Two Alternating Processes of Particle Size Distribution of Barchan Dunes at the Edge of the Oasis in Hexi Corridor, Gansu

摘要

cqvip:Barchan dunes are a common type of dune. There are a lot of barchan dunes at accumulated sand-belts of the oasis edge of Hexi desert area of Gansu. What is characteristic of the particle size of barchan dunes? How is this particle size characteristic formed? Characteristics of particle size were analyzed in this paper by comprehensive investigation and sampling in Hexi Corridor desert area, and repeated sampling and determination in Minqin desert area. The results showed that:(1) The particle size of 0.25–0.05 mm and particle size of 0.5–0.25 mm were the main ingredients at the surface 0–5 cm depth of barchan dunes and barchan dune chains in desert area in Hexi Corridor of Gansu. Sand in Gulang desert area was relatively finer and the particle size was quite different from that of Jinchang, Linze, Jinta and Minqin desert area;(2) The particle size was changed from coarse to fine from the bottom to the top of the dunes in the main wind direction(NW) process. i.e. there was the most silt at the top of the dunes, followed by the middle of the leeward slope. The bottom of the windward slope had the most coarse sand, followed by the middle of the windward slope. The barchan dunes were changed from coarse to fine, then from fine to coarse from the bottom to the top of the dunes in the reverse wind direction(SE) process, i.e. there was the most silt in the middle of the windward slope, followed by the top of sand dunes. The bottom of the windward slope had the most coarse sand, followed by the middle of the windward slope. The standard deviation and coefficient of variation of sand dune particle size in the main wind direction process was larger, and the standard deviation and coefficient of variation of sand dune particle size in the reverse wind direction process was smaller;(3) The two processes of the main wind direction(NW) and the reverse wind direction(SE) led to alternating changes in particle size in various parts of the dunes. Two different conclusions on particle size distribution of barchan dunes in windward slope were due to the observation season differences.