Sand Movement patterns in the south of Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

2 Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Wind regime data from the Jask meteorological station from a 20-year statistical period (1985-2005) was analyzed
using the Fryberger method to investigate sand drift potential (DP) in this area. The resultant drift potential and
directional variability of wind were calculated and illustrated. Average annual sand DP was estimated to be 460
vector units (VU), and the sand flux is 51 m3/m.year. Therefore, in view of the wind’s erosive power (calculated by
software using the Lettau-Lettau equation) and according to Fryberger’s classification (1979), this area is categorized
as a high energy wind environment. Calculating DPt in different seasons showed that the strongest winds blow in
summer and winter (158.8 and 152.4 VU), and autumn had the lowest DP. In summer, the wind blows in a southsoutheast
pattern which differs from that of other seasons. Autumn also has the highest frequency of winds swifter
than threshold velocity. The unidirectional index (RDP/DPt) value is 0.08 for this region, which causes the formation
of transverse dunes (barkhanoid) from south-southeast to north-northwest.

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