Meteorological application of wind speed and direction linked to remote sensing images for the modelling of sand drift potential and dune morphology

Abstract

Wind velocity and its direction are important erosive factors affecting sand drift potential and dune morphology in arid and semi-arid environments. The study assesses sand drift potential using wind meteorological data acquired from eight synoptic stations of Kerman province in southeastern Iran for a statistical period of 2006–2010. Three diagrams including wind rose, storm rose and sand rose were plotted for the selected stations using WR Plot View.8 and Sand Rose Graph 3.0. The analyses were performed at seasonal and mean annual time scales. The unidirectional index and wind energy classification were compared with sand dune morphology obtained from satellite images. The seasonal analysis indicated intermediate directional variability and high energy winds, with the most erosive winds occurring in winter. The total sand flux in all directions and discharge sand flow in the resultant drift direction ranged from 53.4 to 319.1 and from 13.8 to 247.6 t·m−1·year−1, respectively. The transverse dune was the main type of sand dune detected in the region with an intermediate directional variability, implying positive sand supplies. Dune morphology coincided reasonably well with the resultant drift direction. An appropriate match was found between the wind data analyses and the morphology of dunes observed in the satellite images.