Back to Search
Start Over
Measuring high spatiotemporal variability in saltation intensity using a low-cost Saltation Detection System: Wind tunnel and field experiments
- Source :
- Aeolian Research, 31(Part A), 72. Elsevier Limited
- Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- The commonly observed over prediction of aeolian saltation transport on sandy beaches is, at least in part, caused by saltation intermittency. To study small-scale saltation processes, high frequency saltation sensors are required on a high spatial resolution. Therefore, we developed a low-cost Saltation Detection System (SalDecS) with the aim to measure saltation intensity at a frequency of 10 Hz and with a spatial resolution of 0.10 m in wind-normal direction. Linearity and equal sensitivity of the saltation sensors were investigated during wind tunnel and field experiments. Wind tunnel experiments with a set of 7 SalDec sensors revealed that the variability of sensor sensitivity is at maximum 9% during relatively low saltation intensities. During more intense saltation the variability of sensor sensitivity decreases. A sigmoidal fit describes the relation between mass flux and sensor output measured during 5 different wind conditions. This indicates an increasing importance of sensor saturation with increasing mass flux. We developed a theoretical model to simulate and describe the effect of grain size, grain velocity and saltation intensity on sensor saturation. Time-averaged field measurements revealed sensitivity equality for 85 out of a set of 89 horizontally deployed SalDec sensors. On these larger timescales (hours) saltation variability imposed by morphological features, such as sand strips, can be recognized. We conclude that the SalDecS can be used to measure small-scale spatiotemporal variabilities of saltation intensity to investigate saltation characteristics related to wind turbulence.
- Subjects :
- Mass flux
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Saltation
Field
010502 geochemistry & geophysics
Atmospheric sciences
01 natural sciences
law.invention
Experiment
law
Saltation (geology)
Intermittency
Image resolution
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Wind tunnel
Earth-Surface Processes
Aeolian transport
Equal sensitivity
Geology
Grain size
Environmental science
Aeolian processes
Spatiotemporal variability
Saturation (chemistry)
Piezoelectric sensor
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 18759637
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Aeolian Research, 31(Part A), 72. Elsevier Limited
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....f6974261900bbc27f68fdb6d3592ccbb