This paper deals with the effect of rainfall on the process of wind erosion of beach sands and presents results from both field and wind tunnel experiments. Although sediment transport by splash is of secondary importance on coastal dunes, splash-saltation processes can move sediments in conditions where no motion is predicted by aeolian processes. The effect of raindrop impact on the movement of soil particles by wind was measured on a sand beach plain using an acoustic sediment sampler. In general, an increase of particle movement by wind at the sensor heights was observed during rainfall. Rainfall also affected the wind erosion process during and after rain by changing the cohesive conditions of the surface. The influence of the surface moisture content on the initiation of wind erosion and on the vertical distribution of transported sand particles was studied in a wind tunnel. Moisture significantly increased threshold wind velocities for the initiation of sediment transport and modified vertical sediment profiles.
[1]
G. Williams.
SOME ASPECTS OF THE EOLIAN SALTATION LOAD
,
1964
.
[2]
P. Dijk,et al.
Splash-saltation transport under wind-driven rain
,
1992
.
[3]
W. Chepil.
Soil Conditions That Influence Wind Erosion
,
1958
.
[4]
P. Belly,et al.
Sand movement by wind
,
1964
.
[5]
P. Jungerius,et al.
The development of blowouts in ‘de blink’, a coastal dune area near Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands
,
1981
.
[6]
F. Bisal,et al.
INFLUENCE OF MOISTURE ON ERODIBILITY OF SOIL BY WIND
,
1966
.
[7]
J. N. Svasek,et al.
Measurements of sand transport by wind on a natural beach
,
1974
.
[8]
William G. Nickling,et al.
A THEORETICAL AND WIND TUNNEL INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF CAPILLARY WATER ON THE ENTRAINMENT OF SEDIMENT BY WIND
,
1989
.
[9]
R. Sarre.
Evaluation of aeolian sand transport equations using intertidal zone measurements, Saunton Sands, England
,
1988
.