Improving measurements, models and predictions of aeolian particle transport and landscape dynamics

风（风）过程和地貌在地球和其他类地行星上无处不在。风对颗粒物的夹带、输送和沉积会影响气候、土壤、水文、灾害、生态，并对人类健康、粮食安全、供水、荒漠化和安全产生连带影响。在某些情况下，风成输运主要是由沉积颗粒，从沙子到灰尘，而在其他地方则主要是雪。尽管它在这些应用领域的作用，可靠的预测风成过程和景观动力学仍然难以捉摸。然而，对加拿大人来说，预测对于减轻风成过程造成的不利影响很重要。80多年前，我们亲身经历过，我们对风成过程的有限理解可能会产生可怕的后果。风蚀造成的大量表土流失，加上持续的干旱，使加拿大大草原和大平原的大部分地区变成了沙尘暴。今天，风成过程和景观动态的影响仍然很大，包括油砂造成的风蚀有毒粉尘、草原荒漠化的风险以及雪堆造成的冬季危害。我们减轻这些影响的能力取决于我们测量和预测过程和景观反应的能力。考虑到这一点，本文提出的研究的目标是改善我们如何测量，建模和预测风成系统动力学，并在这样做，增加全球和社会相关问题的贡献，风成研究。为了实现这一里程碑，NSERC DG资金将通过实现现场测量，实验和建模的紧密集成，为假设检验和预测奠定基础。研究分为3个主题：（i）预测和测量风成颗粒输送，（ii）大气边界层气流、风成颗粒输送和景观动态之间的反馈，以及（iii）人为改变表面的风蚀。通过将基础研究和应用研究联系起来，我们将提供风成动力学的功能预测，以支持加拿大和国外的决策和管理。

Aeolian (wind) processes and landforms are ubiquitous on Earth and other terrestrial planets. The entrainment, transport and deposition of particles by wind impacts climate, soils, hydrology, hazards, ecology, and has allied impacts on human health, food security, water supply, desertification, and safety. In some settings aeolian transport is dominated by sedimentary particles, ranging from sand to dust, while in others snow prevails. Despite its role in these applied areas, reliable prediction of aeolian processes and landscape dynamics remains elusive. However, for Canadians, prediction is important to mitigate adverse effects caused by aeolian processes. More than 80 years ago we experienced first-hand that our limited understanding of aeolian processes can have dire consequences. Massive topsoil losses from wind erosion coupled with persistent drought transformed the Canadian prairies and much of the Great Plains into a Dust Bowl. Today, the impact of aeolian processes and landscape dynamics is still significant, including wind-eroded toxic dust from the oil sands, risk of desertification on the prairies, and winter hazards caused by snowdrifting. Our capacity to mitigate these impacts hinges on our ability to measure and predict the processes and landscape response. With this in mind, the objective of the research proposed herein is to improve how we measure, model and predict aeolian system dynamics and, in so doing, increase the contribution of aeolian research to global and societally-relevant issues. To accomplish this milestone NSERC DG funding will create a foundation for hypothesis testing and prediction by enabling a cohesive integration of field measurements, experiments and modeling. The research is divided into 3 themes: (i) prediction and measurement of aeolian particle transport, (ii) feedbacks among atmospheric boundary layer airflow, aeolian particle transport and landscape dynamics, and (iii) wind erosion of human-altered surfaces. By linking fundamental and applied research we will provide functional predictions of aeolian dynamics in support of decision making and management in Canada and abroad.