sand dune chains. The particle size end member indicated that the desert sediment was wind deposit, while the desert peripheral Gobi desert end member indicated that the type of sediment was wind deposit and river alluvial material formed under the combined action of wind and water, the heterogeneity of the Gobi outside the desert was significantly higher than the desert surface, which showed moderate spatial differentiation. The topography of low mountains and hilly basins affected near-surface sandstorm processes and the formation and evolution of sandstorm landforms.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers 42261002 and 41861001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Aeolian Sand Physics and Sand Control Engineering, College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 29 Erdos East Street, Hohhot, 010018, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China

    Xiya Liu, Haibing Wang & Hejun Zuo

  2. Forestry and Grassland Development Center, Ordos City, 017010, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China

    Nana Liu

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  1. Xiya Liu
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  4. Nana Liu
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Contributions

Dear editor, the author Liu Xiya conducted field sampling and indoor experiments, and completed the data processing and analysis and paper writing process. Author Wang Haibing helped with the setting of the experimental scheme and the final revision of the paper, author Zuo Hejun helped with the revision of the paper, and author Liu Nana helped in the field and indoor experiments. In the subsequent paper guidance process, Hejun Zuo* provided the project and some data support, as well as a lot of opinions and revision work, which was of great help to this article. Therefore, I have already communicated with all the authors, and the corresponding author was changed to Zuo Hejun, and has been modified in line 14~18 in the marked manuscript. I hope the chief editor can understand it

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Correspondence to Hejun Zuo.

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Liu, X., Wang, H., Zuo, H. et al. Wind and sand environment and spatial differentiation of sediment in the west desert of Yinshan Mountain in China. Environ Earth Sci 83, 139 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-11360-w

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