An evaluation of the efficiency of some eolian dust collectors

Abstract Accurate dust collectors are important in evaluating soil movement by wind. The relative efficiency of four types of eolian dust collectors was investigated by examining dust deposition efficiency in an eolian dust tunnel, and measuring long-term accumulation efficiency during a 24-month field experiment in a desert environment. The deposition and accumulation surfaces of the collectors tested, were: (1) a dry and flat surface, (2) a flat but moist surface, (3) a surface composed of two superimposed layers of marbles, and (4) a free water surface. The water collector showed the highest efficiency, both for deposition and accumulation. Deposition efficiency of the marble collector was comparable to that of the water collector, but the former was more sensitive to post-depositional erosion. The effect of post-depositional erosion was most evident in the dry and the moist collectors tested. In general, deposition efficiency of the moist collector was lower than that of the dry collectors The latter was extremely sensitive to erosion, however, so that its accumulation efficiency was lower. Both collector types were less efficient than water and marble collectors for deposition as well as for accumulation.

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