A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAGNETIC ANISOTROPY OF MODERN EOLIAN SEDIMENTS AND WIND DIRECTION

A wind tunnel experiment and three other experiments about simulating eolian (loess and desert sand) sedimentation were conducted to inveshgate the relationship between wind direction and maximum axis direction of magnetic anisotropy of eolian sediments. Magnetic anisotropy of modem surface soil from Loess Plateau and of dune sand from desert in arid area were also measured in order to furtherly study the relationship under natural condition. The results of the simulation experimentS show that declination of maximum axis of magnetic anisotropy correlate not duly with wind direction, but also with accumulation. A good correlation exists between declination of maximum axis of magnetic anisotropy and high accumulation wind direction (α9520°);The results of modern soil and eolian sand indicate that the declination of maximum axis direction of the magnetic anisotropy is the same as the eolian-bearing wind direction obtained from meteorological records. These results lead to the conclusion that declination of maximum axis of magnetic anisotropy of eolian sediment can be used as an indicator of wind transportation direction, especially the direction of eolian dust/ sand-bearing wind.