Wind Effect on the Size Distribution of Saltating Particles

Size distributions of saltating aleurite and sand particles have been measured in a windsand flux in a desertified area in Astrakhan oblast. The distributions are approximated by a sum of lognormal distributions for the aleurite-sand and aleurite fractions. The threshold wind velocity for the total particle concentration is determined under conditions of nonintermittent saltation. It is found that the threshold velocity depends on the size of saltating particles. Empirical approximations of the total number concentration and differential particle concentration of aleurite and sand particles as functions of wind velocity are obtained.