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

风成过程和地貌在地球和其他类地行星上无处不在。风对颗粒的夹带、运输和沉积影响气候、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。在一些地区，风成运输主要由沉积颗粒主导，从沙子到灰尘不等，而在另一些地区，则主要是雪。尽管它在这些应用领域发挥了作用，但可靠的风成过程和景观动态预测仍然难以捉摸。然而，对加拿大人来说，预报对于减轻风成过程造成的不利影响很重要。80多年前，我们亲身体验到，我们对风成过程的有限理解可能会带来可怕的后果。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，包括油砂中被风侵蚀的有毒粉尘、草原沙漠化的风险以及积雪造成的冬季危害。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，本文提出的研究目标是改进我们如何测量、建模和预测风成系统动力学，并在此过程中增加风成研究对全球和社会相关问题的贡献。为了完成这一里程碑，NSERC DG将通过将现场测量、实验和建模结合起来，为假设检验和预测奠定基础。研究分为3个主题：(i)风成粒子输运的预测与测量；（ii）大气边界层气流、风成粒子输运与景观动力学之间的反馈；（iii）人为改变地表的风蚀。通过将基础研究和应用研究联系起来，我们将提供风沙动力学的功能预测，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.