Formation mechanism and development pattern of aeolian sand landform in Yarlung Zangbo River valley

摘要

Aeolian sand landforms in the Yarlung Zangbo River valley can be divided into 4 classes and 21 types. The river valley has favourable environment conditions for the development of aeolian sand landforms. Simulation of MM4 mid-scale climate model showed that the near-surface flow field and wind vector field during the winter half year in the fiver valley are generally favourable for the aeolian sand deposition and as a whole they also affect the distribution zones and sites of aeolian sand landforms. Sand dunes and sand dune groups in the fiver valley developed mainly in three ways, namely windward retarding deposition, leeward back flow deposition and bend circumfluence deposition. Through alternating positive-reverse processes of sand dune formation under wind actions and sand dune vanishing under water actions, sand dunes developed from primary zone through main-body zone then to vanishing zone where climbing dunes and falling dunes are declining and are even disappearing.