28 research outputs found
Modelling formation and evolution of transverse dune fields
We model formation and evolution of transverse dune fields. In the model,
only the cross section of the dune is simulated. The only physical variable of
relevance is the dune height, from which the dune width and velocity are
determined, as well as phenomenological rules for interaction between two dunes
of different heights. We find that dune fields with no sand on the ground
between dunes are unstable, i.e. small dunes leave the higher ones behind. We
then introduce a saturation length to simulate transverse dunes on a sand bed
and show that this leads to stable dune fields with regular spacing and dune
heights. Finally, we show that our model can be used to simulate coastal dune
fields if a constant sand influx is considered, where the dune height increases
with the distance from the beach, reaching a constant value.Comment: 18 pages including 9 figure
Minimal size of a barchan dune
Barchans are dunes of high mobility which have a crescent shape and propagate
under conditions of unidirectional wind. However, sand dunes only appear above
a critical size, which scales with the saturation distance of the sand flux [P.
Hersen, S. Douady, and B. Andreotti, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf{89,}} 264301 (2002);
B. Andreotti, P. Claudin, and S. Douady, Eur. Phys. J. B {\bf{28,}} 321 (2002);
G. Sauermann, K. Kroy, and H. J. Herrmann, Phys. Rev. E {\bf{64,}} 31305
(2001)]. It has been suggested by P. Hersen, S. Douady, and B. Andreotti, Phys.
Rev. Lett. {\bf{89,}} 264301 (2002) that this flux fetch distance is itself
constant. Indeed, this could not explain the proto size of barchan dunes, which
often occur in coastal areas of high litoral drift, and the scale of dunes on
Mars. In the present work, we show from three dimensional calculations of sand
transport that the size and the shape of the minimal barchan dune depend on the
wind friction speed and the sand flux on the area between dunes in a field. Our
results explain the common appearance of barchans a few tens of centimeter high
which are observed along coasts. Furthermore, we find that the rate at which
grains enter saltation on Mars is one order of magnitude higher than on Earth,
and is relevant to correctly obtain the minimal dune size on Mars.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure
Dune formation on the present Mars
We apply a model for sand dunes to calculate formation of dunes on Mars under
the present Martian atmospheric conditions. We find that different dune shapes
as those imaged by Mars Global Surveyor could have been formed by the action of
sand-moving winds occuring on today's Mars. Our calculations show, however,
that Martian dunes could be only formed due to the higher efficiency of Martian
winds in carrying grains into saltation. The model equations are solved to
study saltation transport under different atmospheric conditions valid for
Mars. We obtain an estimate for the wind speed and migration velocity of
barchan dunes at different places on Mars. From comparison with the shape of
bimodal sand dunes, we find an estimate for the timescale of the changes in
Martian wind regimes.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figure
The apparent roughness of a sand surface blown by wind from an analytical model of saltation
We present an analytical model of aeolian sand transport. The model
quantifies the momentum transfer from the wind to the transported sand by
providing expressions for the thickness of the saltation layer and the apparent
surface roughness. These expressions are derived from basic physical principles
and a small number of assumptions. The model further predicts the sand
transport rate (mass flux) and the impact threshold (the smallest value of the
wind shear velocity at which saltation can be sustained). We show that, in
contrast to previous studies, the present model's predictions are in very good
agreement with a range of experiments, as well as with numerical simulations of
aeolian saltation. Because of its physical basis, we anticipate that our model
will find application in studies of aeolian sand transport on both Earth and
Mars
Discrete element simulation and experimental study of powder spreading process in additive manufacturing
Powders used in additive manufacturing (AM) are spread into a compact layer of particles for sintering and this process is repeated layer by layer to form the final products. Spreading of rod-shaped particles in realistic AM settings is simulated using the discrete element method (DEM) to investigate the effects of particle shape and operating conditions on the bed quality, characterised by its surface roughness and solid volume fraction. It is discovered that larger particle aspect ratios, Ar, or higher spreader translational velocities result in a lower bed quality, i.e. a larger surface roughness and a smaller volume fraction. The surface roughness increases monotonically with Ar. However, the volume fraction exhibits a maximum at Ar = 1.5 for randomly packed powder beds that are formed by the roller type spreaders moving at low translational velocities. It is also found that a roller outperforms a blade spreader in terms of the quality of the prepared bed at the same operating conditions. The micro-structural analysis of the beds also shows particle alignment in response to the induced flow, which is qualitatively confirmed by a set of purposely-designed experiments. In addition, a shape segregation is documented for powders with mixed aspect ratios (Ar) such that particles with larger Ar tend to accumulate on the upper layers of the bed
Reply to “Comment on ‘Minimal size of a barchan dune’ ”
DelftChemTechApplied Science
Vegetation controls on the maximum size of coastal dunes
Coastal dunes, in particular foredunes, support a resilient ecosystem and reduce coastal vulnerability to storms. In contrast to dry desert dunes, coastal dunes arise from interactions between biological and physical processes. Ecologists have traditionally addressed coastal ecosystems by assuming that they adapt to preexisting dune topography, whereas geomorphologists have studied the properties of foredunes primarily in connection to physical, not biological, factors. Here, we study foredune development using an ecomorphodynamic model that resolves the coevolution of topography and vegetation in response to both physical and ecological factors. We find that foredune growth is eventually limited by a negative feedback between wind flow and topography. As a consequence, steady-state foredunes are scale invariant, which allows us to derive scaling relations for maximum foredune height and formation time. These relations suggest that plant zonation (in particular for strand “dune-building” species) is the primary factor controlling the maximum size of foredunes and therefore the amount of sand stored in a coastal dune system. We also find that aeolian sand supply to the dunes determines the timescale of foredune formation. These results offer a potential explanation for the empirical relation between beach type and foredune size, in which large (small) foredunes are found on dissipative (reflective) beaches. Higher waves associated with dissipative beaches increase the disturbance of strand species, which shifts foredune formation landward and thus leads to larger foredunes. In this scenario, plants play a much more active role in modifying their habitat and altering coastal vulnerability than previously thought