Dynamics of Aeolian Processes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

南极洲麦克默多干谷的风沙过程动力学

• 批准号: 0636218
• 负责人: Jack Gillies
• 金额: $ 23.54万
• 依托单位: Nevada System of Higher Education, Desert Research Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-04-01 至 2012-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0636218&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dynamics; Aeolian; Processes; McMurdo; Dry

This project characterizes wind-driven sediment transport in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica during both winter and summer periods. Wind is the primary sculptor ofterrain in this region and winter measurements, which have never been undertaken, areessential for determining the frequency and magnitude of transport events. The projectsgoal is to determine if the existing landforms represent relics from past climate regimesor contemporary processes. The project involves two major activities: (1) dynamic andtime-integrated measurements of sand transport to characterize the seasonal behavior,frequency, and magnitude at four sites and (2) detailed surveying of an unusualwind-formed surface feature, the gravel megaripples found in the Wright Valley. Inaddition to interpreting Dry Valleys geomorphology, these data will provide a morequantitative assessment of wind-aided distribution of nutrients, plants, and animals toterrestrial and aquatic ecosystems throughout the Dry Valleys. This research will alsoprovide quantitative information on the effects of extreme cold and low humidity ontransport thresholds and rates, which can be applied to cold desert environments of theArctic, Antarctic, and Mars.

该项目描述了冬季和夏季南极洲麦克默多干谷风力沉积物输送的特征。风是这一地区地形的主要塑造者，冬季测量对于确定运输事件的频率和强度至关重要，这是从未进行过的。该项目的目标是确定现有的地貌是否代表过去气候制度或当代过程的遗迹。该项目包括两个主要活动：（1）动态和时间综合测量沙输运，以表征四个地点的季节性行为，频率和量级;（2）详细调查一种不寻常的风形成的地表特征，即在赖特山谷发现的砾石巨砾。除了解释干旱河谷的地貌，这些数据将提供一个更定量的评估风辅助分布的营养物质，植物和动物的陆地和水生生态系统在整个干旱河谷。这项研究还将提供有关极端寒冷和低湿度对传输阈值和速率影响的定量信息，可应用于北极，南极和火星的寒冷沙漠环境。