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Journal of Arid Land
Journal of Arid Land  2024, Vol. 16 Issue (8): 1147-1162    DOI: 10.1007/s40333-024-0081-4
Research article     
Threshold friction velocity influenced by soil particle size within the Columbia Plateau, northwestern United States
MENG Ruibing1,2,3, MENG Zhongju1,2,3,*(), Brenton SHARRATT4, ZHANG Jianguo5, CAI Jiale1,2,3, CHEN Xiaoyan6
1College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
2Key Laboratory of Aeolian Physics and Desertification Control Engineering from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
3Key Laboratory of Desert Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration, State Forestry and Grassland Administration of China, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
4USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Washington State University, Washington 99164, USA
5College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
6Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Academy of Social Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
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Abstract  

Wind erosion is a geomorphic process in arid and semi-arid areas and has substantial implications for regional climate and desertification. In the Columbia Plateau of northwestern United States, the emissions from fine particles of loessial soils often contribute to the exceedance of inhalable particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10) according to the air quality standards. However, little is known about the threshold friction velocity (TFV) for particles of different sizes that comprise these soils. In this study, soil samples of two representative soil types (Warden sandy loam and Ritzville silt loam) collected from the Columbia Plateau were sieved to seven particle size fractions, and an experiment was then conducted to determine the relationship between TFV and particle size fraction. The results revealed that soil particle size significantly affected the initiation of soil movement and TFV; TFV ranged 0.304-0.844 and 0.249-0.739 m/s for different particle size fractions of Ritzville silt loam and Warden sandy loam, respectively. PM10 and total suspended particulates (TSP) emissions from a bed of 63-90 μm soil particles were markedly higher for Warden sandy loam than for Ritzville silt loam. Together with the lower TFV of Warden sandy loam, dust emissions from fine particles (<100 μm in diameter) of Warden sandy loam thus may be a main contributor to dust in the region's atmosphere, since the PM10 emissions from the soil erosion surfaces and its ensuing suspension within the atmosphere constitute an essential process of soil erosion in the Columbia Plateau. Developing and implementing strategic land management practices on sandy loam soils is therefore necessary to control dust emissions in the Columbia Plateau.

Key words： particle size      threshold friction velocity      inhalable particulate matter      total suspended particles      Warden sandy loam      Ritzville silt loam      Columbia Plateau     
Received: 08 March 2024      Published: 31 August 2024
Corresponding Authors: *MENG Zhongju (E-mail: mengzj@imau.edu.cn)
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MENG Ruibing
MENG Zhongju
Brenton SHARRATT
ZHANG Jianguo
CAI Jiale
CHEN Xiaoyan
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MENG Ruibing, MENG Zhongju, Brenton SHARRATT, ZHANG Jianguo, CAI Jiale, CHEN Xiaoyan. Threshold friction velocity influenced by soil particle size within the Columbia Plateau, northwestern United States. Journal of Arid Land, 2024, 16(8): 1147-1162.

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http://jal.xjegi.com/10.1007/s40333-024-0081-4     OR     http://jal.xjegi.com/Y2024/V16/I8/1147

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of soil tray position in the wind tunnel
Fig. 2 Variations in wind speed (a1-a7) and PM10 (b1-b7) and TSP (c1-c7) concentrations at various heights above the soil surface of Warden sandy loam in different particle size fractions over time in the wind tunnel. u, wind speed; PM10, inhalable particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less; TSP, total suspended particulates. Data presented are in soil particle size fractions of <45, 45-63, 63-90, 90-125, 125-150, 150-250, and 250-500 μm only for wind speed measured at heights of 5 and 100 mm and PM10 and TSP concentrations monitored at heights of 5 and 10 mm. Arrows define when TSP and PM10 concentrations are above background concentrations at multiple heights.
Fig. 3 Variations in wind speed (a1-a7) and PM10 (b1-b7) and TSP (c1-c7) concentrations at various heights above the soil surface of Ritzville silt loam in different particle size fractions over time in the wind tunnel. Data presented are in soil particle size fractions of <45, 45-63, 63-90, 90-125, 125-150, 150-250, and 250-500 μm only for wind speed monitored at heights of 5 and 100 mm and PM10 and TSP concentrations monitored at heights of 5 and 10 mm. Arrows defined when TSP and PM10 concentrations are above background concentrations at multiple heights.
Particle size fraction (μm) Warden sandy loam Ritzville silt loam
Water potential (MPa) Rate of change (%) Water potential (MPa) Rate of change (%)
Before After Before After
<45 -159.82 -136.44 -14.63 -164.37 -158.88 -3.34
45-63 -187.34 -137.79 -26.45 -163.78 -158.98 -2.93
63-90 -146.59 -125.92 -14.10 -238.16 -160.14 -32.76
90-125 -200.22 -145.03 -27.56 -225.64 -181.38 -19.62
125-150 -173.22 -136.05 -21.46 -233.01 -185.51 -20.39
150-250 -216.80 -154.71 -28.64 -232.59 -175.45 -24.57
250-500 -204.99 -122.03 -40.47 -231.29 -170.76 -26.17
Table 1 Water potential for the seven particle size fractions of the two representative soil types determined in the wind tunnel
Fig. 4 Graphical representation of PM10 emissions for different particle size fractions of Warden sandy loam (a) and Ritzville silt loam (b)
Fig. 5 Regression analysis between uz and ln(z) at 20, 30, and 50 mm above the soil surface of the two representative soil types in different particle size fractions. (a), <45 μm; (b), 45-63 μm; (c), 63-90 μm; (d), 90-125 μm; (e), 125-150 μm; (f), 150-250 μm; (g), 250-500 μm. uz is the wind speed at height z.
Fig. 6 Variation in threshold friction velocity (TFV) with particle size fraction for Warden sandy loam (a) and Ritzville silt loam (b)
Fig. 7 Variation in aerodynamic roughness length (z0) with particle size fraction for Warden sandy loam (a) and Ritzville silt loam (b)
Fig. 8 Relationship between TFV and ln(z0) for Warden sandy loam (a) and Ritzville silt loam (b)
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