Vegetated dune morphodynamics during recent stabilization of the Mu Us dune field, north-central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhiwei; Mason, Joseph A.; Lu, Huayu

2015-01-01

The response of dune fields to changing environmental conditions can be better understood by investigating how changing vegetation cover affects dune morphodynamics. Significant increases in vegetation and widespread dune stabilization over the years 2000-2012 are evident in high-resolution satellite imagery of the Mu Us dune field in north-central China, possibly a lagged response to changing wind strength and temperature since the 1970s. These trends provide an opportunity to study how dune morphology changes with increasing vegetation stabilization. Vegetation expansion occurs mainly by expansion of pre-existing patches in interdunes. As vegetation spreads from interdunes onto surrounding dunes, it modifies their shapes in competition with wind-driven sand movement, primarily in three ways: 1) vegetation anchoring horns of barchans transforms them to parabolic dunes; 2) vegetation colonizes stoss faces of barchan and transverse dunes, resulting in lower dune height and an elongated stoss face, with shortening of barchan horns; and 3) on transverse dunes, the lee face is fixed by plants that survive sand burial. Along each of these pathways of stabilization, dune morphology tends to change from more barchanoid to more parabolic forms, but that transformation is not always completed before full stabilization. Artificial stabilization leads to an extreme case of "frozen" barchans or transverse dunes with original shapes preserved by rapid establishment of vegetation. Observations in the Mu Us dune field emphasize the point that vegetation growth and aeolian sand transport not only respond to external factors such as climate but also interact with each other. For example, some barchans lose sand mass during vegetation fixation, and actually migrate faster as they become smaller, and vegetation growth on a barchan's lower stoss face may alter sand transport over the dune in a way that favors more rapid stabilization. Conceptual models were generalized for the

Dune Patterns

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-01-23

Data from NASA Cassini spacecraft show that the sizes and patterns of dunes on Saturn moon Titan vary as a function of altitude and latitude left. Images of Earth dunes Oman and Kalahari are shown at right as seen by NASA Terra spacecraft.

Predictability of dune activity in real dune fields under unidirectional wind regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barchyn, Thomas E.; Hugenholtz, Chris H.

2015-02-01

We present an analysis of 10 dune fields to test a model-derived hypothesis of dune field activity. The hypothesis suggests that a quantifiable threshold exists for stabilization in unidirectional wind regimes: active dunes have slipface deposition rates that exceed the vegetation deposition tolerance, and stabilizing dunes have the opposite. We quantified aeolian sand flux, slipface geometry, and vegetation deposition tolerance to directly test the hypothesis at four dune fields (Bigstick, White Sands Stable, White Sands Active, and Cape Cod). We indirectly tested the hypothesis at six additional dune fields with limited vegetation data (Hanford, Año Nuevo, Skagen Odde, Salton Sea, Oceano Stable, and Oceano Active, "inverse calculation sites"). We used digital topographic data and estimates of aeolian sand flux to approximate the slipface deposition rates prior to stabilization. Results revealed a distinct, quantifiable, and consistent pattern despite diverse environmental conditions: the modal peak of prestabilization slipface deposition rates was 80% of the vegetation deposition tolerance at stabilized or stabilizing dune fields. Results from inverse calculation sites indicate deposition rates at stabilized sites were near a hypothesized maximum vegetation deposition tolerance (1 m a-1), and active sites had slipface deposition rates much higher. Overall, these results confirm the hypothesis and provide evidence of a globally applicable, simple, and previously unidentified predictor for the dynamics of vegetation cover in dune fields under unidirectional wind regimes.

What is a Dune: Developing AN Automated Approach to Extracting Dunes from Digital Elevation Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, H.; DeCuir, C.; Wernette, P. A.; Taube, C.; Eyler, R.; Thopson, S.

2016-12-01

Coastal dunes can absorb storm surge and mitigate inland erosion caused by elevated water levels during a storm. In order to understand how a dune responds to and recovers from a storm, it is important that we can first identify and differentiate the beach and dune from the rest of the landscape. Current literature does not provide a consistent definition of what the dune features (e.g. dune toe, dune crest) are or how they can be extracted. The purpose of this research is to develop enhanced approaches to extracting dunes from a digital elevation model (DEM). Manual delineation, convergence index, least-cost path, relative relief, and vegetation abundance were compared and contrasted on a small area of Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS), Preliminary results indicate that the method used to extract the dune greatly affects our interpretation of how the dune changes. The manual delineation method was time intensive and subjective, while the convergence index approach was useful to easily identify the dune crest through maximum and minimum values. The least-cost path method proved to be time intensive due to data clipping; however, this approach resulted in continuous geomorphic landscape features (e.g. dune toe, dune crest). While the relative relief approach shows the most features in multi resolution, it is difficult to assess the accuracy of the extracted features because extracted features appear as points that can vary widely in their location from one meter to the next. The vegetation approach was greatly impacted by the seasonal and annual fluctuations of growth but is advantageous in historical change studies because it can be used to extract consistent dune formation from historical aerial imagery. Improving our ability to more accurately assess dune response and recovery to a storm will enable coastal managers to more accurately predict how dunes may respond to future climate change scenarios.

Stars and linear dunes on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgett, Kenneth S.; Blumberg, Dan G.

1994-01-01

A field containing 11 star and incipient star dunes occurs on Mars at 8.8 deg S, 270.9 deg W. Examples of linear dunes are found in a crater at 59.4 deg S, 343 deg W. While rare, dune varieties that form in bi- and multidirectional wind regimes are not absent from the surface of Mars. The occurence of both of these dune fields offers new insight into the nature of martian wind conditions and sand supply. The linear dunes appears to have formed through modification of a formerly transverse aeolian deposit, suggesting a relatively recent change in local wind direction. The 11 dunes in the star dune locality show a progressive change from barchan to star form as each successive dune has traveled up into a valley, into a more complex wind regime. The star dunes corroborate the model of N. Lancaster (1989), for the formation of star dunes by projection of transverse dunes into a complex, topographically influenced wind regime. The star dunes have dark streaks emanating from them, providing evidence that the dunes were active at or near the time the relevant image was obtained by the Viking 1 orbiter in 1978. The star and linear dunes described here are located in different regions on the martian surface. Unlike most star and linear dunes on Earth, both martian examples are isolated occurrences; neither is part of a major sand sea. Previously published Mars general circulation model results suggest that the region in which the linear dune field occurs should be a bimodal wind regime, while the region in which the star dunes occur should be unimodal. The star dunes are probably the result of localized complication of the wind regime owing to topographic confinement of the dunes. Local topographic influence on wind regime is also evident in the linear dune field, as there are transverse dunes in close proximity to the linear dunes, and their occurrence is best explained by funneling of wind through a topographic gap in the upwind crater wall.

Exploring the contributions of vegetation and dune size to early dune development using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Puijenbroek, Marinka E. B.; Nolet, Corjan; de Groot, Alma V.; Suomalainen, Juha M.; Riksen, Michel J. P. M.; Berendse, Frank; Limpens, Juul

2017-12-01

Dune development along highly dynamic land-sea boundaries is the result of interaction between vegetation and dune size with sedimentation and erosion processes. Disentangling the contribution of vegetation characteristics from that of dune size would improve predictions of nebkha dune development under a changing climate, but has proven difficult due to the scarcity of spatially continuous monitoring data. This study explored the contributions of vegetation and dune size to dune development for locations differing in shelter from the sea. We monitored a natural nebkha dune field of 8 ha, along the coast of the island Texel, the Netherlands, for 1 year using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with camera. After constructing a digital surface model and orthomosaic we derived for each dune (1) vegetation characteristics (species composition, vegetation density, and maximum vegetation height), (2) dune size (dune volume, area, and maximum height), (3) degree of shelter (proximity to other nebkha dunes and the sheltering by the foredune). Changes in dune volume over summer and winter were related to vegetation, dune size and degree of shelter. We found that a positive change in dune volume (dune growth) was linearly related to initial dune volume over summer but not over winter. Big dunes accumulated more sand than small dunes due to their larger surface area. Exposed dunes increased more in volume (0.81 % per dune per week) than sheltered dunes (0.2 % per dune per week) over summer, while the opposite occurred over winter. Vegetation characteristics did not significantly affect dune growth in summer, but did significantly affect dune growth in winter. Over winter, dunes dominated by Ammophila arenaria, a grass species with high vegetation density throughout the year, increased more in volume than dunes dominated by Elytrigia juncea, a grass species with lower vegetation density (0.43 vs. 0.42 (m3 m-3) week-1). The effect of species was irrespective of dune size or

Timing of frost deposition on Martian dunes: A clue to properties of dune particles?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, P.

1987-01-01

Scans were made across the Martian dunes found in images taken at several different times to determine the time history of the dune albedo. Atmospheric contributions were estimated using optical depth data and the brightness of shadows in some images. The data show that the dunes brighten very substantially between L(s) = 10 and 40 deg, depending on the latitude. Bright coverings on dunes form outliers 1 to 5 deg north of the cap edge. Formation of the general cap then sometimes reverses the contrast of the dune field with the surrounding area. Causes for the early deposition of frost on dunes relative to surroundings are discussed.

Dune Variety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form.

Our final look at the north polar erg was taken at 80 degrees North latitude during Northern summer. This image is of lower resolution than the previous images, but covers a much larger area. The dunes have very little remaining frost cover. Note the large extent of coverage, and the different dune forms.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 80.8, Longitude 184.6 East (175.4 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Stratigraphic Architecture of Aeolian Dune Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brothers, S. C.; Kocurek, G.

2015-12-01

Dune interactions, which consist of collisions and detachments, are a known driver of changing dune morphology and provide the dynamics for field-scale patterning. Although interactions are ubiquitous in modern dune fields, the stratigraphic record of interactions has not been explored. This raises the possibility that an entire class of signature architectures of bounding surfaces and cross-strata has gone misidentified or unrecognized. A unique data set for the crescentic dunes of the White Sands Dune Field, New Mexico, allows for the coupling of dune interactions with their resultant stratigraphic architecture. Dune interactions are documented by a decadal time-series of aerial photos and LiDAR-derived digital elevation models. Plan-view cross-strata in interdune areas provide a record tying past dune positions and morphologies to the current dunes. Three-dimensional stratigraphic architecture is revealed by imaging of dune interiors with ground-penetrating radar. The architecture of a dune defect merging with a target dune downwind consists of lateral truncation of the target dune set by an interaction bounding surface. Defect cross-strata tangentially approach and downlap onto the surface. Downwind, the interaction surface curves, and defect and adjacent target dune sets merge into a continuous set. Predictable angular relationships reflect field-scale patterns of dune migration direction and approach angle of migrating defects. The discovery of interaction architectures emphasizes that although dunes appear as continuous forms on the surface, they consist of discrete segments, each with a distinct morphodynamic history. Bedform interactions result in the morphologic recombination of dune bodies, which is manifested stratigraphically within the sets of cross-strata.

Measuring and computing natural ground-water recharge at sites in south-central Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sophocleous, M.A.; Perry, C.A.

1987-01-01

To measure the natural groundwater recharge process, two sites in south-central Kansas were instrumented with sensors and data microloggers. The atmospheric-boundary layer and the unsaturated and saturated soil zones were monitored as a single regime. Direct observations also were used to evaluate the measurements. Atmospheric sensors included an anemometer, a tipping-bucket rain gage, an air-temperature thermistor, a relative-humidity probe, a net radiometer, and a barometric-pressure transducer. Sensors in the unsaturated zone consisted of soil-temperature thermocouples, tensiometers coupled with pressure transducers and dial gages, gypsum blocks, and a neutron-moisture probe. The saturated-zone sensors consisted of a water-level pressure transducer, a conventional float gage connected to a variable potentiometer, soil thermocouples, and a number of multiple-depth piezometers. Evaluation of the operation of these sensors and recorders indicates that certain types of equipment, such as pressure transducers, are very sensitive to environmental conditions. A number of suggestions aimed at improving instrumentation of recharge investigations are outlined. Precipitation and evapotranspiration data, taken together with soil moisture profiles and storage changes, water fluxes in the unsaturated zone and hydraulic gradients in the saturated zone at various depths, soil temperature, water table hydrographs, and water level changes in nearby wells, describe the recharge process. Although the two instrumented sites are located in sand-dune environments in area characterized by a shallow water table and a sub-humid continental climate, a significant difference was observed in the estimated total recharge. The estimates ranged from less than 2.5 mm at the Zenith site to approximately 154 mm at the Burrton site from February to June 1983. The principal reasons that the Burrton site had more recharge than the Zenith site were more precipitation, less evapotranspiration, and a

Investigating Mars: Kaiser Crater Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-24

This VIS image of Kaiser Crater shows individual dunes and where the dunes have coalesced into longer dune forms. The addition of sand makes the dunes larger and the intra-dune areas go from sand-free to complete coverage of the hard surface of the crater floor. With a continued influx of sand the region will transition from individual dunes to a sand sheet with surface dune forms. Kaiser Crater is located in the southern hemisphere in the Noachis region west of Hellas Planitia. Kaiser Crater is just one of several large craters with extensive dune fields on the crater floor. Other nearby dune filled craters are Proctor, Russell, and Rabe. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter. The dunes are located in the southern part of the crater floor. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 1423 Latitude: -46.9573 Longitude: 18.6192 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2002-04-10 16:44 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22173

Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3): Global dune distribution and wind pattern observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayward, Rosalyn K.; Fenton, Lori; Titus, Timothy N.

2014-01-01

The Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) is complete and now extends from 90°N to 90°S latitude. The recently released south pole (SP) portion (MC-30) of MGD3 adds ∼60,000 km2 of medium to large-size dark dune fields and ∼15,000 km2 of sand deposits and smaller dune fields to the previously released equatorial (EQ, ∼70,000 km2), and north pole (NP, ∼845,000 km2) portions of the database, bringing the global total to ∼975,000 km2. Nearly all NP dunes are part of large sand seas, while the majority of EQ and SP dune fields are individual dune fields located in craters. Despite the differences between Mars and Earth, their dune and dune field morphologies are strikingly similar. Bullseye dune fields, named for their concentric ring pattern, are the exception, possibly owing their distinctive appearance to winds that are unique to the crater environment. Ground-based wind directions are derived from slipface (SF) orientation and dune centroid azimuth (DCA), a measure of the relative location of a dune field inside a crater. SF and DCA often preserve evidence of different wind directions, suggesting the importance of local, topographically influenced winds. In general however, ground-based wind directions are broadly consistent with expected global patterns, such as polar easterlies. Intriguingly, between 40°S and 80°S latitude both SF and DCA preserve their strongest, though different, dominant wind direction, with transport toward the west and east for SF-derived winds and toward the north and west for DCA-derived winds.

Once in a Blue Dune

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-06-11

Sand dunes often accumulate in the floors of craters. In this region of Lyot Crater NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) shows a field of classic barchan dunes. Just to the south of the group of barchan dunes is one large dune with a more complex structure. This particular dune, appearing like turquoise blue in enhanced color, is made of finer material and/or has a different composition than the surrounding. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22512

Investigation of Reversing Sand Dunes at the Bruneau Dunes, Idaho, as Analogs for Features on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimbelman, J. R.; Scheidt, S. P.

2012-12-01

The Bruneau Dunes in south-central Idaho include several large reversing sand dunes located within a cut-off meander of the Snake River. These dunes include the largest single-structured sand dune present in North America. Wind records from the Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) installation at the Mountain Home Air Force Base, which is ~21 km NW of the Bruneau Dunes, have proved to be very helpful in assessing the regional wind patterns at this section of the western Snake River Plains province; a bimodal wind regime is present, with seasonal changes of strong (sand-moving) winds blowing from either the northwest or the southeast. During April of 2011, we obtained ten precision topographic surveys across the southernmost reversing dune using a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). The DGPS data document the shape of the dune going from a low, broad sand ridge at the southern distal end of the dune to the symmetrically shaped 112-m-high central portion of the dune, where both flanks of the dune consist of active slopes near the angle of repose. These data will be useful in evaluating the reversing dune hypothesis proposed for enigmatic features on Mars called Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TARs), which could have formed either as large mega-ripples or small sand dunes. The symmetric profiles across TARs with heights greater than 1 m are more consistent with measured profiles of reversing sand dunes than with measured profiles of mega-ripples (whose surfaces are coated by large particles ranging from coarse sand to gravel, moved by saltation-induced creep). Using DGPS to monitor changes in the three-dimensional location of the crests of the reversing dunes at the Bruneau Dunes should provide a means for estimating the likely timescale for changes of TAR crests if the Martian features are indeed formed in the same manner as reversing sand dunes on Earth.

Investigating Mars: Kaiser Crater Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-23

Kaiser Crater is located in the southern hemisphere in the Noachis region west of Hellas Planitia. Kaiser Crater is just one of several large craters with extensive dune fields on the crater floor. Other nearby dune filled craters are Proctor, Russell, and Rabe. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter. The dunes are located in the southeastern part of the crater floor. Most of the individual dunes in Kaiser Crater are barchan dunes. Barchan dunes are crescent shaped with the points of the crescent pointing downwind. The sand is blown up the low angle side of the dune and then tumbles down the steep slip face. This dune type forms on hard surfaces where there is limited amounts of sand. Barchan dunes can merge together over time with increased sand in the local area. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 1036 Latitude: -46.7795 Longitude: 20.2075 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2002-03-09 20:07 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22172

Investigating Mars: Kaiser Crater Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-29

This VIS image of Kaiser Crater shows a region of the dunes with varied appearances. The different dune forms developed due to different amounts of available sand, different wind directions, and the texture of the crater floor. The dune forms change from the bottom to the top of the image - large long connected dunes, to large individual dunes, to the very small individual dunes at the top of the image. Kaiser Crater is located in the southern hemisphere in the Noachis region west of Hellas Planitia. Kaiser Crater is just one of several large craters with extensive dune fields on the crater floor. Other nearby dune filled craters are Proctor, Russell, and Rabe. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter. The dunes are located in the southern part of the crater floor. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 17686 Latitude: -46.6956 Longitude: 19.8394 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2005-12-09 13:25 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22261

Dunes of the Southern Highlands

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-23

Sand dunes are scattered across Mars and one of the larger populations exists in the Southern hemisphere, just west of the Hellas impact basin. The Hellespontus region features numerous collections of dark, dune formations that collect both within depressions such as craters, and among "extra-crater" plains areas. This image displays the middle portion of a large dune field composed primarily of crescent-shaped "barchan" dunes. Here, the steep, sunlit side of the dune, called a slip face, indicates the down-wind side of the dune and direction of its migration. Other long, narrow linear dunes known as "seif" dunes are also here and in other locales to the east. NB: "Seif" comes from the Arabic word meaning "sword." The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 25.5 centimeters (10 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning); objects on the order of 77 centimeters (30.3 inches) across are resolved.] North is up. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21571

Isolated Northern Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form.

This VIS image was taken at 81 degrees North latitude during Northern spring. In this region, the dunes are isolated from each other. The dunes are just starting to emerge from the winter frost covering appearing dark with bright crests. These dunes are located on top of ice.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 82.1, Longitude 191.3 East (168.7 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Dunes on Pluto

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telfer, Matt W.; Parteli, Eric J. R.; Radebaugh, Jani; Beyer, Ross A.; Bertrand, Tanguy; Forget, François; Nimmo, Francis; Grundy, Will M.; Moore, Jeffrey M.; Stern, S. Alan; Spencer, John; Lauer, Tod R.; Earle, Alissa M.; Binzel, Richard P.; Weaver, Hal A.; Olkin, Cathy B.; Young, Leslie A.; Ennico, Kimberly; Runyon, Kirby; aff12

2018-06-01

The surface of Pluto is more geologically diverse and dynamic than had been expected, but the role of its tenuous atmosphere in shaping the landscape remains unclear. We describe observations from the New Horizons spacecraft of regularly spaced, linear ridges whose morphology, distribution, and orientation are consistent with being transverse dunes. These are located close to mountainous regions and are orthogonal to nearby wind streaks. We demonstrate that the wavelength of the dunes (~0.4 to 1 kilometer) is best explained by the deposition of sand-sized (~200 to ~300 micrometer) particles of methane ice in moderate winds (<10 meters per second). The undisturbed morphology of the dunes, and relationships with the underlying convective glacial ice, imply that the dunes have formed in the very recent geological past.

High Dune is First Martian Dune Studied up Close

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-12-10

The rippled surface of the first Martian sand dune ever studied up close fills this view of "High Dune" from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity rover. This site is part of the "Bagnold Dunes" field along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. The dunes are active, migrating up to about one yard or meter per year. The component images of this mosaic view were taken on Nov. 27, 2015, during the 1,176th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. The scene is presented with a color adjustment that approximates white balancing, to resemble how the sand would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. The annotated version includes superimposed scale bars of 30 centimeters (1 foot) in the foreground and 100 centimeters (3.3 feet) in the middle distance. Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates Curiosity's Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20168

Seafloor Dunes: Viability as an Analog to Venusian Dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neakrase, L. D.; Titus, T. N.

2016-12-01

Dune fields on Venus have been limited to two potential sites discovered during the analysis of Magellan Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data acquired in the 1990s. Several other potential locations could also contain possible dunes but are indistinguishable from other bedforms in the SAR data. Exact morphologies of Venusian dunes are in part speculation due to radar resolution limits that in turn mask the exact formation conditions based on radar data alone. However, near surface winds measured by the Soviet Venera landers were similar to seafloor current speeds (1-2 m s-1) responsible for ripple and dune formation on the seafloor. This similarity suggests that there is a potential for material to be moved on the Venusian surface if present, though most likely for different shear stress conditions. We examine the viability of using terrestrial seafloor dunes and ripples as a possible analog to Venus by comparison of fluid properties of traditional aeolian dune formation with that of the Venusian near-surface atmosphere and seafloor ocean current conditions throughout the literature. Typical surface materials could range in density from 2600 to 3000+ kg m-3 for carbonates or silica (seafloor) to basaltic sands (Venus?) with particle sizes on the order of 100 µm. Similarity of the flow regimes rests heavily on the density/viscosity of the flow medium as shown in historic wind tunnel studies of ripple and dune formation across planetary environments on Earth, Mars, and Venus. Kinematic velocity values could vary from 1.5x10-5 m2 s-1 for Earth atmosphere to values approaching 10-6 m2 s-1 for subaqueous or 2.5x10-7 m2 s-1 for Venus (or Venus analog wind tunnel studies). These values lead to particle Reynolds numbers (Re = Dp*u*t / nu; Dp-particle diameter, u*t-friction velocity, nu-kinematic velocity of fluid) on order of 1.7 for Earth air, 5 for water, and 10 for Venus. We plan to explore how these values affect the drag forces for a range of conditions pertaining to

Dunes in Brashear

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-01-08

This Mars Global Surveyor MGS Mars Orbiter Camera MOC image shows a field of dark sand dunes on the northwestern floor of Brashear Crater. The dunes formed largely from winds that blew from the southeast lower right

Hardened Dunes in Arcadia Planitia

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-10-29

NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE, with its high resolution and eight years in orbit about Mars, has shown that many dunes and ripples on the planet are active. This demonstrates that in some areas sand is loose enough and winds strong enough, that significant change can occur. Nevertheless, other Martian dunes are clearly *inactive*. This image in Arcadia Planitia shows dunes in a crater. Unlike active dunes on the planet, those here are bright, and, zooming in, there are several lines of evidence indicating that the dunes have become indurated, that is, hardened into cohesive sediment or even into sandstone rock. For example, the dune field at the southern edge is cut off by a step cliff, indicating erosion of hard material. Although fine scale ripples on the original dune surface are preserved, we also see large scale fluting from southwest to northeast, a common texture associated with wind-induced sand abrasion. How these dunes became indurated is unknown. One possibility is that this area of Mars was buried and then exhumed, a process that seems to have occurred many times in the Martian past over various areas of the planet. During burial, compaction and possibly ground water circulation would have indurated the dunes, leaving them as a hard sandstone that, when exhumed, was subsequently partially eroded. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA18890

Dunes in Twilight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

17 January 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows frost-covered north polar dunes in early January 2004. When this picture was taken, the dunes were in twilight, just before the late winter dawn that would come a few days later. These dunes spent many of the last several months in complete darkness. In this image, they are illuminated only by sunlight that has been scattered over the horizon by the martian atmosphere. These dunes are located near 77.0oN, 246.2oW. The image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and has been expanded by 200% from its original 12 meters (39 ft.) per pixel scale. While the sun had not yet risen when the image was obtained, illumination is mostly from the lower left.

'Endurance Crater's' Dazzling Dunes (false-color)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

As NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity creeps farther into 'Endurance Crater,' the dune field on the crater floor appears even more dramatic. This false-color image taken by the rover's panoramic camera shows that the dune crests have accumulated more dust than the flanks of the dunes and the flat surfaces between them. Also evident is a 'blue' tint on the flat surfaces as compared to the dune flanks. This results from the presence of the hematite-containing spherules ('blueberries') that accumulate on the flat surfaces.

Sinuous tendrils of sand less than 1 meter (3.3 feet) high extend from the main dune field toward the rover. Scientists hope to send the rover down to one of these tendrils in an effort to learn more about the characteristics of the dunes. Dunes are a common feature across the surface of Mars, and knowledge gleaned from investigating the Endurance dunes close-up may apply to similar dunes elsewhere.

Before the rover heads down to the dunes, rover drivers must first establish whether the slippery slope that leads to them is firm enough to ensure a successful drive back out of the crater. Otherwise, such hazards might make the dune field a true sand trap.

Stability of isolated Barchan dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fourrière, Antoine; Charru, François

2010-11-01

When sand grains are entrained by an air flow over a non-erodible ground, or with limited sediment supply from the bed, they form isolated dunes showing a remarkable crescentic shape with horns pointing downstream. These dunes, known as Barchan dunes, are commonly observed in deserts, with height of a few meters and velocity of a few meters per year (Bagnold 1941). These dunes also exist under water, at a much smaller, centimetric size (Franklin & Charru 2010). Their striking stability properties are not well understood yet. Two phenomena are likely to be involved in this stability: (i) relaxation effects of the sand flux which increases from the dune foot up to the crest, related to grain inertia or deposition, and (ii) a small transverse sand flux due to slope effects and the divergence of the streamlines of the fluid flow. We reproduced aqueous Barchan dunes in a channel, and studied their geometrical and dynamic properties (in particular their shape, velocity, minimum size, and rate of erosion). Using coloured glass beads (see the figure), we were then able to measure the particle flux over the whole dune surface. We will discuss the stability of these dunes in the light of our measurements.

Copernicus Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

22 December 2005 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dark teardrop-shaped sand dunes in eastern Copernicus Crater. The winds responsible for these dunes generally blow from the south-southwest (lower left).

Location near: 48.7oS, 167.4oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer

Quantifying energy and water fluxes in dry dune ecosystems of the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voortman, B. R.; Bartholomeus, R. P.; van der Zee, S. E. A. T. M.; Bierkens, M. F. P.; Witte, J. P. M.

2015-09-01

water resources, especially during a changing climate with an increasing number of drought days. Therefore, such feedbacks need to be integrated into a coupled plant physiological and hydrometeorological model to accurately simulate ETa. In addition, our study showed that groundwater recharge in dunes can be increased considerably by promoting moss vegetation, especially of open-structured moss species.

Quantifying energy and water fluxes in dry dune ecosystems of the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voortman, B. R.; Bartholomeus, R. P.; van der Zee, S. E. A. T. M.; Bierkens, M. F. P.; Witte, J. P. M.

2015-04-01

of importance to water resources, especially during a changing climate with increasing number of drought days. Therefore, such feedbacks need to be integrated into a coupled plant physiological and hydro-meteorological model to accurately simulate ETa. In addition, our study showed that groundwater recharge in dunes can be increased considerably by promoting moss vegetation, especially of open structured moss species.

A data driven model for dune morphodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmsten, M.; Brodie, K.; Spore, N.

2016-12-01

Dune morphology results from a number of competing feedbacks between wave, Aeolian, and biologic processes. Only now are conceptual and numerical models for dunes beginning to incorporate all aspects of the processes driving morphodynamics. Drawing on a 35-year record of observations of dune morphology and forcing conditions at the Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility (FRF) at Duck, NC, USA, we hypothesize that local dune morphology results from the competition between dune growth during dry windy periods and erosion during storms. We test our hypothesis by developing a data driven model using a Bayesian network to hindcast dune-crest elevation change, dune position change, and shoreline position change. Model inputs include a description of dune morphology from dune-crest elevation, dune-base elevation, dune width, and beach width. Wave forcing and the effect of moisture is parameterized in terms of the maximum total water level and period that waves impact the dunes, along with precipitation. Aeolian forcing is parameterized in terms of maximum wind speed, direction and period that wind exceeds a critical value for sediment transport. We test the sensitivity of our model to forcing parameters and hindcast the 35-year record of dune morphodynamics at the FRF. We also discuss the role of vegetation on dune morphologic differences observed at the FRF.

Dunes Around Khnifiss Lagoon (Tarfaya, SW of Morocco): Composition, Itinerary In Dune Fields, Effects on Dunes' Colours and Morphodynamic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adnani, M.; Azzaoui, M. A.; Elbelrhiti, H.; Ahmamou, M.; Masmoudi, L.

2015-12-01

Dunes around Khnifiss lagoon (28° 3'N, 12°13'W) show different colors ranging from black at the beach, whitish yellow in transverse dunes near the beach to reddish at the mega barchans situated few kilometers in the SW. The scientific question is about the abundance of different dunes in the same environmental conditions. The present work aims to investigate the factors that influence dunes color change, and then at which degree these factors could control dunes stability. To highlight the difference in color observed at the dune fields then to characterize dunes mineralogy, Landsat TM images were used in addition to mineralogical analysis that was carried out for the black grains samples originated from megabarchans. Optic Microscope and SEM- EDS data was adopted, in addition to physico-chemical analysis provided by Electronic Microprobe. Grain size and shape analysis were conducted to characterize the different types of grains of sand. 3/1 Landsat image band ratio allowed iron oxide distinction, the results revealed the importance of iron oxide concentration. Furthermore, mineralogical and physico-chemical analysis revealed (i) a high grade of oxides (Rutile, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Ulvöspinel) in samples, (ii) silicates (Quartz, Clinopyroxene, feldspar, Zircon), (iii) phosphate (apatite) and (iv) carbonate (calcite). The grain size analysis of the sand originated from the megabarchans reveals that there are three populations of sand. Black grains with a diameter less than 100μm and dominated by the magnetite, red ones composed mainly by the quartz with diameter between 100 and 180 μm and grains with diameter more than 180 μm are white and composed by carbonates. The threshold of motion of these different grains was calculated. It shows that these different grains have the same threshold of motion, which means that the grain size compensates the density. This explains the abundance of different populations of sand in the same environment. The dominance of iron

Flowing Dunes of Shangri-La

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-09-07

The Shangri-La Sand Sea on Titan is shown in this image from the Synthetic Aperture radar (SAR) on NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Hundreds of sand dunes are visible as dark lines snaking across the surface. These dunes display patterns of undulation and divergence around elevated mountains (which appear bright to the radar), thereby showing the direction of wind and sand transport on the surface. Sands being carried from left to right (west to east) cannot surmount the tallest obstacles; instead, they are directed through chutes and canyons between the tall features, evident in thin, blade-like, isolated dunes between bright some features. Once sands have passed around the obstacles, they resume their downwind course, at first collecting into small, patchy dunes and then organizing into larger, more pervasive linear forms, before being halted once again by obstacles. These patterns reveal the effects not only of wind -- perhaps even modern winds if the dunes are actively moving today -- but also the effects of underlying bedrock and surrounding topography. Dunes across the solar system aid in our understanding of underlying topography, winds and climate, past and present. Similar patterns can be seen in dunes of the Great Sandy Desert in Australia, where dunes undulate broadly across the uneven terrain and are halted at the margins of sand-trapping lakes. The dune orientations correlate generally with the direction of current trade winds, and reveal that winds must have been similar back when the dunes formed, during the Pleistocene glacial and interglacial periods. An annotated version of this radar image is also available.at the Photojournal. North on Titan is up in the image. Radar illuminates the scene from upper right at a 27-degree incidence angle. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20710

Dunes on Pluto.

PubMed

Telfer, Matt W; Parteli, Eric J R; Radebaugh, Jani; Beyer, Ross A; Bertrand, Tanguy; Forget, François; Nimmo, Francis; Grundy, Will M; Moore, Jeffrey M; Stern, S Alan; Spencer, John; Lauer, Tod R; Earle, Alissa M; Binzel, Richard P; Weaver, Hal A; Olkin, Cathy B; Young, Leslie A; Ennico, Kimberly; Runyon, Kirby; Buie, Marc; Buratti, Bonnie; Cheng, Andy; Kavelaars, J J; Linscott, Ivan; McKinnon, William B; Reitsema, Harold; Reuter, Dennis; Schenk, Paul; Showalter, Mark; Tyler, Len

2018-06-01

The surface of Pluto is more geologically diverse and dynamic than had been expected, but the role of its tenuous atmosphere in shaping the landscape remains unclear. We describe observations from the New Horizons spacecraft of regularly spaced, linear ridges whose morphology, distribution, and orientation are consistent with being transverse dunes. These are located close to mountainous regions and are orthogonal to nearby wind streaks. We demonstrate that the wavelength of the dunes (~0.4 to 1 kilometer) is best explained by the deposition of sand-sized (~200 to ~300 micrometer) particles of methane ice in moderate winds (<10 meters per second). The undisturbed morphology of the dunes, and relationships with the underlying convective glacial ice, imply that the dunes have formed in the very recent geological past. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Sojourner at "Mermaid Dune"

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-08-08

This is an image of the rover Sojourner at the feature called Mermaid Dune at the MPF landing site. Mermaid is thought to be a low, transverse dune ridge, with its long (approximately 2 meters) axis transverse to the wind, which is thought to come from the lower left of the image and blow toward the upper right. The rover is facing to the lower left, the "upwind" direction. The rover's middle wheels are at the crestline of the small dune, and the rear wheels are on the lee side of the feature. A soil mechanics experiment was performed to dig into the dune and examine the sediments exposed. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00794

Valles Marineris dune fields as compared with other martian populations: Diversity of dune compositions, morphologies, and thermophysical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chojnacki, Matthew; Burr, Devon M.; Moersch, Jeffrey E.

2014-02-01

Planetary dune field properties and their bulk bedform morphologies relate to regional wind patterns, sediment supply, climate, and topography. On Mars, major occurrences of spatially contiguous low-albedo sand dunes are primarily found in three major topographic settings: impact craters, high-latitude basins, and linear troughs or valleys, the largest being the Valles Marineris (VM) rift system. As one of the primary present day martian sediment sinks, VM holds nearly a third of the non-polar dune area on Mars. Moreover, VM differs from other regions due to its unusual geologic, topographic, and atmospheric setting. Herein, we test the overarching hypothesis that VM dune fields are compositionally, morphologically, and thermophysically distinct from other low- and mid-latitude (50°N-50°S latitude) dune fields. Topographic measurements of dune fields and their underlying terrains indicate slopes, roughnesses, and reliefs to be notably greater for those in VM. Variable VM dune morphologies are shown with topographically-related duneforms (climbing, falling, and echo dunes) located among spur-and-gully wall, landslide, and chaotic terrains, contrasting most martian dunes found in more topographically benign locations (e.g., craters, basins). VM dune fields superposed on Late Amazonian landslides are constrained to have formed and/or migrated over >10s of kilometers in the last 50 My to 1 Gy. Diversity of detected dune sand compositions, including unaltered ultramafic minerals and glasses (e.g., high and low-calcium pyroxene, olivine, Fe-bearing glass), and alteration products (hydrated sulfates, weathered Fe-bearing glass), is more pronounced in VM. Observations show heterogeneous sand compositions exist at the regional-, basinal-, dune field-, and dune-scales. Although not substantially greater than elsewhere, unambiguous evidence for recent dune activity in VM is indicated from pairs of high-resolution images that include: dune deflation, dune migration, slip

Recent Aeolian Dune Change on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bourke, M. C.; Edgett, K. S.; Cantor, B. A.

2007-01-01

Previous comparisons of Martian aeolian dunes in satellite images have not detected any change in dune form or position. Here, we show dome dunes in the north polar region that shrank and then disappeared over a period of 3.04 Mars years (5.7 Earth years), while larger, neighboring dunes showed no erosion or movement. The removal of sand from these dunes indicates that not only is the threshold wind speed for saltation exceeded under present conditions on Mars, but that any sand that is available for transport is likely to be moved. Dunes that show no evidence of change could be crusted, indurated. or subject to infrequent episodes of movement.

The Changing Dunes of Wirtz Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-01-19

The large dark feature is a classic Martian sand dune. Most sand on Earth is made from the mineral quartz, which is white and bright. On Mars, most sand is composed of dark basalt, a volcanic rock. For this reason, dunes on Mars are darker than those on Earth. The dunes in this observation, within Wirtz Crater, are known as "barchans." The steepest slope is on the eastern (right) side, partially in shadow, and represents the direction the dune is migrating as the sand is blown and transported by the wind. Small ripples are visible on much of the dune surface. The dark streaks on the dune are tracks left by passing vortices known to us as dust devils. These raise dust off the dune, revealing a darker substrate. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA12289

Ripples and Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

27 May 2006 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dark sand dunes on the floor of an impact crater west of Hellas Planitia. Portions of the crater floor are exposed near the center and lower right corner of the image but, in general, the floor is covered by large, windblown ripples. The dark dune sand typically covers ripples, indicating that the dunes are younger and made of a more mobile material.

Location near: 43.7oS, 320.4oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer

Dune growth under multidirectional wind regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadal, C.; Rozier, O.; Claudin, P.; Courrech Du Pont, S.; Narteau, C.

2017-12-01

Under unidirectional wind regimes, flat sand beds become unstable to produce periodic linear dunes, commonly called transverse dunes because their main ridges are oriented perpendicular to the air flow. In areas of low sediment availability, the same interactions between flow, transport and topography produce barchan dunes, isolated sand-pile migrating over long distances with a characteristic crescentic shape. For the last fifteen years, barchan dunes and the instability at the origin of transverse dunes have been the subject of numerous studies that have identified a set of characteristic length and time scales with respect to the physical properties of both grains and fluid. This is not the case for dunes developing under multidirectional wind regimes. Under these conditions, dune orientation is measured with respect to the direction of the resultant sand flux. Depending on the wind regime, dunes do not always line up perpendicularly to the resultant sand flux, but can also be at an oblique angle or even parallel to it. These oblique and longitudinal dunes are ubiquitous in all deserts on Earth and planetary bodies because of the seasonal variability of wind orientation. They are however poorly constrained by observations and there is still no complete theoretical framework providing a description of their orientation and initial wavelength. Here, we extend the linear stability analysis of a flat sand of bed done in two dimensions for a unidirectional flow to three dimensions and multidirectional flow regimes. We are able to recover transitions from transverse to oblique or longitudinal dune patterns according to changes in wind regimes. We besides give a prediction for the initial dune wavelength. Our results compare well to previous theory of dune orientation and to field, experimental and numerical data.

Laboratory Observations of Dune Erosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maddux, T. B.; Ruggiero, P.; Palmsten, M.; Holman, R.; Cox, D. T.

2006-12-01

Coastal dunes are an important feature along many coastlines, owing to their input to the sediment supply, use as habitat, and ability to protect onshore resources from wave attack. Correct predictions of the erosion and overtopping rates of these features are needed to develop improved responses to coastal dune damage events, and to determining the likelihood and magnitude of future erosion and overtopping on different beaches. We have conducted a large-scale laboratory study at Oregon State University's O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory (HWRL) with the goal of producing a comprehensive, near prototype-scale, physical model data set of hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphological evolution during extreme dune erosion events. The two goals of this work are (1) to develop a better understanding of swash/dune dynamics and (2) to evaluate and guide further development of dune erosion models. We present initial results from the first phase of the experimental program. An initial beach and dune profile was selected based on field LIDAR-based observations of various U.S. east coast and Gulf coast dune systems. The laboratory beach was brought to equilibrium with pre-storm random wave conditions. It was subsequently subjected to attack from steadily increasing water level and offshore wave heights. Observations made include inner surf zone and swash free surface and velocities as well as wave-by-wave estimates of topographical change at high spatial resolution through the use of stereo video imagery. Future work will include studies of fluid overtopping of the dune and sediment overwash and assessment of the resilience of man-made "push-up" dunes to wave attack in comparison with their more-compacted "natural" cousins.

Investigating Mars: Kaiser Crater Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-30

At the top of this VIS image crescent shaped dunes are visible. As the dunes approach a break in elevation the forms change to connect the crescents together forming long aligned dune forms. Kaiser Crater is located in the southern hemisphere in the Noachis region west of Hellas Planitia. Kaiser Crater is just one of several large craters with extensive dune fields on the crater floor. Other nearby dune filled craters are Proctor, Russell, and Rabe. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter. The dunes are located in the southern part of the crater floor. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 34157 Latitude: -46.9336 Longitude: 18.9272 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2009-08-26 18:49 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22262

Dunes with Frost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

31 May 2004 Springtime for the martian northern hemisphere brings defrosting spots and patterns to the north polar dune fields. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an example located near 76.7oN, 250.4oW. In summer, these dunes would be darker than their surroundings. However, while they are still covered by frost, they are not any darker than the substrate across which the sand is slowly traveling. Dune movement in this case is dominated by winds that blow from the southwest (lower left) toward the northeast (upper right). The picure covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left.

Dune Transition in the High Southern Latitudes

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-19

Sand dune populations on Mars can vary widely with respect to morphology, relief, and activity. One of the most striking examples occurs with the many dune fields of the high Southern latitudes. When we venture south of -60 degrees latitude, we see increasing signs of dune degradation, with subdued dune brinks and broad sandy aprons, rather than sharp, dune crests and distinct boundaries. Dunes this far south are also very modest in height, often consisting solely of flat sand sheets. Additionally, global monitoring campaigns are revealing a noticeable lack of changes in these bedform positions, whereas many dunes and ripples to the north are migrating across the surface. This image shows a moderate sized dune field (-72 degrees latitude) that displays most of these morphologic features and a noticeable absence of dune crests. This transition is likely related to polar processes, ground ice, and changes in regional climate relative to the rest of the planet. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21595

Change Observed in Martian Sand Dune

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-11-16

This animation flips back and forth between views taken in 2010 and 2014 of a Martian sand dune at the edge of Mount Sharp, documenting dune activity. The images are from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. They cover an area about 740 feet (about 225 meters) wide, showing a site called "Dune 2" in the "Bagnold Dunes" dune field. NASA's Curiosity Mars rover will observe this dune up close on the rover's route up Mount Sharp. North is toward the top. The edge of the dune at the crescent-shaped slip face on the south edge advances slightly during the four-year period between the dates of the images. Figure A is an annotated version with an arrow indicating the location of this change. The lighting angle is different in the two images, resulting in numerous changes in shadows. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20161

Mars Global Digital Dune Database; MC-1

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayward, R.K.; Fenton, L.K.; Tanaka, K.L.; Titus, T.N.; Colaprete, A.; Christensen, P.R.

2010-01-01

The Mars Global Digital Dune Database presents data and describes the methodology used in creating the global database of moderate- to large-size dune fields on Mars. The database is being released in a series of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Open-File Reports. The first release (Hayward and others, 2007) included dune fields from 65 degrees N to 65 degrees S (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1158/). The current release encompasses ~ 845,000 km2 of mapped dune fields from 65 degrees N to 90 degrees N latitude. Dune fields between 65 degrees S and 90 degrees S will be released in a future USGS Open-File Report. Although we have attempted to include all dune fields, some have likely been excluded for two reasons: (1) incomplete THEMIS IR (daytime) coverage may have caused us to exclude some moderate- to large-size dune fields or (2) resolution of THEMIS IR coverage (100m/pixel) certainly caused us to exclude smaller dune fields. The smallest dune fields in the database are ~ 1 km2 in area. While the moderate to large dune fields are likely to constitute the largest compilation of sediment on the planet, smaller stores of sediment of dunes are likely to be found elsewhere via higher resolution data. Thus, it should be noted that our database excludes all small dune fields and some moderate to large dune fields as well. Therefore, the absence of mapped dune fields does not mean that such dune fields do not exist and is not intended to imply a lack of saltating sand in other areas. Where availability and quality of THEMIS visible (VIS), Mars Orbiter Camera narrow angle (MOC NA), or Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Context Camera (CTX) images allowed, we classified dunes and included some dune slipface measurements, which were derived from gross dune morphology and represent the prevailing wind direction at the last time of significant dune modification. It was beyond the scope of this report to look at the detail needed to discern subtle dune modification. It was also

Mars global digital dune database: MC-30

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayward, R.K.; Fenton, L.K.; Titus, T.N.; Colaprete, A.; Christensen, P.R.

2012-01-01

The Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) provides data and describes the methodology used in creating the global database of moderate- to large-size dune fields on Mars. The database is being released in a series of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Reports. The first report (Hayward and others, 2007) included dune fields from lat 65° N. to 65° S. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1158/). The second report (Hayward and others, 2010) included dune fields from lat 60° N. to 90° N. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1170/). This report encompasses ~75,000 km2 of mapped dune fields from lat 60° to 90° S. The dune fields included in this global database were initially located using Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) Infrared (IR) images. In the previous two reports, some dune fields may have been unintentionally excluded for two reasons: (1) incomplete THEMIS IR (daytime) coverage may have caused us to exclude some moderate- to large-size dune fields or (2) resolution of THEMIS IR coverage (100 m/pixel) certainly caused us to exclude smaller dune fields. In this report, mapping is more complete. The Arizona State University THEMIS daytime IR mosaic provided complete IR coverage, and it is unlikely that we missed any large dune fields in the South Pole (SP) region. In addition, the increased availability of higher resolution images resulted in the inclusion of more small (~1 km2) sand dune fields and sand patches. To maintain consistency with the previous releases, we have identified the sand features that would not have been included in earlier releases. While the moderate to large dune fields in MGD3 are likely to constitute the largest compilation of sediment on the planet, we acknowledge that our database excludes numerous small dune fields and some moderate to large dune fields as well. Please note that the absence of mapped dune fields does not mean that dune fields do not exist and is not intended to imply a lack of saltating sand in other areas

Proctor Crater Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

This image, located near 30E and 47.5S, displays sand dunes within Proctor Crater. These dunes are composed of basaltic sand that has collected in the bottom of the crater. The topographic depression of the crater forms a sand trap that prevents the sand from escaping. Dune fields are common in the bottoms of craters on Mars and appear as dark splotches that lean up against the downwind walls of the craters. Dunes are useful for studying both the geology and meteorology of Mars. The sand forms by erosion of larger rocks, but it is unclear when and where this erosion took place on Mars or how such large volumes of sand could be formed. The dunes also indicate the local wind directions by their morphology. In this case, there are few clear slipfaces that would indicate the downwind direction. The crests of the dunes also typically run north-south in the image. This dune form indicates that there are probably two prevailing wind directions that run east and west (left to right and right to left).

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project

A World of Snowy Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-21

It is spring in the Northern hemisphere when NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took this image. Over the winter, snow and ice have inexorably covered the dunes. Unlike on Earth, this snow and ice is carbon dioxide, better known to us as dry ice. When the sun starts shining on it in the spring, the ice on the smooth surface of the dune cracks and escaping gas carries dark sand out from the dune below, often creating beautiful patterns. On the rough surface between the dunes, frost is trapped behind small sheltered ridges. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21882

Dune mobility in the St. Anthony Dune Field, Idaho, USA: Effects of meteorological variables and lag time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoover, R. H.; Gaylord, D. R.; Cooper, C. M.

2018-05-01

The St. Anthony Dune Field (SADF) is a 300 km2 expanse of active to stabilized transverse, barchan, barchanoid, and parabolic sand dunes located in a semi-arid climate in southeastern Idaho. The northeastern portion of the SADF, 16 km2, was investigated to examine meteorological influences on dune mobility. Understanding meteorological predictors of sand-dune migration for the SADF informs landscape evolution and impacts assessment of eolian activity on sensitive agricultural lands in the western United States, with implications for semi-arid environments globally. Archival aerial photos from 1954 to 2011 were used to calculate dune migration rates which were subsequently compared to regional meteorological data, including temperature, precipitation and wind speed. Observational analyses based on aerial photo imagery and meteorological data indicate that dune migration is influenced by weather for up to 5-10 years and therefore decadal weather patterns should be taken into account when using dune migration rates as proxies from climate fluctuation. Statistical examination of meteorological variables in this study indicates that 24% of the variation of sand dune migration rates is attributed to temperature, precipitation and wind speed, which is increased to 45% when incorporating lag time.

Crater Floor Dune Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form.

Our final dune image shows a small dune field inside an unnamed crater south of Nili Fossae.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 20.6, Longitude 79 East (281 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Holden Crater Dune Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form.

A common location for dune fields on Mars is in the basin of large craters. This dune field is located in Holden Crater at 25 degrees South atitude.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -25.5, Longitude 326.8 East (33.2 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Development of spatially diverse and complex dune-field patterns: Gran Desierto Dune Field, Sonora, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beveridge, C.; Kocurek, G.; Ewing, R.C.; Lancaster, N.; Morthekai, P.; Singhvi, A.K.; Mahan, S.A.

2006-01-01

The pattern of dunes within the Gran Desierto of Sonora, Mexico, is both spatially diverse and complex. Identification of the pattern components from remote-sensing images, combined with statistical analysis of their measured parameters demonstrate that the composite pattern consists of separate populations of simple dune patterns. Age-bracketing by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) indicates that the simple patterns represent relatively short-lived aeolian constructional events since ???25 ka. The simple dune patterns consist of: (i) late Pleistocene relict linear dunes; (ii) degraded crescentic dunes formed at ???12 ka; (iii) early Holocene western crescentic dunes; (iv) eastern crescentic dunes emplaced at ???7 ka; and (v) star dunes formed during the last 3 ka. Recognition of the simple patterns and their ages allows for the geomorphic backstripping of the composite pattern. Palaeowind reconstructions, based upon the rule of gross bedform-normal transport, are largely in agreement with regional proxy data. The sediment state over time for the Gran Desierto is one in which the sediment supply for aeolian constructional events is derived from previously stored sediment (Ancestral Colorado River sediment), and contemporaneous influx from the lower Colorado River valley and coastal influx from the Bahia del Adair inlet. Aeolian constructional events are triggered by climatic shifts to greater aridity, changes in the wind regime, and the development of a sediment supply. The rate of geomorphic change within the Gran Desierto is significantly greater than the rate of subsidence and burial of the accumulation surface upon which it rests. ?? 2006 The Authors. Journal compilation 2006 International Association of Sedimentologists.

Non-standard neutrino interactions at DUNE

DOE PAGES

de Gouvea, Andre; Kelly, Kevin J.

2016-03-15

Here, we explore the effects of non-standard neutrino interactions (NSI) and how they modify neutrino propagation in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). We find that NSI can significantly modify the data to be collected by the DUNE experiment as long as the new physics parameters are large enough. For example, if the DUNE data are consistent with the standard three-massive-neutrinos paradigm, order 0.1 (in units of the Fermi constant) NSI effects will be ruled out. On the other hand, if large NSI effects are present, DUNE will be able to not only rule out the standard paradigm but alsomore » measure the new physics parameters, sometimes with good precision. We find that, in some cases, DUNE is sensitive to new sources of CP-invariance violation. We also explored whether DUNE data can be used to distinguish different types of new physics beyond nonzero neutrino masses. In more detail, we asked whether NSI can be mimicked, as far as the DUNE setup is concerned, by the hypothesis that there is a new light neutrino state.« less

Environmental Controls and Eco-geomorphic Interactions of the Barchan-to-parabolic Dune Stabilisation and the Parabolic-to-barchan Dune Reactivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Na; Baas, Andreas

2015-04-01

Parabolic dunes are one of a few common aeolian landforms which are highly controlled by eco-geomorphic interactions. Parabolic dunes, on the one hand, can be developed from highly mobile dune landforms, barchans for instance, in an ameliorated vegetation condition; or on the other hand, they can be reactivated and transformed back into mobile dunes due to vegetation deterioration. The fundamental mechanisms and eco-geomorphic interactions controlling both dune transformations remain poorly understood. To bridge the gap between complex processes involved in dune transformations on a relatively long temporal scale and real world monitoring records on a very limited temporal scale, this research has extended the DECAL model to incorporate 'dynamic' growth functions and the different 'growth' of perennial shrubs between growing and non-growing seasons, informed by field measurements and remote sensing analysis, to explore environmental controls and eco-geomorphic interactions of both types of dune transformation. A non-dimensional 'dune stabilising index' is proposed to capture the interactions between environmental controls (i.e. the capabilities of vegetation to withstand wind erosion and sand burial, the sandy substratum thickness, the height of the initial dune, and the sand transport potential), and establish the linkage between these controls and the geometry of a stabilising dune. An example demonstrates how to use the power-law relationship between the dune stabilising index and the normalised migration distance to assist in extrapolating the historical trajectories of transforming dunes. The modelling results also show that a slight increase in vegetation cover of an initial parabolic dune can significantly increase the reactivation threshold of climatic impact (both drought stress and wind strength) required to reactivate a stabilising parabolic dune into a barchan. Four eco-geomorphic interaction zones that govern a barchan-to-parabolic dune transformation

Russell Crater Dunes, Defrosted

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-27

The Russell Crater dune field is covered seasonally by carbon dioxide frost; this image from NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the dune field after the frost has sublimated. There are just a few patches left of the bright seasonal frost.

A Comparative Analysis of Barchan Dunes in the Intra-Crater Dune Fields and the North Polar Sand Sea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bourke, M. C.; Balme, M.; Zimbelman, J.

2004-01-01

Martian sand dunes have the potential to contribute data on geological history through a study of their form. Recognition of the characteristics of both recent and ancient dunes is the first step towards understanding the present as well as past aeolian systems, and by proxy, climatic conditions on Mars. Dunes studied in detail in Viking 1 and 2 Orbiter images have been classified as barchan, barchanoid, transverse, and complex. Regionally, they are concentrated in four locations: The North and South Polar regions, in intra crater dune fields and in troughs and valleys. Here we present the results of a morphometric analysis of barchan dunes in two of these locations: the North Polar Sand Sea (NPSS) and intra-crater dunes.

Dune Exploration: Mars Allegories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahnle, K.; Sleep, N. H.; Abe, Y.; Abe-Ouchi, A.

2005-12-01

We know of one factual habitable planet, although other factual planets can be imagined as habitable. Sometimes the allegory is obvious. E.g., H. G. Wells imagined Martians exterminating humans as an allegory to Englishmen exterminating the Tasmanian aborigines, whilst Percival Lowell saw the global network of Martian canals as a world civilization that had progressed beyond war. But most habitable planets are overtly fictional. The planet properly known as Arrakis and colloquially known as Dune (Herbert 1965) provides an exceptionally well-developed example of a fictional habitable planet. In its particulars Dune resembles a warmer Mars with a breathable oxygen atmosphere. Like Mars, Dune is now a parched desert planet but there are signs that water flowed in the prehistoric past. Dune has small water ice caps at the poles and more extensive deep polar aquifers. The tropics are exceedingly dry but the polar regions are cool and moist enough to have morning dew. Dune is sparsely inhabited by a mix of indigenous and terran flora and fauna. The fictional Dune asks us to consider how much water is enough, why does oxygen accumulate in an atmosphere, and what actually sets the inner edge to the habitable zone. The inner edge of the habitable zone is conventionally set by the onset of the runaway greenhouse effect. The runaway greenhouse occurs when there is enough water vapor in the atmosphere to lift the planet's thermal photosphere off the ground. For a wet planet the mapping between saturation, temperature and optical depth is unique; together these set an upper limit on the rate the amount of thermal radiation that the planet can emit and still maintain a humid atmosphere. A dry atmosphere has a lower opacity for a given temperature, other things equal. With its vast dry equatorial deserts, a habitable Dune can radiate at a significantly higher effective temperature than a wet planet, and so it can provide an abode for life significantly closer to its sun. We use

Optical Dating of Holocene Dune Sands in the Ferris Dune Field, Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stokes, Stephen; Gaylord, David R.

1993-05-01

Optical dating of late Quaternary quartz dune sands from the Clear Creek portion of Ferris dune field, Wyoming, demonstrates the considerable potential of the technique as a chronostratigraphic tool. A sequence of radiocarbon-dated Holocene interdune strata permit optical dating of the intercalated dune sand to be tested; the concordance is good. The optical dates for the aeolian deposits not datable by radiocarbon suggest that aeolian sedimentation at Clear Creek peaked during two relatively short phases at ca. 8500 and 4000 yr B.P. The dates indicate that aeolian accumulation maxima (at least in the Clear Creek area) may not be synchronous with previously defined phases of marked aridity.

Morphodynamics of dome dunes under unimodal wind regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xin; Narteau, Clement; Rozier, Olivier

2017-04-01

Dome dunes are isolated sand piles with a rounded shape and no slip face. They are not only incipient or disappearing dunes, they can also reach a giant size and form dome-dune fields. Nevertheless, unlike other types of dunes, they have not been the subject of intense research, certainly because they result from complex multidirectional wind regimes. Here we analyze the morphodynamics of dome dunes under unimodal wind regimes. From numerical modeling using a normal distribution of sand flux orientation, we show that the transition from barchan to dome dunes occur when the standard deviation is larger than 40°. As confirmed by sand flux roses of dome-dune fields in arid deserts on Earth, it corresponds to RDP/DP-value of 0.8 (RDP/DP is the ratio between the resultant drift potential and the drift potential). Both in the field and in the numerical model, the transition from barchan to dome-dunes can also be captured from the coefficient of variation of the planar dune shape. Not surprisingly, smaller dome dunes are faster than larger ones. However, the dependence of dune migration rate on the RDP-value changes according to the presence or absence of slip faces because of the speed-up effect. Transient finger dunes may develop in dome-dune fields, but they rapidly break-up into smaller bodies. This shows that, contrary to bidirectional wind regimes, a large dispersion of sand flux orientation is not efficient in building longitudinal dunes.

Flowing Dunes of Shangri-La Denoised

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-09-07

This radar image of the Shangri-La Sand Sea on Titan from NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows hundreds of sand dunes are visible as dark lines snaking across the surface. These dunes display patterns of undulation and divergence around elevated mountains (which appear bright to the radar), thereby showing the direction of wind and sand transport on the surface. Sands being carried from left to right (west to east) cannot surmount the tallest obstacles; instead, they are directed through chutes and canyons between the tall features, evident in thin, blade-like, isolated dunes between bright some features. Once sands have passed around the obstacles, they resume their downwind course, at first collecting into small, patchy dunes and then organizing into larger, more pervasive linear forms, before being halted once again by obstacles. These patterns reveal the effects not only of wind -- perhaps even modern winds if the dunes are actively moving today -- but also the effects of underlying bedrock and surrounding topography. Dunes across the solar system aid in our understanding of underlying topography, winds and climate, past and present. Similar patterns can be seen in dunes of the Great Sandy Desert in Australia, where dunes undulate broadly across the uneven terrain and are halted at the margins of sand-trapping lakes. The dune orientations correlate generally with the direction of current trade winds, and reveal that winds must have been similar back when the dunes formed, during the Pleistocene glacial and interglacial periods. The image was taken by the Cassini Synthetic Aperture radar (SAR) on July 25, 2016 during the mission's 122nd targeted Titan encounter. The image has been modified by the denoising method described in A. Lucas, JGR:Planets (2014). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20711

Investigating Mars: Arabia Terra Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-21

This image is located southeast of the region of the large sand dune deposit. Here there is still limited amounts of available sand and the dunes formed are smaller individual features. The rocky floor of the crater is visible between the dunes. In some places the floor is relatively free of hills and mesas, while other locations are dense with features. The hills and mesas in the crater can range up to several hundreds of meters tall. Located in eastern Arabia is an unnamed crater, 120 kilometers (75 miles) across. The floor of this crater contains a large exposure of rocky material, a field of dark sand dunes, and numerous patches of what is probably fine-grain sand. The shape of the dunes indicate that prevailing winds have come from different directions over the years. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 37799 Latitude: 26.2544 Longitude: 63.1648 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-06-22 17:06 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22300

ASTER Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-06

This image of Saudi Arabia shows a great sea of linear dunes in part of the Rub' al Khali, or the Empty Quarter. Acquired on June 25, 2000, the image covers an area 37 kilometers (23 miles) wide and 28 kilometers (17 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. The dunes are yellow due to the presence of iron oxide minerals. The inter-dune area is made up of clays and silt and appears blue due to its high reflectance in band 1. The Rub' al Khali is the world's largest continuous sand desert. It covers about 650,000 square kilometers (250,966 square miles) and lies mainly in southern Saudi Arabia, though it does extend into the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen. One of the world's driest areas, it is uninhabited except for the Bedouin nomads who cross it. The first European to travel through the desert was Bertram Thomas in 1930. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02656

Origin and lateral migration of linear dunes in the Qaidam Basin of NW China revealed by dune sediments, internal structures, and optically stimulated luminescence ages, with implications for linear dunes on Titan: discussion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rubin, David M.; Rubin, Alan M.

2013-01-01

Zhou et al. (2012) proposed that longitudinal dunes in the Qaidam Basin, China, formed like yardangs: by erosion into sediment that was not deposited by those dunes. Because erosion occurs on the upwind flanks of most migrating dunes (Rubin and Hunter, 1982, 1985), the key to demonstrating a yardang-like origin is to show that the dunes did not deposit the strata that they contain. Zhou et al. made this argument by proposing that: (1) The dunes have not deposited cross-strata in the past 810 yr. (2) Cross-bedding within the dunes was not deposited by the dunes on the present-day land surface, but rather by older dunes that had a different morphology. (3) The present dunes are a later generation, “most likely of erosional origin similar to yardangs with orientations controlled by strikes of joints,” (p. 1147). (4) Rates of deflation in the dune field have been extremely high for the past 810–2440 yr. This commentary reviews these conclusions, reviews contradictory observations, and considers alternative interpretations.

Frost on Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

18 March 2005 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dark dunes on a crater floor during the southern spring. Some of the dunes have frost on their south-facing slopes.

Location near: 52.3oS, 326.7oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Spring

A case study on dune response to infragravity waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wenshan; Wang, Hui; Li, Huan; Wu, Shuangquan; Li, Cheng

2017-08-01

A series of numerical simulations were conducted using the process-based model XBeach to investigate dune response under normal and getting rid of infragravity wave conditions with different slopes. Erosion volume upside the dune toe and dune top recession are set as indicators for dune vulnerability as well as defence capacity for its front-beach. Results show that both dune erosion volume and dune top recession decrease with gentler dune slopes. Of all the simulation cases, dune with a face slope of 1/1 lost most sand and supplied most sand for lower-bed. The presence of infragravity waves is validated to be crucial to dune vulnerability. The dune erosion volume is shown to decrease by 44.5%∼61.5% and the dune top recession decreased by 0%∼45.5% correspondingly, in the case that infragravity motion is not taken into account during simulation for different dune slopes.

Management decision of optimal recharge water in groundwater artificial recharge conditions- A case study in an artificial recharge test site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, H. Y.; Shi, X. F.; Zhu, W.; Wang, C. Q.; Ma, H. W.; Zhang, W. J.

2017-11-01

The city conducted groundwater artificial recharge test which was taken a typical site as an example, and the purpose is to prevent and control land subsidence, increase the amount of groundwater resources. To protect groundwater environmental quality and safety, the city chose tap water as recharge water, however, the high cost makes it not conducive to the optimal allocation of water resources and not suitable to popularize widely. To solve this, the city selects two major surface water of River A and B as the proposed recharge water, to explore its feasibility. According to a comprehensive analysis of the cost of recharge, the distance of the water transport, the quality of recharge water and others. Entropy weight Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method is used to prefer tap water and water of River A and B. Evaluation results show that water of River B is the optimal recharge water, if used; recharge cost will be from 0.4724/m3 to 0.3696/m3. Using Entropy weight Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method to confirm water of River B as optimal water is scientific and reasonable. The optimal water management decisions can provide technical support for the city to carry out overall groundwater artificial recharge engineering in deep aquifer.

A bibliography of dunes: Earth, Mars, and Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lancaster, N.

1988-01-01

Dunes are important depositional landforms and sedimentary environments on Earth and Mars, and may be important on Venus. The similarity of dune forms on Earth and Mars, together with the dynamic similarity of aeolian processes on the terrestrial planets indicates that it is appropriate to interpret dune forms and processes on Mars and Venus by using analog studies. However, the literature on dune studies is large and scattered. The aim of this bibliography is to assist investigators by providing a literature resource on techniques which have proved successful in elucidating dune characteristics and processes on Earth, Mars, and Venus. This bibliography documents the many investigations of dunes undertaken in the last century. It concentrates on studies of inland dunes in both hot and cold desert regions on Earth and includes investigations of coastal dunes only if they discuss matters of general significance for dune sediments, processes, or morphology.

Ecogeomorphology of Sand Dunes Shaped by Vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsoar, H.

2014-12-01

Two dune types associated with vegetation are known: Parabolic and Vegetated Linear Dunes (VLDs), the latters are the dominant dune type in the world deserts. Parabolic dunes are formed in humid, sub-humid and semi-arid environments (rather than arid) where vegetation is nearby. VLDs are known today in semiarid and arid lands where the average yearly rainfall is ≥100 mm, enough to support sparse cover of vegetation. These two dune types are formed by unidirectional winds although they demonstrate a different form and have a distinct dynamics. Conceptual and mathematical models of dunes mobility and stability, based on three control parameters: wind power (DP), average annual precipitation (p), and the human impact parameter (μ) show that where human impact is negligible the effect of wind power (DP) on vegetative cover is substantial. The average yearly rainfall of 60-80 mm is the threshold of annual average rainfall for vegetation growth on dune sand. The model is shown to follow a hysteresis path, which explains the bistability of active and stabilized dunes under the same climatic conditions with respect to wind power. We have discerned formation of parabolic dunes from barchans and transverse dunes in the coastal plain of Israel where a decrease in human activity during the second half of the 20th century caused establishment of vegetation on the crest of the dunes, a process that changed the dynamics of these barchans and transverse dunes and led to a change in the shape of the windward slope from convex to concave. These dunes gradually became parabolic. It seems that VLDs in Australia or the Kalahari have always been vegetated to some degree, though the shrubs were sparser in colder periods when the aeolian erosion was sizeable. Those ancient conditions are characterized by higher wind power and lower rainfall that can reduce, but not completely destroy, the vegetation cover, leading to the formation of lee (shadow) dunes behind each shrub. Formation of

Investigating Mars: Kaiser Crater Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-01

This VIS image of the floor of Kaiser Crater contains several sand dune shapes and sizes. The "whiter" material is the hard crater floor surface. Kaiser Crater is located in the southern hemisphere in the Noachis region west of Hellas Planitia. Kaiser Crater is just one of several large craters with extensive dune fields on the crater floor. Other nearby dune filled craters are Proctor, Russell, and Rabe. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter. The dunes are located in the southern part of the crater floor. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 39910 Latitude: -46.9063 Longitude: 19.8112 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-12-13 11:17 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22264

Investigating Mars: Kaiser Crater Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-31

This VIS image of the floor of Kaiser Crater contains a large variety of sand dune shapes and sizes. The "whiter" material is the hard crater floor surface. Kaiser Crater is located in the southern hemisphere in the Noachis region west of Hellas Planitia. Kaiser Crater is just one of several large craters with extensive dune fields on the crater floor. Other nearby dune filled craters are Proctor, Russell, and Rabe. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter. The dunes are located in the southern part of the crater floor. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 35430 Latitude: -46.8699 Longitude: 19.4731 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2009-12-09 14:09 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22263

Ripples and Dunes in Proctor Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-10-09

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Rover (MRO) has observed two types of wind (aeolian) features in Proctor Crater: large, dark features that are sand dunes, made up of basaltic particles, and smaller, light-toned ripples that we call "TAR," or "transverse aeolian ridges." The origin of the TARs is a mystery. They might be dust deposits, or perhaps coarse grained ripples that are coated in bright dust. These TARs are less than 10 meters tall, and are much smaller than the sand dunes that reach impressive heights of over 130 meters. In other places on Mars, TARs are generally older than sand dunes, but here in Proctor Crater, it is not so obvious. How can we tell which came first, the TARs or the dunes? The dunes are situated on top of the TARs, and with this information, we can say the dunes are clearly the younger formations here in Proctor Crater. Fortunately, HiRISE has a tool that can solve this riddle. By taking stereo images of the same region from two different locations, we can estimate the topography of the region by measuring the displacement of surface features from one picture to the other. The result is a quantitative estimate of the local surface topography, called a digital terrain model. The dunes are situated on top of the TARs, and with this information, we can say the dunes are clearly the younger formations here in Proctor Crater. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22040

Formation Mechanisms for Dunes Observed on Titan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinson, Alec; Hays, C. C.; Lopes-Gautier, R. M.; Mitchell, K. L.; Diniega, S.; Farr, T. G.

2013-01-01

The Cassini spacecraft has discovered massive dune fields on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. The dunes were observed with the Cassini Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging (SARS) instrument. The radar instrument operates at a frequency of 13.78 GHz, corresponding to a wavelength 2.2 cm. The resolution for the images examined are ~ 1 pixel = 175 m (varies from image to image). These dunes, or at least what’s visible to radar, through the thick nitrogen Titan atmosphere, seem to be almost exclusively longitudinal dunes (with crests forming parallel to prevailing wind directions). Many unanswered questions remain about these dunes. One goal of this project is to attempt to calculate the heights of these dunes, which has not yet been systematically attempted. We will use radar parallax analyses to calculate the height of the dunes. The Cassini radar determines position based on how long the radar wave took to return to the spacecraft, making an assumption that the surface is a perfect sphere. With changes in height, the time return for radar will change, distorting the image. Looking at these distortions (specifically, the shortening or elongation of the side of a dune) and knowing the inclination angle, we can determine height or depth. We will also use this same method with radar images of the Namib dunes, in southwest Africa, as an Earth analog, to test and determine how accurate our method is. This approach should give useful information on the morphology of the dunes on Titan. Knowing more about the morphology of the dunes can teach us more about the dune’s composition and formation mechanisms.

Implications of dune pattern analysis for Titan's surface history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, Christopher J.; Radebaugh, Jani; Christiansen, Eric H.; Lorenz, Ralph D.

2014-02-01

Analysis of large-scale morphological parameters can reveal the reaction of dunes to changes in atmospheric and sedimentary conditions. Over 7000 dune width and 7000 dune spacing measurements were obtained for linear dunes in regions across Saturn's moon Titan from images T21, T23, T28, T44 and T48 collected by the Synthetic Aperture RADAR (SAR) aboard the Cassini spacecraft in order to reconstruct the aeolian surface history of Titan. Dunes in the five study areas are all linear in form, with a mean width of 1.3 km and mean crest spacing of 2.7 km, similar to dunes in the African Saharan and Namib deserts on Earth. At the resolution of Cassini SAR, the dunes have the morphology of large linear dunes, and they lack evidence for features of compound or complex dunes. The large size, spacing and uniform morphology are all indicators that Titan's dunes are mature features, in that they have grown toward a steady state for a long period of time. Dune width decreases to the north, perhaps from increased sediment stabilization caused by a net transport of moisture from south to north, or from increased maturity in dunes to the south. Cumulative probability plots of dune parameters measured at different locations across Titan indicate there is a single population of intermediate-to-large-sized dunes on Titan. This suggests that, unlike analogous dunes in the Namib and Agneitir Sand Seas, dune-forming conditions that generated the current set of dunes were stable and active long enough to erase any evidence of past conditions.

The role of vegetation in shaping dune morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duran Vinent, O.; Moore, L. J.; Young, D.

2012-12-01

Aeolian dunes naturally emerge under strong winds and sufficient sand supply. They represent the most dynamical feature of the arid and/or coastal landscape and their evolution has the potential to either increase desertification or reduce coastal vulnerability to storms. Although large-scale dune morphology mainly depends on the wind regime and sand availability, vegetation plays an important role in semiarid and/or coastal areas. It is well known that under certain conditions vegetation is able to stabilize dunes, driving a morphological transformation from un-vegetated mobile crescent dunes to static vegetated "parabolic" dunes, de facto paralyzing desertification and initiating land recovery. Furthermore, vegetation is also the primary ingredient in the formation of coastal foredunes, which determine vulnerability to storms, as low dunes are prone to storm-induced erosion and overwash. In both cases, the coupling of biological and geomorphic (physical) processes, in particular vegetation growth and sand transport, governs the evolution of morphology. These processes were implemented in a computational model as part of a previous effort. It was shown that, for a migrating dune, this coupling leads to a negative feedback for dune motion, where an ever denser vegetation implies ever lesser sand transport. The model also predicted the existence of a "mobility index", defined by the vegetation growth rate to sand erosion rate ratio, that fully characterizes the morphological outcome: for indices above a certain threshold biological processes are dominant and dune motion slows after being covered by plants; for lower indices, the physical processes are the dominant ones and the dune remains mobile while vegetation is buried or rooted out. Here, we extend this model to better understand the formation of coastal dunes. We include new physical elements such as the shoreline and water table, as well as different grass species and potential competition among them

Dune Field in Nili Pateria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) took this image of the southeastern edge of a large dune field within Nili Patera, an irregularly shaped volcanic caldera that is about 65 kilometers (40 miles) in diameter. The image was acquired at 1333 UTC (8:33 a.m. EST) on Feb. 1, 2007, near 8.8 degrees north latitude, 67.3 degrees east longitude. CRISM's image was taken in 544 colors covering 0.36-3.92 micrometers, and shows features as small as 20 meters (66 feet) across. The region covered by the image is just over 10 kilometers (6 miles) wide at its narrowest point.

The top image was constructed from three visible wavelengths that correspond to what our eyes would see; the colors are stretched to bring out subtle color contrast. The bottom image is a spectral map constructed using three infrared wavelengths that usually highlight compositional variations. Areas with high concentrations of iron- and magnesium-rich igneous minerals appear red.

The entire dune field, covering about 500 square kilometers, resides mainly in the southwest quadrant of the caldera, occupying approximately 15% of its floor. Some of the dune forms seen here are 'barchans' -- individual, crescent shaped dunes that form when winds come primarily from one direction, resulting in one slipface. The orientation of the slipfaces indicates that primary winds were coming from the east-northeast. Using images from Mars Global Surveyor's narrow-angle camera, researchers measured approximately 400 slipfaces throughout the dune field and calculated an average azimuth of 245 degrees. Some of the barchans have elongated horns, suggesting that they experienced a slight secondary wind, or that the primary wind direction varied a little. When sufficient sand is available, barchans will coalesce, losing their individual crescentic shape. The resulting dune form, referred to as barchanoid, describes the vast majority of dunes in this image.

In the lower left portion of

The Splitting of the Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-27

The mound in the center of this image appears to have blocked the path of the dunes as they marched south (north is to the left in this image) across the scene. Many of these transverse dunes have slipfaces that face south, although in some cases, it's hard to tell for certain. Smaller dunes run perpendicular to some of the larger-scale dunes, probably indicating a shift in wind directions in this area. Although it might be hard to tell, this group of dunes is very near the central pit of a 35-kilometer-wide impact crater. Data from other instruments indicate the presence of clay-like materials in the rock exposed in the central pit. The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 52 centimeters (20.5 inches) per pixel (with 2 x 2 binning); objects on the order of 156 centimeters (61.4 inches) across are resolved.] North is up. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21572

Modification and Mobility of Dunes and Ripples in Middle and High Southern Latitude Dune Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, M.; Fenton, L. K.; Chojnacki, M.; Silvestro, S.

2017-12-01

Change detection analyses of aeolian bedforms (dunes and ripples), using multi-temporal images (0.25 m/pixel) acquired by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), reveal changes and migration of some bedforms. We now have a database of 200 dune fields with migration rates for bedforms that are mobile. Results show that most northern (N) hemisphere bedforms show movement, while 50% of southern (S) hemisphere bedforms show no detectable changes. In particular, bedforms located >70° N are consistently mobile and exhibit high sand fluxes while S hemisphere bedforms progressively decrease in mobility with proximity to the S pole. We analyze HiRISE image pairs covering dune fields south of 40° S for evidence of movement and apply a dune stability index (SI) based on the presence/lack of superposed non-aeolian features and degree of degradation by non-aeolian processes (0-6, higher numbers indicating increasing evidence of stability/modification). Combining mobility data and SI for 71 dune fields, we find a clear trend of decreasing sand mobility and increasing SI with latitude: 1) both dunes and ripples are more commonly mobile at lower latitudes, although some high-latitude ripples are migrating, 2) dune fields with low SIs (≤3) tend to be active while those with higher SIs tend to be inactive, and 3) ripple migration rates decrease slightly with increasing latitude and SI, although this may be attributable to regional variations. The elevation of dune fields generally increases with increasing S latitude suggesting elevation, and decreasing pressure, may contribute to decreasing mobility. A change in dominance of active to inactive bedforms and a morphological shift to higher SIs (SI=2) both occur at 60º S and coincide with the edge of high concentrations of H2O-equivalent hydrogen content observed by the Neutron Spectrometer. This is consistent with previous studies suggesting stabilizing agents (e.g., ground ice), likely limit sediment movement

Terrestrial analogs of the hellespontus dunes, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breed, C.S.

1977-01-01

Geomorphic features in the Hellespontus region, Mars, were compared with dunes of the crescentic ridge type in numerous terrestrial sand seas quantitatively by dimensional analysis of dune lengths, widths, and wavelengths. Mean values for the Hellespontus dunes are close to mean values derived from measurements of all sampled terrestrial sand seas. Terrestrial analogs of form and areal distribution of the Hellespontus dunes are shown by comparison of scale ratios derived from the measurements. Dunes of similar form occur in South West Africa, in Pakistan, in the southeastern Arabian peninsula, in the Sahara, in eastern USSR and northern China, and in western North America. Terrestrial analogs closest to form and areal distribution of the Hellespontus dunes are in the Kara Kum Desert, Turkmen SSR, and in the Ala Shan (Gobi) Desert, China. ?? 1977.

Dune field pattern formation and recent transporting winds in the Olympia Undae Dune Field, north polar region of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewing, Ryan C.; Peyret, Aymeric-Pierre B.; Kocurek, Gary; Bourke, Mary

2010-08-01

High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) imagery of the central Olympia Undae Dune Field in the north polar region of Mars shows a reticulate dune pattern consisting of two sets of nearly orthogonal dune crestlines, with apparent slipfaces on the primary crests, ubiquitous wind ripples, areas of coarse-grained wind ripples, and deflated interdune areas. Geomorphic evidence and dune field pattern analysis of dune crest length, spacing, defect density, and orientation indicates that the pattern is complex, representing two constructional generations of dunes. The oldest and best-organized generation forms the primary crestlines and is transverse to circumpolar easterly winds. Gross bed form-normal analysis of the younger pattern of crestlines indicates that it emerged with both circumpolar easterly winds and NE winds and is reworking the older pattern. Mapping of secondary flow fields over the dunes indicates that the most recent transporting winds were from the NE. The younger pattern appears to represent an influx of sediment to the dune field associated with the development of the Olympia Cavi reentrant, with NE katabatic winds channeling through the reentrant. A model of the pattern reformation based upon the reconstructed primary winds and resulting secondary flow fields shows that the development of the secondary pattern is controlled by the boundary condition of the older dune topography.

Nili Patera Dune Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form.

This VIS image shows a dune field within Nili Patera, the northern caldera of a large volcanic complex in Syrtis Major.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 9, Longitude 67 East (293 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Russel Crater Dunes - IR

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-03-10

In this infrared image of the dunes on the floor of Russell Crater, the dunes are brighter than the surround materials, as shown in this image from NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Latitude: -54.4765 Longitude: 13.0926 Instrument: IR Captured: 2015-01-21 17:09 http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19228

Evidence for community structure and habitat partitioning in coastal dune stiletto flies at the Guadalupe-Nipomo dunes system, California

PubMed Central

Holston, Kevin C.

2005-01-01

This study provides empirical evidence for habitat selection by North American species of stiletto flies (Diptera: Therevidae), based on local distributions of adults and immatures, and the first hypothesis of community assemblages proposed for a stiletto fly community. Sites at three localities within the Guadalupe-Nipomo dune system were sampled for stiletto flies in 1997 and 2001 by sifting sand, malaise trapping, and hand netting. Nine species were collected from four ecological zones and three intermediate ecological zones: Acrosathe novella (Coquillett), Brachylinga baccata (Loew), Nebritus powelli (Webb and Irwin), Ozodiceromyia sp., Pherocera sp., Tabudamima melanophleba (Loew), Thereva comata Loew, Thereva elizabethae Holston and Irwin, and Thereva fucata Loew. Species associations of adults and larvae with habitats and ecological zones were consistent among sites, suggesting that local distributions of coastal dune stiletto fly species are influenced by differences in habitat selection. In habitats dominated by the arroyo willow,Salix lasiolepsis, stiletto fly larvae of three species were collected in local sympatry, demonstrating that S. lasiolepsis stands along stabilized dune ridges can provide an intermediate ecological zone linking active dune and riparian habitat in the Guadalupe-Nipomo dune system. Sites dominated by European beach grass, Ammophilia arenaria, blue gum, Eucalyptus globulus, and Monterey cypress, Cupressus macrocarpa, are considered unsuitable for stiletto flies, which emphasizes the importance of terrestrial habitats with native vegetation for stiletto fly species. The local distributions of stiletto fly species at the Guadalupe-Nipomo dune system allow the community to be divided into three assemblages; active dune, pioneer scrub, and scrub-riparian. These assemblages may be applicable to other coastal dune stiletto fly communities, and may have particular relevance to stiletto fly species collected in European coastal dunes. The

Terrestrial subaqueous seafloor dunes: Possible analogs for Venus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neakrase, Lynn D.V.; Klose, Martina; Titus, Timothy N.

2017-01-01

Dunes on Venus, first discovered with Magellan Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) in the early 1990s, have fueled discussions about the viability of Venusian dunes and aeolian grain transport. Confined to two locations on Venus, the existence of the interpreted dunes provides evidence that there could be transportable material being mobilized into aeolian bedforms at the surface. However, because of the high-pressure high-temperature surface conditions, laboratory analog studies are difficult to conduct and results are difficult to extrapolate to full-sized, aeolian bedforms. Field sites of desert dunes, which are well-studied on Earth and Mars, are not analogous to what is observed on Venus because of the differences in the fluid environments. One potentially underexplored possibility in planetary science for Venus-analog dune fields could be subaqueous, seafloor dune fields on Earth. Known to the marine geology communities since the early 1960s, seafloor dunes are rarely cited in planetary aeolian bedform literature, but could provide a necessary thick-atmosphere extension to the classically studied aeolian dune environment literature for thinner atmospheres. Through discussion of the similarity of the two environments, and examples of dunes and ripples cited in marine literature, we provide evidence that subaqueous seafloor dunes could serve as analogs for dunes on Venus. Furthermore, the evidence presented here demonstrates the usefulness of the marine literature for thick-atmosphere planetary environments and potentially for upcoming habitable worlds and oceanic environment research program opportunities. Such useful cross-disciplinary discussion of dune environments is applicable to many planetary environments (Earth, Mars, Venus, Titan, etc.) and potential future missions.

Mars global digital dune database and initial science results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayward, R.K.; Mullins, K.F.; Fenton, L.K.; Hare, T.M.; Titus, T.N.; Bourke, M.C.; Colaprete, A.; Christensen, P.R.

2007-01-01

A new Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) constructed using Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) infrared (IR) images provides a comprehensive and quantitative view of the geographic distribution of moderate- to large-size dune fields (area >1 kM2) that will help researchers to understand global climatic and sedimentary processes that have shaped the surface of Mars. MGD3 extends from 65??N to 65??S latitude and includes ???550 dune fields, covering ???70,000 km2, with an estimated total volume of ???3,600 km3. This area, when combined with polar dune estimates, suggests moderate- to large-size dune field coverage on Mars may total ???800,000 km2, ???6 times less than the total areal estimate of ???5,000,000 km2 for terrestrial dunes. Where availability and quality of THEMIS visible (VIS) or Mars Orbiter Camera. narrow-angle (MOC NA) images allow, we classify dunes and include dune slipface measurements, which are derived from gross dune morphology and represent the prevailing wind direction at the last time of significant dune modification. For dunes located within craters, the azimuth from crater centroid to dune field centroid (referred to as dune centroid azimuth) is calculated and can provide an accurate method for tracking dune migration within smooth-floored craters. These indicators of wind direction are compared to output from a general circulation model (GCM). Dune centroid azimuth values generally correlate to regional wind patterns. Slipface orientations are less well correlated, suggesting that local topographic effects may play a larger role in dune orientation than regional winds. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.

Conceptual models of the evolution of transgressive dune field systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A. Hesp, Patrick

2013-10-01

This paper examines the evolutionary paths of some transgressive dune fields that have formed on different coasts of the world, and presents some initial conceptual models of system dynamics for transgressive dune sheets and dune fields. Various evolutionary pathways are conceptualized based on a visual examination of dune fields from around the world. On coasts with high sediment supply, dune sheets and dune fields tend to accumulate as large scale barrier systems with little colonization of vegetation in arid-hyper to arid climate regimes, and as multiple, active discrete phases of dune field and deflation plain couplets in temperate to tropical environments. Active dune fields tend to be singular entities on coasts with low to moderate sediment supply. Landscape complexity and vegetation richness and diversity increases as dune fields evolve from simple active sheets and dunes to single and multiple deflation plains and basins, precipitation ridges, nebkha fields and a host of other dune types associated with vegetation (e.g. trailing ridges, slacks, remnant knobs, gegenwalle ridges and dune track ridges, ‘tree islands' and ‘bush pockets'). Three principal scenarios of transgressive dune sheet and dune field development are discussed, including dune sheets or dune fields evolving directly from the backshore, development following foredune and/or dune field erosion, and development from the breakdown or merging of parabolic dunes. Various stages of evolution are outlined for each scenario. Knowledge of evolutionary patterns and stages in coastal dune fields is very limited and caution is urged in attempts to reverse, change and/or modify dune fields to ‘restore' some perceived loss of ecosystem or dune functioning.

Conceptual models of the evolution of transgressive dune field systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesp, Patrick A.

2013-10-01

This paper examines the evolutionary paths of some transgressive dune fields that have formed on different coasts of the world, and presents some initial conceptual models of system dynamics for transgressive dune sheets and dune fields. Various evolutionary pathways are conceptualized based on a visual examination of dune fields from around the world. On coasts with high sediment supply, dune sheets and dune fields tend to accumulate as large scale barrier systems with little colonization of vegetation in arid-hyper to arid climate regimes, and as multiple, active discrete phases of dune field and deflation plain couplets in temperate to tropical environments. Active dune fields tend to be singular entities on coasts with low to moderate sediment supply. Landscape complexity and vegetation richness and diversity increases as dune fields evolve from simple active sheets and dunes to single and multiple deflation plains and basins, precipitation ridges, nebkha fields and a host of other dune types associated with vegetation (e.g. trailing ridges, slacks, remnant knobs, gegenwalle ridges and dune track ridges, 'tree islands' and 'bush pockets'). Three principal scenarios of transgressive dune sheet and dune field development are discussed, including dune sheets or dune fields evolving directly from the backshore, development following foredune and/or dune field erosion, and development from the breakdown or merging of parabolic dunes. Various stages of evolution are outlined for each scenario. Knowledge of evolutionary patterns and stages in coastal dune fields is very limited and caution is urged in attempts to reverse, change and/or modify dune fields to 'restore' some perceived loss of ecosystem or dune functioning.

Controls on desert dune activity - a geospatial approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lancaster, N.; Hesse, P. P.

2017-12-01

Desert and other inland dunes occur on a wide spectrum of activity (defined loosely as the proportion of the surface area subject to sand movement) from unvegetated to sparsely vegetated "active" dunes through discontinuously vegetated inactive dunes to completely vegetated and degraded dunes. Many of the latter are relicts of past climatic conditions. Although field studies and modeling of the interactions between winds, vegetation cover, and dune activity can provide valuable insights, the response of dune systems to climate change and variability past, present, and future has until now been hampered by the lack of pertinent observational data on geomorphic and climatic boundary conditions and dune activity status for most dune areas. We have developed GIS-based approach that permits analysis of boundary conditions and controls on dune activity at a range of spatial scales from dunefield to global. In this approach, the digital mapping of dune field and sand sea extent has been combined with systematic observations of dune activity at 0.2° intervals from high resolution satellite image data, resulting in four classes of activity. 1 km resolution global gridded datasets for the aridity index (AI); precipitation, satellite-derived percent vegetation cover; and estimates of sand transport potential (DP) were re-sampled for each 0.2° grid cell, and dune activity was compared to vegetation cover, sand transport potential, precipitation, and the aridity index. Results so far indicate that there are broad-scale relationships between dunefield mean activity, climate, and vegetation cover. However, the scatter in the data suggest that other local factors may be at work. Intra-dune field patterns are complex in many cases. Overall, much more work needs to be done to gain a full understanding of controls at different spatial and temporal scales, which can be faciliated by this spatial database.

Modeling emergent large-scale structures of barchan dune fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worman, S. L.; Murray, A.; Littlewood, R. C.; Andreotti, B.; Claudin, P.

2013-12-01

In nature, barchan dunes typically exist as members of larger fields that display striking, enigmatic structures that cannot be readily explained by examining the dynamics at the scale of single dunes, or by appealing to patterns in external forcing. To explore the possibility that observed structures emerge spontaneously as a collective result of many dunes interacting with each other, we built a numerical model that treats barchans as discrete entities that interact with one another according to simplified rules derived from theoretical and numerical work, and from field observations: Dunes exchange sand through the fluxes that leak from the downwind side of each dune and are captured on their upstream sides; when dunes become sufficiently large, small dunes are born on their downwind sides ('calving'); and when dunes collide directly enough, they merge. Results show that these relatively simple interactions provide potential explanations for a range of field-scale phenomena including isolated patches of dunes and heterogeneous arrangements of similarly sized dunes in denser fields. The results also suggest that (1) dune field characteristics depend on the sand flux fed into the upwind boundary, although (2) moving downwind, the system approaches a common attracting state in which the memory of the upwind conditions vanishes. This work supports the hypothesis that calving exerts a first order control on field-scale phenomena; it prevents individual dunes from growing without bound, as single-dune analyses suggest, and allows the formation of roughly realistic, persistent dune field patterns.

Autumn Frost, North Polar Sand Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Autumn in the martian northern hemisphere began around August 1, 1999. Almost as soon as northern fall began, the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) started documenting the arrival of autumn frost--a precursor to the cold winter that will arrive in late December 1999. The first features to become covered by frost were the sand dunes that surround the north polar ice cap. The dunes seen here would normally appear very dark--almost black--except when covered by frost. Why the dunes begin to frost sooner than the surrounding surfaces is a mystery: perhaps the dunes contain water vapor that emerges from the sand during the day and condenses again at night. This picture shows dunes near 74.7oN, 61.4oW at a resolution of about 7.3 meters (24 feet) per pixel. The area covered is about 3 km (1.9 mi) across and is illuminated from the upper right. The picture appears to be somewhat fuzzy and grainy because the dunes here are seen through the thin haze of the gathering north polar winter hood (i.e., clouds).

Sand dune effects on seismic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arran, M.; Vriend, N. M.; Muyzert, E. J.

2017-12-01

Ground roll is a significant source of noise in land seismic data, with cross-line scattered ground roll particularly difficult to suppress. This noise arises from surface heterogeneities lateral to the receiver spread, and in desert regions sand dunes are a major contributor. However, the nature of this noise is poorly understood, preventing the design of more effective data acquisition or processing techniques. Here, we present numerical simulations demonstrating that sand dunes can act as resonators, scattering a seismic signal over an extensive period of time. We introduce a mathematical framework that quantitatively describes the properties of noise scattered by a barchan dune, and we discuss the relevance of heterogeneities within the dune. Having identified regions in time, space, and frequency space at which noise will be more significant, we propose the possibility of reducing dune-scattered noise through careful survey design and data processing.

Sand dune tracking from satellite laser altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabboor, Mohammed

Substantial problems arise from sand movement in arid and semi-arid countries. Sand poses a threat to infrastructure, agricultural and urban areas. These issues are caused by the encroachment of sand on roads and railway tracks, farmland, towns and villages, and airports, to name a few. Sand movement highly depends on geomorphology including vegetation cover, shape and height of the terrain, and grain size of the sand. However, wind direction and speed are the most important factors that affect efficient sand movement. The direction of the movement depends on the main direction of the wind, but it has been shown that a minimum wind speed is required, e.g. wind gusts, to initiate sand transport. This fact prevents a simple calculation of sand transport from conventional wind data as wind records rarely contain sub-minute intervals masking out any wind gusts. An alternative of predicting sand transport is the direct observation of sand advance by in situ measurements or via satellite. Until recently, satellite imagery was the only means to compare dune shape and position for predicting dune migration over several years. In 2003, the NASA laser altimetry mission ICESat became operational and monitors elevations over all surface types including sand dunes with an accuracy of about 10-20 cm. In this study, ICESat observations from repeat tracks (tracks overlapping eachother within 50 m) are used to derive sand dune advance and direction. The method employs a correlation of the elevation profiles over several dunes and was sucessfully validated with synthetic data. The accuracy of this method is 5 meters of dune advance. One of the most active areas exhibiting sand and dune movement is the area of the Arabian Peninsula. Approximately one-third of the Arabian Peninsula is covered by sand dunes. Different wind regimes (Shamal, Kaus) cause sand dune movement in the selected study area in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula between 20-25 degrees North and 45-55 degrees

Global map of Titan's dune fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Corre, L.; Le Mouélic, S.; Sotin, C.; Barnes, J. W.; Brown, R. H.; Baines, K.; Buratti, B.; Clark, R.; Nicholson, P.

2008-09-01

Introduction Methane is the second major constituent of Titan's atmosphere; but it should be totally removed at least in ten million years by photochemistry in the stratosphere and condensation in the troposphere [1]. The first process produces hydrocarbons which form the haze and can condensate onto the surface. The second process causes methane rains on the surface, which carve channels networks. The loss of methane is possibly balanced by outgassing during cryovolcanic event [2]. But hydrocarbons grains deposited onto the surface cannot be recycled. They may be stored in the dunes [3], which were first seen by SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) [4]. We focus our study on the mapping of the dune fields in order to determine their global distribution. The aim is to constrain the amount of hydrocarbon material existing in the dunes, and to relate it to the duration of the methane cycle. Data from the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) and RADAR instruments onboard Cassini spacecraft can be used to map Titan's surface. Infrared images, which are mainly sensitive to composition and grain size, are very complementary to the microwave measurements which depend mainly on roughness and topography. We used spectral criteria after empirical correction of aerosols to map the distribution of heterogeneous units on Titan [5]. These units are compared with SAR images in overlapping regions. Titan's surface mosaics with VIMS VIMS probes the first ten of microns of the ground in seven narrow atmospheric windows in the 0.88 to 5.11 μm wavelength range. We built infrared mosaics with cubes sorted by spatial resolution, by keeping cubes corresponding to favorable observing conditions (incidence, emergence, phase and time exposure). Band ratios were computed and combined in false color composite images (red as 1.59/1.27-μm, green as 2.03/1.27-μm and blue as 1.27/1.08-μm). Band ratios are useful to minimize the effect of illuminating conditions and albedo variations [6

Dunes and Dust Devils

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-02-12

This image captured by NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is of an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra. Part of the crater floor contains a dune field. Dust devil tracks are visible east of the dunes. Orbit Number: 57931 Latitude: -52.1733 Longitude: 18.0624 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-01-04 18:28 http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19199

Multiple origins of linear dunes on Earth and Titan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rubin, David M.; Hesp, Patrick A.

2009-01-01

Dunes with relatively long and parallel crests are classified as linear dunes. On Earth, they form in at least two environmental settings: where winds of bimodal direction blow across loose sand, and also where single-direction winds blow over sediment that is locally stabilized, be it through vegetation, sediment cohesion or topographic shelter from the winds. Linear dunes have also been identified on Titan, where they are thought to form in loose sand. Here we present evidence that in the Qaidam Basin, China, linear dunes are found downwind of transverse dunes owing to higher cohesiveness in the downwind sediments, which contain larger amounts of salt and mud. We also present a compilation of other settings where sediment stabilization has been reported to produce linear dunes. We suggest that in this dune-forming process, loose sediment accumulates on the dunes and is stabilized; the stable dune then functions as a topographic shelter, which induces the deposition of sediments downwind. We conclude that a model in which Titan's dunes formed similarly in cohesive sediments cannot be ruled out by the existing data.

Exploring inner structure of Titan's dunes from Cassini Radar observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, P.; Heggy, E.; Farr, T. G.

2013-12-01

Linear dunes discovered in the equatorial regions of Titan by the Cassini-Huygens mission are morphologically very similar to many terrestrial linear dune fields. These features have been compared with terrestrial longitudinal dune fields like the ones in Namib desert in western Africa. This comparison is based on the overall parallel orientation of Titan's dunes to the predominant wind direction on Titan, their superposition on other geomorphological features and the way they wrap around topographic obstacles. Studying the internal layering of dunes has strong implications in understanding the hypothesis for their origin and evolution. In Titan's case, although the morphology of the dunes has been studied from Cassini Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, it has not been possible to investigate their internal structure in detail as of yet. Since no radar sounding data is available for studying Titan's subsurface yet, we have developed another technique to examine the inner layering of the dunes. In this study, we utilize multiple complementary radar datasets, including radar imaging data for Titan's and Earth's dunes and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)/radar sounding data for terrestrial dunes. Based on dielectric mixing models, we suggest that the Cassini Ku-band microwaves should be able to penetrate up to ~ 3 m through Titan's dunes, indicating that the returned radar backscatter signal would include contributions from both surface and shallow subsurface echoes. This implies that the shallow subsurface properties can be retrieved from the observed radar backscatter (σ0). In our analysis, the variation of the radar backscatter as a function of dune height is used to provide an insight into the layering in Titan's dunes. We compare the variation of radar backscatter with elevation over individual dunes on Titan and analogous terrestrial dunes in three sites (Great Sand Sea, Siwa dunes and Qattaniya dunes) in the Egyptian Sahara. We observe a strong, positive

Enhanced recharge rates and altered recharge sensitivity to climate variability through subsurface heterogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, Andreas; Gleeson, Tom; Wada, Yoshihide; Wagener, Thorsten

2017-04-01

Karst aquifers in Europe are an important source of fresh water contributing up to half of the total drinking water supply in some countries. Karstic groundwater recharge is one of the most important components of the water balance of karst systems as it feeds the karst aquifers. Presently available large-scale hydrological models do not consider karst heterogeneity adequately. Projections of current and potential future groundwater recharge of Europe's karst aquifers are therefore unclear. In this study we compare simulations of present (1991-2010) and future (2080-2099) recharge using two different models to simulate groundwater recharge processes. One model includes karst processes (subsurface heterogeneity, lateral flow and concentrated recharge), while the other is based on the conceptual understanding of common hydrological systems (homogeneous subsurface, saturation excess overland flow). Both models are driven by the bias-corrected 5 GCMs of the ISI-MIP project (RCP8.5). To further assess sensitivity of groundwater recharge to climate variability, we calculate the elasticity of recharge rates to annual precipitation, temperature and average intensity of rainfall events, which is the median change of recharge that corresponds to the median change of these climate variables within the present and future time period, respectively. Our model comparison shows that karst regions over Europe have enhanced recharge rates with greater inter-annual variability compared to those with more homogenous subsurface properties. Furthermore, the heterogeneous representation shows stronger elasticity concerning climate variability than the homogeneous subsurface representation. This difference tends to increase towards the future. Our results suggest that water management in regions with heterogeneous subsurface can expect a higher water availability than estimated by most of the current large-scale simulations, while measures should be taken to prepare for increasingly

Ground-Water Recharge in Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delin, G.N.; Falteisek, J.D.

2007-01-01

'Ground-water recharge' broadly describes the addition of water to the ground-water system. Most water recharging the ground-water system moves relatively rapidly to surface-water bodies and sustains streamflow, lake levels, and wetlands. Over the long term, recharge is generally balanced by discharge to surface waters, to plants, and to deeper parts of the ground-water system. However, this balance can be altered locally as a result of pumping, impervious surfaces, land use, or climate changes that could result in increased or decreased recharge. * Recharge rates to unconfined aquifers in Minnesota typically are about 20-25 percent of precipitation. * Ground-water recharge is least (0-2 inches per year) in the western and northwestern parts of the State and increases to greater than 6 inches per year in the central and eastern parts of the State. * Water-level measurement frequency is important in estimating recharge. Measurements made less frequently than about once per week resulted in as much as a 48 percent underestimation of recharge compared with estimates based on an hourly measurement frequency. * High-quality, long-term, continuous hydrologic and climatic data are important in estimating recharge rates.

Dunes in Nectaris Montes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-14

This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) shows some of these on the slopes of Nectaris Montes within Coprates Chasma. Sand dunes in Valles Marineris can be impressive in size, with steep slopes that seem to climb and descend. The brighter bedforms are inactive while the bigger dunes move over the landscape, burying and exhuming the surface. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22455

Reestablishing Naturally Functioning Dunes on Developed Coasts.

PubMed

Nordstrom; Lampe; Vandemark

2000-01-01

/ The potential for reestablishing dune habitat is investigated in municipalities in New Jersey, USA, where natural coastal landforms and biota have been eliminated or reduced in extent. Dunes are classified using width, relationship to natural and cultural features, and changes through time, and they are assessed for their value as naturally functioning landforms in developed municipalities. The relationship between size and longevity that exists under natural conditions is altered by human activity. Small dunes on privately owned lots can survive as long as larger dunes in natural areas that are located farther inland, and foredunes repaired using sand fences and earth-moving equipment can survive where they could not under natural conditions.Common beach management practices reduce the ecological values of coastal dunes. Mechanical beach cleaning eliminates incipient dunes, habitat for nesting birds, seed sources for pioneer dune colonizers and food for fauna, and artificially small, stabilized foredunes reduce the variability in microenvironments necessary for biodiversity. Recent initiatives for reducing coastal hazards, protecting nesting birds, and encouraging nature-based tourism provide incentive for the development of a restoration program for beaches and dunes that is compatible with human use. Suggested changes in management practice include restricting or rerouting pedestrian traffic, altering beach-cleaning procedures, using symbolic fences to allow for aeolian transport while preventing trampling of dunes, and eliminating or severely restricting exotic species. Landforms will be more natural in function and appearance but will be more dynamic, smaller and in a different position from those in natural areas. Research needs are specified for ecological, geomorphological, and attitudinal studies to support and inform restoration planning.

Future DUNE constraints on EFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falkowski, Adam; Grilli di Cortona, Giovanni; Tabrizi, Zahra

2018-04-01

In the near future, fundamental interactions at high-energy scales may be most efficiently studied via precision measurements at low energies. A universal language to assemble and interpret precision measurements is the so-called SMEFT, which is an effective field theory (EFT) where the Standard Model (SM) Lagrangian is extended by higher-dimensional operators. In this paper we investigate the possible impact of the DUNE neutrino experiment on constraining the SMEFT. The unprecedented neutrino flux offers an opportunity to greatly improve the current limits via precision measurements of the trident production and neutrino scattering off electrons and nuclei in the DUNE near detector. We quantify the DUNE sensitivity to dimension-6 operators in the SMEFT Lagrangian, and find that in some cases operators suppressed by an O(30) TeV scale can be probed. We also compare the DUNE reach to that of future experiments involving atomic parity violation and polarization asymmetry in electron scattering, which are sensitive to an overlapping set of SMEFT parameters.

Investigating Mars: Arabia Terra Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-23

This is a false color image of the dune field in the Arabia Terra crater. In this combination of bands, sand appears as a blue to dark blue color. In this image, the smaller areas of sand are easily visible and indicate the large amount of available material for creating dunes. Located in eastern Arabia is an unnamed crater, 120 kilometers (75 miles) across. The floor of this crater contains a large exposure of rocky material, a field of dark sand dunes, and numerous patches of what is probably fine-grain sand. The shape of the dunes indicate that prevailing winds have come from different directions over the years. The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 45125 Latitude: 26.6761 Longitude: 62.9345 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-02-15 20:32 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22302

Investigating Mars: Kaiser Crater Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-02

This is a false color image of Kaiser Crater. In this combination of filters "blue" typically means basaltic sand. This VIS image crosses 3/4 of the crater and demonstrates how extensive the dunes are on the floor of Kaiser Crater. Kaiser Crater is located in the southern hemisphere in the Noachis region west of Hellas Planitia. Kaiser Crater is just one of several large craters with extensive dune fields on the crater floor. Other nearby dune filled craters are Proctor, Russell, and Rabe. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter. The dunes are located in the southern part of the crater floor. The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 66602 Latitude: -47.0551 Longitude: 19.446 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-12-18 21:42 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22265

Microbial Characterization of Qatari Barchan Sand Dunes

PubMed Central

Chatziefthimiou, Aspassia D.; Nguyen, Hanh; Richer, Renee; Louge, Michel; Sultan, Ali A.; Schloss, Patrick; Hay, Anthony G.

2016-01-01

This study represents the first characterization of sand microbiota in migrating barchan sand dunes. Bacterial communities were studied through direct counts and cultivation, as well as 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic sequence analysis to gain an understanding of microbial abundance, diversity, and potential metabolic capabilities. Direct on-grain cell counts gave an average of 5.3 ± 0.4 x 105 cells g-1 of sand. Cultured isolates (N = 64) selected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing belonged to the phyla Actinobacteria (58%), Firmicutes (27%) and Proteobacteria (15%). Deep-sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons from 18 dunes demonstrated a high relative abundance of Proteobacteria, particularly enteric bacteria, and a dune-specific-pattern of bacterial community composition that correlated with dune size. Shotgun metagenome sequences of two representative dunes were analyzed and found to have similar relative bacterial abundance, though the relative abundances of eukaryotic, viral and enterobacterial sequences were greater in sand from the dune closer to a camel-pen. Functional analysis revealed patterns similar to those observed in desert soils; however, the increased relative abundance of genes encoding sporulation and dormancy are consistent with the dune microbiome being well-adapted to the exceptionally hyper-arid Qatari desert. PMID:27655399

The Single-Phase ProtoDUNE Technical Design Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abi, B.

2017-06-21

ProtoDUNE-SP is the single-phase DUNE Far Detector prototype that is under construction and will be operated at the CERN Neutrino Platform (NP) starting in 2018. ProtoDUNE-SP, a crucial part of the DUNE effort towards the construction of the first DUNE 10-kt fiducial mass far detector module (17 kt total LAr mass), is a significant experiment in its own right. With a total liquid argon (LAr) mass of 0.77 kt, it represents the largest monolithic single-phase LArTPC detector to be built to date. It's technical design is given in this report.

Mars Global Digital Dune Database: MC2-MC29

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayward, Rosalyn K.; Mullins, Kevin F.; Fenton, L.K.; Hare, T.M.; Titus, T.N.; Bourke, M.C.; Colaprete, Anthony; Christensen, P.R.

2007-01-01

Introduction The Mars Global Digital Dune Database presents data and describes the methodology used in creating the database. The database provides a comprehensive and quantitative view of the geographic distribution of moderate- to large-size dune fields from 65? N to 65? S latitude and encompasses ~ 550 dune fields. The database will be expanded to cover the entire planet in later versions. Although we have attempted to include all dune fields between 65? N and 65? S, some have likely been excluded for two reasons: 1) incomplete THEMIS IR (daytime) coverage may have caused us to exclude some moderate- to large-size dune fields or 2) resolution of THEMIS IR coverage (100m/pixel) certainly caused us to exclude smaller dune fields. The smallest dune fields in the database are ~ 1 km2 in area. While the moderate to large dune fields are likely to constitute the largest compilation of sediment on the planet, smaller stores of sediment of dunes are likely to be found elsewhere via higher resolution data. Thus, it should be noted that our database excludes all small dune fields and some moderate to large dune fields as well. Therefore the absence of mapped dune fields does not mean that such dune fields do not exist and is not intended to imply a lack of saltating sand in other areas. Where availability and quality of THEMIS visible (VIS) or Mars Orbiter Camera narrow angle (MOC NA) images allowed, we classifed dunes and included dune slipface measurements, which were derived from gross dune morphology and represent the prevailing wind direction at the last time of significant dune modification. For dunes located within craters, the azimuth from crater centroid to dune field centroid was calculated. Output from a general circulation model (GCM) is also included. In addition to polygons locating dune fields, the database includes over 1800 selected Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) infrared (IR), THEMIS visible (VIS) and Mars Orbiter Camera Narrow Angle (MOC NA

Rip currents, mega-cusps, and eroding dunes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thornton, E.B.; MacMahan, J.; Sallenger, A.H.

2007-01-01

Dune erosion is shown to occur at the embayment of beach mega-cusps O(200 m alongshore) that are associated with rip currents. The beach is the narrowest at the embayment of the mega-cusps allowing the swash of large storm waves coincident with high tides to reach the toe of the dune, to undercut the dune and to cause dune erosion. Field measurements of dune, beach, and rip current morphology are acquired along an 18 km shoreline in southern Monterey Bay, California. This section of the bay consists of a sandy shoreline backed by extensive dunes, rising to heights exceeding 40 m. There is a large increase in wave height going from small wave heights in the shadow of a headland, to the center of the bay where convergence of waves owing to refraction over the Monterey Bay submarine canyon results in larger wave heights. The large alongshore gradient in wave height results in a concomitant alongshore gradient in morphodynamic scale. The strongly refracted waves and narrow bay aperture result in near normal wave incidence, resulting in well-developed, persistent rip currents along the entire shoreline. The alongshore variations of the cuspate shoreline are found significantly correlated with the alongshore variations in rip spacing at 95% confidence. The alongshore variations of the volume of dune erosion are found significantly correlated with alongshore variations of the cuspate shoreline at 95% confidence. Therefore, it is concluded the mega-cusps are associated with rip currents and that the location of dune erosion is associated with the embayment of the mega-cusp.

Changes of Bulgarian Coastal Dune Landscape under Anthropogenic Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palazov, A.; Young, R.; Stancheva, M.; Stanchev, H.

2012-04-01

At one time large sand dune formations were widely distributed along the Bulgarian coast. However, due to increased urbanization in the coastal zone, the areas of total dune landscape has been constantly reduced. Dunes presently comprise only 10% of the entire 412 km long coastline of Bulgaria: they embrace a total length of 38.57 km and a total area of 8.78 km2 Important tasks in dune protection are identification of landscape changes for a certain period of time and accurate delineation of sand dune areas. The present research traces sand dune changes along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast over a 27 year period (1983-2010). This period includes also the time of expanded tourist boom and overbuilding of the coastal zone, and respectively presents the largest dune changes and reductions. Based on the landscape change analyst in GIS environment the study also aims to explore the importance of different natural and human factors in driving the observed dune alterations and destruction. To detect and assess dune changes during the last 3 decades, we used data for sand dunes derived from several sources at different time periods in order to compare changes in shoreline positions, dune contours and areas: i) Topographic maps in 1:5,000 scale from 1983; ii) Modern Very High Resolution orthophotographs from 2006 and 2010; iii) QuickBird Very High Resolution satellite images from 2009; iv) Statistical information for population and tourist infrastructure is also used to consider the influence of human pressure and hotel developments on the dune dynamics. In addition, for more detailed description and visualization of main dune types, digital photos have been taken at many parts of the Bulgarian coast. The study was performed in GIS environment. Based on the results obtained the dunes along the Bulgarian coast were divided into three main groups with relation to the general factors responsible for their alterations: i) Dunes that have decreased in result of shoreline retreat

Dynamics of a cliff top dune

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, K. R.

2012-12-01

Morphological changes during more than 100 years have been investigated for a cliff-top dune complex at Rubjerg at the Danish North Sea coast. Here the lower 50 m of the cliff front is composed of Pleistocene steeply inclined floes of silt and clay with coarse sand in between which gives it a saw-tooth appearance. On top of this the dunes are found for several kilometres along the coastline. Due to erosion by the North Sea the cliff has retreated about 120 m between approximately 1880 and 1970 as indicated from two national surveys, and recent GPS-surveys indicate that erosion is continuing at a similar rate. Nevertheless the cliff top dune complex has survived, but its morphology has undergone some changed. The old maps indicate that around 1880 the dune complex was composed of several up to about 20 m high dunes streamlined in the East-West direction which is parallel to the prevailing wind direction. When protective planting started during the first half of the 20th Century the cliff top dunes gradually merged together forming a narrow, tall ridge parallel to the shore line with the highest part reaching about 90 m near 1970. In 1993 the highest points along the ridge was almost 95 m high, but then the protective planting was considerably reduced and recent annual GPS-surveys indicate that the dunes respond quickly to this by changing their morphology towards the original appearance. It is remarkable that despite the mass wasting caused by the constant erosion of the cliff front the dunes have remained more or less intact. Theoretical studies of hill flow indicate given the proper geometry of the cliff then suspension of even coarse grains can be a very effective agent for carrying sand from the exposed parts of the cliff front to and beyond the cliff-top. Mostly the sand grains are deposited within some hundred meters downwind of the cliff dune while silt is often carried more than 10 km inland. Field observations indicate that where the dislodged floes and

Glimpse of Bagnold Dunes Edging Mount Sharp

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-11-16

The dark band in the lower portion of this Martian scene is part of the "Bagnold Dunes" dune field lining the northwestern edge of Mount Sharp, inside Gale Crater. The view combines multiple images taken with the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on Sept. 25, 2015, during the 1,115th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. The images are from Mastcam's right-eye camera, which has a telephoto lens. The view is toward south-southeast. Curiosity will visit examples of the Bagnold Dunes on the rover's route to higher layers of Mount Sharp. The informal name for the dune field is a tribute to British military engineer Ralph Bagnold (1896-1990), a pioneer in the study of how winds move sand particles of dunes on Earth. The dune field is evident as a dark band in orbital images of the area inside Gale Crater where Curiosity has been active since landing in 2012, such as a traverse map at PIA20162. Dunes are larger than wind-blown ripples of sand or dust that Curiosity and other rovers have visited previously. The scene is presented with a color adjustment that approximates white balancing, to resemble how the rocks and sand would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19929

Aeolian sedimentary processes at the Bagnold Dunes, Mars: Implications for modern dune dynamics and sedimentary structures in the aeolian stratigraphic record of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewing, Ryan C.; Bridges, Nathan T.; Sullivan, Rob; Lapotre, Mathieu G. A.; Fischer, Woodward W.; Lamb, Mike P.; Rubin, David M.; Lewis, Kevin W.; Gupta, Sanjeev

2016-04-01

Wind-blown sand dunes are ubiquitous on the surface of Mars and are a recognized component of the martian stratigraphic record. Our current knowledge of the aeolian sedimentary processes that determine dune morphology, drive dune dynamics, and create aeolian cross-stratification are based upon orbital studies of ripple and dune morphodynamics, rover observations of stratification on Mars, Earth analogs, and experimental and theoretical studies of sand movement under Martian conditions. In-situ observations of sand dunes (informally called the Bagnold Dunes) by Curiosity Rover in Gale Crater, Mars provide the first opportunity to make observations of dunes from the grain-to-dune scale thereby filling the gap in knowledge between theory and orbital observations and refining our understanding of the martian aeolian stratigraphic record. We use the suite of cameras on Curiosity, including Navigation Camera (Navcam), Mast Camera (Mastcam) and Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), to make observations of the Bagnold Dunes. Measurements of sedimentary structures are made where stereo images are available. Observations indicate that structures generated by gravity-driven processes on the dune lee slopes, such as grainflow and grainfall, are similar to the suite of aeolian sedimentary structures observed on Earth and should be present and recognizable in Mars' aeolian stratigraphic record. Structures formed by traction-driven processes deviate significantly from those found on Earth. The dune hosts centimeter-scale wind ripples and large, meter-scale ripples, which are not found on Earth. The large ripples migrate across the depositional, lee slopes of the dune, which implies that these structures should be present in Mars' stratigraphic record and may appear similar to compound-dune stratification.The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover Team is acknowledged for their support of this work.

Barchan and Linear Dunes on Earth and Mars - Comparative Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsoar, H.; Edgett, K. S.; Schatz, V.; Parteli, E. J.; Herrmann, H. J.

2007-05-01

High resolution images from MGS and MRO reveal, in detail, ripples and dunes on Mars that were not discerned in old Viking images. The two basic dune types known on Earth, barchan (and transverse) and seif (linear), are also common on Mars, although seif dunes are quite rare on that planet. Some Martian barchan and seif dunes have a different morphology, particularly as evident in the Martian north polar region. Some of the barchans have an elongated, elliptical shape, while some of the linear dunes lack the sinuosity commonly associated with terrestrial seif dunes. These barchan and linear dunes occur together, side-by-side, and in some cases are merged to create a single bed-form. Induration of the dunes, or crust formation, can explain the occurrence of these dunes of unusual morphology in the Martian north polar region. Crusts may form as water vapor diffuses into and out of the fine-grained materials on the planet's surface. Salts would be deposited as intergranular cement. Because these bedforms occur in the polar region, the cementing agent could be ice instead of salts; indeed, the dunes spend more than half each Martian year beneath a covering of seasonal frost, mostly frozen carbon dioxide. Elliptical shaped barchans were created artificially in Saudi Arabia by spraying advancing barchan dunes with crude oil to stabilize them until the dunes reached a streamlined body shape. Simulation work indicates that the same process can occur on the indurated Martian barchans, but by cementation of grains rather than introduction of oil. Short lee dunes that have a linear shape with a sharp-edged crest are known to form from sand accumulation at the lee side of obstacles. Once a dune is stabilized by induration or crust, it functions as an obstacle to the wind. Linear lee dunes stabilized by ice (water or carbon dioxide) or mineral crust may elongate and form a long linear dune that aligns parallel to the wind. Melting of the ice will set up a straight linear dune

Jenkins Dune

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This image is of a landform informally called Jenkins Dune and is thought to be a small barchan dune. This feature is less than 1 foot (0.3 m) tall and perhaps 2-3 meters wide. Inferred wind direction is from the left to the right. Near the crest of the feature is a demarcation that may represent the exposure of a crust on the sediments; similar features were seen on sediments on the rock Big Joe at the Viking landing site.

Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Aeolian dune sediment flux heterogeneity in Meridiani Planum, Mars.

PubMed

Chojnacki, Matthew; Urso, Anna; Fenton, Lori K; Michaels, Timothy I

2017-06-01

It is now known unambiguously that wind-driven bedform activity is occurring on the surface of Mars today, including early detections of active sand dunes in Meridiani Planum's Endeavour crater. Many of these reports are only based on a few sets of observations of relatively isolated bedforms and lack regional context. Here, we investigate aeolian activity across central Meridiani Planum and test the hypothesis that dune sites surrounding Endeavour crater are also active and part of region-wide sediment migration driven by northwesterly winds. All 13 dune fields investigated clearly showed evidence for activity and the majority exhibited dune migration (average rates of 0.6 m/Earth-year). Observations indicate substantial geographic and temporal heterogeneity of dune crest fluxes across the area and per site. Locations with multiple time steps indicate dune sand fluxes can vary by a factor of five, providing evidence for short periods of rapid migration followed by near-stagnation. In contrast, measurements at other sites are nearly identical, indicating that some dunes are in a steady-state as they migrate. The observed sediment transport direction was consistent with a regional northeasterly-to-northwesterly wind regime, revealing more variations than were appreciated from earlier, more localized studies. Craters containing shallow, degraded, flat-floored interiors tended to have dunes with high sediment fluxes/activity, whereas local kilometer-scale topographic obstructions (e.g., central peaks, yardangs) were found to be inversely correlated with dune mobility. Finally, the previous, more limited detections of dune activity in Endeavour crater have been shown to be representative of a broader, region-wide pattern of dune motion.

'Sharks Teeth' -- Sand Dunes in Proctor Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Sometimes, pictures received from Mars Global Surveyor's Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) are 'just plain pretty.' This image, taken in early September 2000, shows a group of sand dunes at the edge of a much larger field of dark-toned dunes in Proctor Crater. Located at 47.9oS, 330.4oW, in the 170 km (106 mile) diameter crater named for 19th Century British astronomer Richard A. Proctor (1837-1888), the dunes shown here are created by winds blowing largely from the east/northeast. A plethora of smaller, brighter ripples covers the substrate between the dunes. Sunlight illuminates them from the upper left.

Dune migration in a steep, coarse-bedded stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dinehart, Randy L.

1989-01-01

During 1986 and 1987, migrating bed forms composed of coarse sand and fine gravel (d50=1.8 to 9.1 mm) were documented in the North Fork Toutle River at Kid Valley, Washington, at flow velocities ranging from 1.6 to 3.4 m s−1 and depths of 0.8 to 2.2 m. The bed forms (predominantly lower regime dunes) were studied with a sonic depth sounder transducer suspended in the river at a stationary point. Twelve temporal depth-sounding records were collected during storm runoff and nearly steady, average streamflow, with record durations ranging from 37 to 261 min. Waveform height was defined by dune front heights, which ranged from 12 to 70 cm. A weak correlation between flow depth and the standard deviation of bed elevation was noted. Dune front counts and spectral analyses of the temporal records showed that dune crests passed the observation point every 2 to 5 min. Dunes were often superposed on larger bed forms with wave periods between 10 and 30 min. Gradual changes in waveform height and periodicity occurred over several hours during storm runoff. The processes of dune growth and decay were both time-dependent and affected by changes in streamflow. Rates of migration for typical dunes were estimated to be 3 cm s−1, and dune wavelengths were estimated to be 6 to 7 m.

Observation and numerical modeling of tidal dune dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doré, Arnaud; Bonneton, Philippe; Marieu, Vincent; Garlan, Thierry

2018-05-01

Tidal sand dune dynamics is observed for two tidal cycles in the Arcachon tidal inlet, southwest France. An array of instruments is deployed to measure bathymetric and current variations along dune profiles. Based on the measurements, dune crest horizontal and vertical displacements are quantified and show important dynamics in phase with tidal currents. We observed superimposed ripples on the dune stoss side and front, migrating and changing polarity as tidal currents reverse. A 2D RANS numerical model is used to simulate the morphodynamic evolution of a flat non-cohesive sand bed submitted to a tidal current. The model reproduces the bed evolution until a field of sand bedforms is obtained that are comparable with observed superimposed ripples in terms of geometrical dimensions and dynamics. The model is then applied to simulate the dynamics of a field of large sand dunes of similar size as the dunes observed in situ. In both cases, simulation results compare well with measurements qualitatively and quantitatively. This research allows for a better understanding of tidal sand dune and superimposed ripple morphodynamics and opens new perspectives for the use of numerical models to predict their evolution.

Advanced InSAR imaging for dune mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Havivi, Shiran; August, Yitzhak; Blumberg, Dan G.; Rotman, Stanley R.

2015-04-01

Aeolian morphologies are formed in the presence of sufficient wind energy and available particles. These processes occur naturally or are further enhanced or reduced by human intervention. The dimensions of change are dependent primarily on the wind energy and surface properties. Since the 1970's, remote sensing imagery both optical and radar, are used for documentation and interpretation of the geomorphologic changes of sand dunes. Remote sensing studies of Aeolian morphologies is mostly useful to document major changes, yet, subtle changes, occurring in a period of days or months in scales of centimeters, are very difficult to detect in imagery. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is an imaging technique for measuring Earth's surface topography and deformation. InSAR images are produced by measuring the radar phase difference between two separated antennas that view the same surface area. Classical InSAR is based on high coherence between two images or more. The output (interferogram) can show subtle changes with an accuracy of several millimeters to centimeters. Very little work has been done on measuring or identifying the changes in dunes using InSAR. The reason is that dunes tend to be less coherent than firm, stable, surfaces. This research aims to demonstrate how interferometric decorrelation, or, coherence change detection, can be used for identifying dune instability. We hypothesize and demonstrate that the loss of radar coherence over time on dunes can be used as an indication of the dune's instability. When SAR images are acquired at sufficiently close intervals one can measure the time it takes to lose coherence and associate this time with geomorphic stability. To achieve our goals, the Nitzanim coastal dunes along the Mediterranean, 40 km south of Tel-Aviv, Israel, were chosen as a case study. The dunes in this area are of varying levels of stability and vegetation cover and have been monitored meteorologically, geomorphologically and

Defrosting Polar Dunes--"They Look Like Bushes!"

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-05-26

"They look like bushes!" That's what almost everyone says when they see the dark features found in pictures taken of sand dunes in the polar regions as they are beginning to defrost after a long, cold winter. It is hard to escape the fact that, at first glance, these images acquired by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) over both polar regions during the spring and summer seasons, do indeed resemble aerial photographs of sand dune fields on Earth -- complete with vegetation growing on and around them! Of course, this is not what the features are, as we describe below and in related picture captions. Still, don't they look like vegetation to you? Shown here are two views of the same MGS MOC image. On the left is the full scene, on the right is an expanded view of a portion of the scene on the left. The bright, smooth surfaces that are dotted with occasional, nearly triangular dark spots are sand dunes covered by winter frost. The MGS MOC has been used over the past several months (April-August 1999) to monitor dark spots as they form and evolve on polar dune surfaces. The dark spots typically appear first along the lower margins of a dune -- similar to the position of bushes and tufts of grass that occur in and among some sand dunes on Earth. Because the martian air pressure is very low -- 100 times lower than at Sea Level on Earth -- ice on Mars does not melt and become liquid when it warms up. Instead, ice sublimes -- that is, it changes directly from solid to gas, just as "dry ice" does on Earth. As polar dunes emerge from the months-long winter night, and first become exposed to sunlight, the bright winter frost and snow begins to sublime. This process is not uniform everywhere on a dune, but begins in small spots and then over several months it spreads until the entire dune is spotted like a leopard. The early stages of the defrosting process -- as in the picture shown here -- give the impression that something is "growing" on the dunes

Aeolian Processes of the Pismo-Oceano Dune Complex, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrineau, C. P.; Tchakerian, V.; Houser, C.

2012-12-01

The Pismo Dunes are located approximately 250 km northwest of Los Angeles and consist of 90 km2 of transverse, parabolic and paleodunes. The Pismo Dunes are one of the largest dune complexes on the west coast and are the largest remaining south of San Francisco Bay, but despite their size, relatively few process morphology studies have focused on their form and history. Specifically, the dune field includes 12 km2 of actively migrating transverse dune ridges advancing onshore in three distinct phases separated by small depressions easily indentified using a LiDAR-generated elevation model. An early field investigation by Tchakerian (1983) revealed a uniform increase in slip face heights and crestline wavelengths inland with no apparent change in grain size. Measurement of recent aerial imagery shows variable migration rates throughout the dunes and wavelengths between 30 and 100 m closest to the beach, in the second ridge between 50 and 140 m, and from 70 to 250 m furthest inland. During El Niño and La Niña periods, westerly winds advance onshore nearly perpendicular to the crestlines, fueling episodic migration of the dune field. It is hypothesized that particularly strong ENSO periods may have led to the development of distinct dune phases with separating depressions and the development of defects along the dune crest. Defects associated with the wakes of incipient vegetation and inter-dune depressions are conspicuous and widespread, though localized and variable through time and space. Aerial imagery taken in September 1994 shows a wider, more even distribution of defects across the dune field than currently visible. The signal is, however, complicated by the closure of the dune field to oversand vehicles in 1982. The closure of much of the complex to vehicular traffic in 1982 may play a role, as Tchakerian's crestline wavelength measurements were far smaller than those obtained for this study while maintaining a likewise increase between phases. At a decadal

Seasonal erosion and restoration of Mars' northern polar dunes.

PubMed

Hansen, C J; Bourke, M; Bridges, N T; Byrne, S; Colon, C; Diniega, S; Dundas, C; Herkenhoff, K; McEwen, A; Mellon, M; Portyankina, G; Thomas, N

2011-02-04

Despite radically different environmental conditions, terrestrial and martian dunes bear a strong resemblance, indicating that the basic processes of saltation and grainfall (sand avalanching down the dune slipface) operate on both worlds. Here, we show that martian dunes are subject to an additional modification process not found on Earth: springtime sublimation of Mars' CO(2) seasonal polar caps. Numerous dunes in Mars' north polar region have experienced morphological changes within a Mars year, detected in images acquired by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Dunes show new alcoves, gullies, and dune apron extension. This is followed by remobilization of the fresh deposits by the wind, forming ripples and erasing gullies. The widespread nature of these rapid changes, and the pristine appearance of most dunes in the area, implicates active sand transport in the vast polar erg in Mars' current climate.

Seasonal erosion and restoration of Mars' northern polar dunes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, C.J.; Bourke, M.; Bridges, N.T.; Byrne, S.; Colon, C.; Diniega, S.; Dundas, C.; Herkenhoff, K.; McEwen, A.; Mellon, M.; Portyankina, G.; Thomas, N.

2011-01-01

Despite radically different environmental conditions, terrestrial and martian dunes bear a strong resemblance, indicating that the basic processes of saltation and grainfall (sand avalanching down the dune slipface) operate on both worlds. Here, we show that martian dunes are subject to an additional modification process not found on Earth: springtime sublimation of Mars' CO 2 seasonal polar caps. Numerous dunes in Mars' north polar region have experienced morphological changes within a Mars year, detected in images acquired by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Dunes show new alcoves, gullies, and dune apron extension. This is followed by remobilization of the fresh deposits by the wind, forming ripples and erasing gullies. The widespread nature of these rapid changes, and the pristine appearance of most dunes in the area, implicates active sand transport in the vast polar erg in Mars' current climate.

Estimating groundwater recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Healy, Richard W.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

2010-01-01

Understanding groundwater recharge is essential for successful management of water resources and modeling fluid and contaminant transport within the subsurface. This book provides a critical evaluation of the theory and assumptions that underlie methods for estimating rates of groundwater recharge. Detailed explanations of the methods are provided - allowing readers to apply many of the techniques themselves without needing to consult additional references. Numerous practical examples highlight benefits and limitations of each method. Approximately 900 references allow advanced practitioners to pursue additional information on any method. For the first time, theoretical and practical considerations for selecting and applying methods for estimating groundwater recharge are covered in a single volume with uniform presentation. Hydrogeologists, water-resource specialists, civil and agricultural engineers, earth and environmental scientists and agronomists will benefit from this informative and practical book. It can serve as the primary text for a graduate-level course on groundwater recharge or as an adjunct text for courses on groundwater hydrology or hydrogeology.

Sand Dunes with Frost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

9 May 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a suite of frost-covered sand dunes in the north polar region of Mars in early spring, 2004. The dunes indicate wind transport of sand from left to right (west to east). These landforms are located near 78.1oN, 220.8oW. This picture is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left and covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across.

Aeolian dune sediment flux heterogeneity in Meridiani Planum, Mars

PubMed Central

Chojnacki, Matthew; Urso, Anna; Fenton, Lori K.; Michaels, Timothy I.

2018-01-01

It is now known unambiguously that wind-driven bedform activity is occurring on the surface of Mars today, including early detections of active sand dunes in Meridiani Planum’s Endeavour crater. Many of these reports are only based on a few sets of observations of relatively isolated bedforms and lack regional context. Here, we investigate aeolian activity across central Meridiani Planum and test the hypothesis that dune sites surrounding Endeavour crater are also active and part of region-wide sediment migration driven by northwesterly winds. All 13 dune fields investigated clearly showed evidence for activity and the majority exhibited dune migration (average rates of 0.6 m/Earth-year). Observations indicate substantial geographic and temporal heterogeneity of dune crest fluxes across the area and per site. Locations with multiple time steps indicate dune sand fluxes can vary by a factor of five, providing evidence for short periods of rapid migration followed by near-stagnation. In contrast, measurements at other sites are nearly identical, indicating that some dunes are in a steady-state as they migrate. The observed sediment transport direction was consistent with a regional northeasterly-to-northwesterly wind regime, revealing more variations than were appreciated from earlier, more localized studies. Craters containing shallow, degraded, flat-floored interiors tended to have dunes with high sediment fluxes/activity, whereas local kilometer-scale topographic obstructions (e.g., central peaks, yardangs) were found to be inversely correlated with dune mobility. Finally, the previous, more limited detections of dune activity in Endeavour crater have been shown to be representative of a broader, region-wide pattern of dune motion. PMID:29576818

Invasive plants on disturbed Korean sand dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kee Dae

2005-01-01

The sand dunes in coastal regions of South Korea are important ecosystems because of their small size, the rare species found in this habitat, and the beautiful landscapes they create. This study investigated the current vegetative status of sand dunes on three representative coasts of the Korean peninsula, and on the coasts of Cheju Island, and assessed the conditions caused by invasive plants. The relationships between the degree of invasion and 14 environmental variables were studied. Plots of sand dunes along line transects perpendicular to the coastal lines were established to estimate vegetative species coverage. TWINSPAN (Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis), CCA (Canonical Correspondence Analysis), and DCCA (Detrended Canonical Correspondence Analysis) were performed to classify communities on sand dunes and assess species composition variation. Carex kobomugi, Elymus mollis, and Vitex rotundifolia were found to be the dominant species plotted on the east, the west, and the peripheral coasts of Cheju Island, respectively. Vegetation on the south coast was totally extinct. The 19 communities, including representative C. kobomugi, C. kobomugi- Ixeris repens, C. kobomugi- Oenothera biennis, E. mollis, Lolium multiflorum- Calystegia soldanella, and V. rotundifolia- C. kobomugi, were all classified according to TWINSPAN. Oenothera biennis and L. multiflorum were exotics observed within these native communities. CCA showed that invasive native and exotic species distribution was segregated significantly, according to disturbance level, exotic species number, gravel, sand and silt contents, as well as vegetation size. It further revealed that human disturbance can strongly favor the settlement of invasive and exotic species. Restoration options to reduce exotic plants in the South Korean sand dune areas were found to be the introduction of native plant species from one sand dune into other sand dune areas, prohibition of building and the introduction of exotic

Bright dunes on mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, P.C.; Malin, M.C.; Carr, M.H.; Danielson, G.E.; Davies, M.E.; Hartmann, W.K.; Ingersoll, A.P.; James, P.B.; McEwen, A.S.; Soderblom, L.A.; Veverka, J.

1999-01-01

Seasonal changes observed on the surface of Mars can in part be attributed to the transport of geological materials by wind. Images obtained by orbiting spacecraft in the 1970s showed large wind-formed features such as dunes, and revealed regional time-varying albedos that could be attributed to the effects of dust erosion and deposition. But the resolution of these images was insufficient to identify different types and sources of aeolian materials, nor could they reveal aeolian deposits other than large dunes or extensive surface coverings that were redistributed by dust storms. Here we present images of Mars with up to 50 times better resolution. These images show that martian dunes include at least two distinct components, the brighter of which we interpret to be composed of relatively soft minerals, possibly sulphates. We also find large areas of the martian surface that have several metres or more of aeolian mantle lacking obvious bedforms.

Occurrence of amphibians in northern California coastal dune drainages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Halstead, Brian J.; Kleeman, Patrick M.

2017-01-01

Many coastal dune ecosystems have been degraded by non-native dune vegetation, but these systems might still provide valuable habitat for some taxa, including amphibians. Because restoration of degraded dune systems is occurring and likely to continue, we examined the occurrence of amphibians in drainages associated with a coastal dune ecosystem degraded by invasive plants (European Beachgrass, Ammophila arenaria, and Iceplant, Carpobrotus edulis). We found that occupancy of 3 amphibian species (California Red-legged Frog, Rana draytonii; Sierran Treefrog, Hyliola sierra; and Rough-skinned Newt, Taricha granulosa) among 21 coastal-dune drainages was high, with most coastal-dune drainages occupied by all 3 species. Furthermore, reproduction of Sierran Treefrogs and California Red-legged Frogs was estimated to occur in approximately ½ and ⅓ of the drainages, respectively. The probability of occurrence of Rough-skinned Newts and pre-metamorphic life stages of both anurans decreased during the study, perhaps because of ongoing drought in California or precipitation-induced changes in phenology during the final year of the study. Maintaining structural cover and moist features during dune restoration will likely benefit native amphibian populations inhabiting coastal-dune ecosystems.

Sand Dune Field in Richardson Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-13

This image from NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a view of the sand dune field in Richardson Crater covered with seasonal frost. The frost is a combination of frozen carbon dioxide and some water ice that covers the dunes in the winter and spring.

Phase diagrams of dune shape and orientation depending on sand availability

PubMed Central

Gao, Xin; Narteau, Clément; Rozier, Olivier; du Pont, Sylvain Courrech

2015-01-01

New evidence indicates that sand availability does not only control dune type but also the underlying dune growth mechanism and the subsequent dune orientation. Here we numerically investigate the development of bedforms in bidirectional wind regimes for two different conditions of sand availability: an erodible sand bed or a localized sand source on a non-erodible ground. These two conditions of sand availability are associated with two independent dune growth mechanisms and, for both of them, we present the complete phase diagrams of dune shape and orientation. On an erodible sand bed, linear dunes are observed over the entire parameter space. Then, the divergence angle and the transport ratio between the two winds control dune orientation and dynamics. For a localized sand source, different dune morphologies are observed depending on the wind regime. There are systematic transitions in dune shape from barchans to linear dunes extending away from the localized sand source, and vice-versa. These transitions are captured fairly by a new dimensionless parameter, which compares the ability of winds to build the dune topography in the two modes of dune orientation. PMID:26419614

Dune-Yardang Interactions in Becquerel Crater, Mars.

PubMed

Urso, Anna; Chojnacki, Matthew; Vaz, David A

2018-01-01

Isolated landscapes largely shaped by aeolian processes can occur on Earth, while the majority of Mars' recent history has been dominated by wind-driven activity. Resultantly, Martian landscapes often exhibit large-scale aeolian features, including yardang landforms carved from sedimentary-layered deposits. High-resolution orbital monitoring has revealed that persistent bedform activity is occurring with dune and ripple migration implying ongoing abrasion of the surface. However, little is known about the interaction between dunes and the topography surrounding them. Here we explore dune-yardang interactions in Becquerel crater in an effort to better understand local landscape evolution. Dunes there occur on the north and south sides of a 700 m tall sedimentary deposit, which displays numerous superposed yardangs. Dune and yardang orientations are congruent, suggesting that they both were formed under a predominantly northerly wind regime. Migration rates and sediment fluxes decrease as dunes approach the deposit and begin to increase again downwind of the deposit where the effect of topographic sheltering decreases. Estimated sand abrasion rates (16-40 μm yr -1 ) would yield a formation time of 1.8-4.5 Myr for the 70 m deep yardangs. This evidence for local aeolian abrasion also helps explain the young exposure ages of deposit surfaces, as estimated by the crater size-frequency distribution. Comparisons to terrestrial dune activity and yardang development begin to place constraints on yardang formation times for both Earth and Mars. These results provide insight into the complexities of sediment transport on uneven terrain and are compelling examples of contemporary aeolian-driven landscape evolution on Mars.

Dune-Yardang Interactions in Becquerel Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urso, Anna; Chojnacki, Matthew; Vaz, David A.

2018-02-01

Isolated landscapes largely shaped by aeolian processes can occur on Earth, while the majority of Mars' recent history has been dominated by wind-driven activity. Resultantly, Martian landscapes often exhibit large-scale aeolian features, including yardang landforms carved from sedimentary-layered deposits. High-resolution orbital monitoring has revealed that persistent bedform activity is occurring with dune and ripple migration implying ongoing abrasion of the surface. However, little is known about the interaction between dunes and the topography surrounding them. Here we explore dune-yardang interactions in Becquerel crater in an effort to better understand local landscape evolution. Dunes there occur on the north and south sides of a 700 m tall sedimentary deposit, which displays numerous superposed yardangs. Dune and yardang orientations are congruent, suggesting that they both were formed under a predominantly northerly wind regime. Migration rates and sediment fluxes decrease as dunes approach the deposit and begin to increase again downwind of the deposit where the effect of topographic sheltering decreases. Estimated sand abrasion rates (16-40 μm yr-1) would yield a formation time of 1.8-4.5 Myr for the 70 m deep yardangs. This evidence for local aeolian abrasion also helps explain the young exposure ages of deposit surfaces, as estimated by the crater size-frequency distribution. Comparisons to terrestrial dune activity and yardang development begin to place constraints on yardang formation times for both Earth and Mars. These results provide insight into the complexities of sediment transport on uneven terrain and are compelling examples of contemporary aeolian-driven landscape evolution on Mars.

Titan dune heights retrieval by using Cassini Radar Altimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastrogiuseppe, M.; Poggiali, V.; Seu, R.; Martufi, R.; Notarnicola, C.

2014-02-01

The Cassini Radar is a Ku band multimode instrument capable of providing topographic and mapping information. During several of the 93 Titan fly-bys performed by Cassini, the radar collected a large amount of data observing many dune fields in multiple modes such as SAR, Altimeter, Scatterometer and Radiometer. Understanding dune characteristics, such as shape and height, will reveal important clues on Titan's climatic and geological history providing a better understanding of aeolian processes on Earth. Dunes are believed to be sculpted by the action of the wind, weak at the surface but still able to activate the process of sand-sized particle transport. This work aims to estimate dunes height by modeling the shape of the real Cassini Radar Altimeter echoes. Joint processing of SAR/Altimeter data has been adopted to localize the altimeter footprints overlapping dune fields excluding non-dune features. The height of the dunes was estimated by applying Maximum Likelihood Estimation along with a non-coherent electromagnetic (EM) echo model, thus comparing the real averaged waveform with the theoretical curves. Such analysis has been performed over the Fensal dune field observed during the T30 flyby (May 2007). As a result we found that the estimated dunes' peak to trough heights difference was in the order of 60-120 m. Estimation accuracy and robustness of the MLE for different complex scenarios was assessed via radar simulations and Monte-Carlo approach. We simulated dunes-interdunes different composition and roughness for a large set of values verifying that, in the range of possible Titan environment conditions, these two surface parameters have weak effects on our estimates of standard dune heights deviation. Results presented here are the first part of a study that will cover all Titan's sand seas.

Investigating Mars: Arabia Terra Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-20

The bottom of this image shows the hills and mesas within the crater. The dunes at the top of the image are engulfing and covering the hills. In some locations the hills are still a substantial obstacle to the wind. In these cases the wind is blowing sand up against the windward side, but the hill is causing chaotic wind flow around the hill and rather than depositing sand, the wind is actually removing sand on the leeward side of the hill. With continued winds and sand movement the deposition of material will eventually build up along the leeward side of the hill and then engulf the hill on all sides. Located in eastern Arabia is an unnamed crater, 120 kilometers (75 miles) across. The floor of this crater contains a large exposure of rocky material, a field of dark sand dunes, and numerous patches of what is probably fine-grain sand. The shape of the dunes indicate that prevailing winds have come from different directions over the years. The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images! Orbit Number: 11781 Latitude: 26.3693 Longitude: 62.693 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2004-08-10 10:40 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22299

Dunes on Titan observed by Cassini Radar

USGS Publications Warehouse

Radebaugh, J.; Lorenz, R.D.; Lunine, J.I.; Wall, S.D.; Boubin, G.; Reffet, E.; Kirk, R.L.; Lopes, R.M.; Stofan, E.R.; Soderblom, L.; Allison, M.; Janssen, M.; Paillou, P.; Callahan, P.; Spencer, C.; ,

2008-01-01

Thousands of longitudinal dunes have recently been discovered by the Titan Radar Mapper on the surface of Titan. These are found mainly within ??30?? of the equator in optically-, near-infrared-, and radar-dark regions, indicating a strong proportion of organics, and cover well over 5% of Titan's surface. Their longitudinal duneform, interactions with topography, and correlation with other aeolian forms indicate a single, dominant wind direction aligned with the dune axis plus lesser, off-axis or seasonally alternating winds. Global compilations of dune orientations reveal the mean wind direction is dominantly eastwards, with regional and local variations where winds are diverted around topographically high features, such as mountain blocks or broad landforms. Global winds may carry sediments from high latitude regions to equatorial regions, where relatively drier conditions prevail, and the particles are reworked into dunes, perhaps on timescales of thousands to tens of thousands of years. On Titan, adequate sediment supply, sufficient wind, and the absence of sediment carriage and trapping by fluids are the dominant factors in the presence of dunes. ?? 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testing model parameters for wave-induced dune erosion using observations from Hurricane Sandy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Overbeck, J. R.; Long, J. W.; Stockdon, H. F.

2017-01-01

Models of dune erosion depend on a set of assumptions that dictate the predicted evolution of dunes throughout the duration of a storm. Lidar observations made before and after Hurricane Sandy at over 800 profiles with diverse dune elevations, widths, and volumes are used to quantify specific dune erosion model parameters including the dune face slope, which controls dune avalanching, and the trajectory of the dune toe, which controls dune migration. Wave-impact models of dune erosion assume a vertical dune face and erosion of the dune toe along the foreshore beach slope. Observations presented here show that these assumptions are not always valid and require additional testing if these models are to be used to predict coastal vulnerability for decision-making purposes. Observed dune face slopes steepened by 43% yet did not become vertical faces, and only 50% of the dunes evolved along a trajectory similar to the foreshore beach slope. Observations also indicate that dune crests were lowered during dune erosion. Moreover, analysis showed a correspondence between dune lowering and narrower beaches, smaller dune volumes, and/or longer wave impact.

Testing model parameters for wave‐induced dune erosion using observations from Hurricane Sandy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Overbeck, Jacquelyn R.; Long, Joseph W.; Stockdon, Hilary F.

2017-01-01

Models of dune erosion depend on a set of assumptions that dictate the predicted evolution of dunes throughout the duration of a storm. Lidar observations made before and after Hurricane Sandy at over 800 profiles with diverse dune elevations, widths, and volumes are used to quantify specific dune erosion model parameters including the dune face slope, which controls dune avalanching, and the trajectory of the dune toe, which controls dune migration. Wave‐impact models of dune erosion assume a vertical dune face and erosion of the dune toe along the foreshore beach slope. Observations presented here show that these assumptions are not always valid and require additional testing if these models are to be used to predict coastal vulnerability for decision‐making purposes. Observed dune face slopes steepened by 43% yet did not become vertical faces, and only 50% of the dunes evolved along a trajectory similar to the foreshore beach slope. Observations also indicate that dune crests were lowered during dune erosion. Moreover, analysis showed a correspondence between dune lowering and narrower beaches, smaller dune volumes, and/or longer wave impact.

Multiple recharge processes to heterogeneous Mediterranean coastal aquifers and implications on recharge rates evolution in time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoni, S.; Huneau, F.; Garel, E.; Celle-Jeanton, H.

2018-04-01

Climate change is nowadays widely considered to have major effects on groundwater resources. Climatic projections suggest a global increase in evaporation and higher frequency of strong rainfall events especially in Mediterranean context. Since evaporation is synonym of low recharge conditions whereas strong rainfall events are more favourable to recharge in heterogeneous subsurface contexts, a lack of knowledge remains then on the real ongoing and future drinking groundwater supply availability at aquifers scale. Due to low recharge potential and high inter-annual climate variability, this issue is strategic for the Mediterranean hydrosystems. This is especially the case for coastal aquifers because they are exposed to seawater intrusion, sea-level rise and overpumping risks. In this context, recharge processes and rates were investigated in a Mediterranean coastal aquifer with subsurface heterogeneity located in Southern Corsica (France). Aquifer recharge rates from combining ten physical and chemical methods were computed. In addition, hydrochemical and isotopic investigations were carried out through a monthly two years monitoring combining major ions and stable isotopes of water in rain, runoff and groundwater. Diffuse, focused, lateral mountain system and irrigation recharge processes were identified and characterized. A predominant focused recharge conditioned by subsurface heterogeneity is evidenced in agreement with variable but highly favourable recharge rates. The fast water transfer from the surface to the aquifer implied by this recharge process suggests less evaporation, which means higher groundwater renewal and availability in such Mediterranean coastal aquifers.

How Altitude and Latitude Control Dune Morphometry on Titan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le Gall, A.; Hayes, A.; Ewing, R.; Janssen, M. A.; Radebaugh, J.; Savage, C.; Encrenaz, P.

2011-01-01

Dune fields are one of the dominant landforms and represent the largest known organic reservoir on Titan. SAR-derived topography show that Titan's dune terrains tend to occupy the lowest altitude areas in equatorial regions occurring at mean elevations between approx.-400 and 0 m. In elevated dune terrains, there is a definite trend towards a smaller dune to interdune ratio, interpreted as due to limited sediment availability. A similar linear correlation is observed with latitude, suggesting that the quantity of windblown sand in the dune fields tends to decrease as one moves farther north. These findings place important constraints on Titan's geology and climate.

Small Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-06

As wind is the only active geologic process on Mars today, sand and dust continue to be moved around the surface. Most craters host a sand dune or two, like this unnamed crater in Tyrrhena Terra. This image is from NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey.

Origin of the late quaternary dune fields of northeastern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, D.R.; Stafford, T.W.; Cowherd, S.D.; Mahan, S.A.; Kihl, R.; Maat, P.B.; Bush, C.A.; Nehring, J.

1996-01-01

Stabilized eolian deposits, mostly parabolic dunes and sand sheets, cover much of the landscape of northeastern Colorado and adjacent parts of southwestern Nebraska in four geographically distinct dune fields. Stratigraphic and soil-geomorphic relations and accelerator radiocarbon dating indicate that at least three episodes of eolian sand movement occurred between 27 ka and 11 ka, possibly between 11 ka and 4 ka, and within the past 1.5 ka. Thus, eolian sand deposition took place under both glacial and interglacial climatic conditions. In the youngest episodes of eolian sand movement, Holocene parabolic dunes partially buried Pleistocene sand sheet deposits. Late Holocene sands in the Fort Morgan and Wray dune fields, to the south of the South Platte River, have trace element ratios that are indistinguishable from modern South Platte River sands, but different from Ogallala Formation bedrock, which has previously been cited as the main source of dune sand on the Great Plains. Sands in the Greeley dune field, to the north of the South Platte River, have trace element concentrations that indicate a probable Laramie Formation source. Measurements of parabolic dunes indicate paleowinds from the northwest in all dune fields, in good agreement with resultant drift directions calculated for nearby weather stations. Thus, paleowinds were probably not significantly different from present-day winds, and are consistent with a South Platte River source for the Fort Morgan and Wray dune fields, and a Laramie Formation source for the Greeley dune field. Sand accumulated downwind of the South Platte River to form the Fort Morgan dune field. In addition, sand was also transported farther downwind over the upland formed by the calcrete caprock of the Ogallala Formation, and deposited in die lee of the upland on the southeast side. Because of high wind energy, the upland itself served as a zone of sand transport, but little or no sand accumulation took place on this surface. These

Dune-Yardang Interactions in Becquerel Crater, Mars

PubMed Central

Urso, Anna; Chojnacki, Matthew; Vaz, David A.

2018-01-01

Isolated landscapes largely shaped by aeolian processes can occur on Earth, while the majority of Mars’ recent history has been dominated by wind-driven activity. Resultantly, Martian landscapes often exhibit large-scale aeolian features, including yardang landforms carved from sedimentary-layered deposits. High-resolution orbital monitoring has revealed that persistent bedform activity is occurring with dune and ripple migration implying ongoing abrasion of the surface. However, little is known about the interaction between dunes and the topography surrounding them. Here we explore dune-yardang interactions in Becquerel crater in an effort to better understand local landscape evolution. Dunes there occur on the north and south sides of a 700 m tall sedimentary deposit, which displays numerous superposed yardangs. Dune and yardang orientations are congruent, suggesting that they both were formed under a predominantly northerly wind regime. Migration rates and sediment fluxes decrease as dunes approach the deposit and begin to increase again downwind of the deposit where the effect of topographic sheltering decreases. Estimated sand abrasion rates (16–40 μm yr−1) would yield a formation time of 1.8–4.5 Myr for the 70 m deep yardangs. This evidence for local aeolian abrasion also helps explain the young exposure ages of deposit surfaces, as estimated by the crater size-frequency distribution. Comparisons to terrestrial dune activity and yardang development begin to place constraints on yardang formation times for both Earth and Mars. These results provide insight into the complexities of sediment transport on uneven terrain and are compelling examples of contemporary aeolian-driven landscape evolution on Mars. PMID:29564199

Curiosity Self-Portrait at Martian Sand Dune

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-29

This self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at "Namib Dune," where the rover's activities included scuffing into the dune with a wheel and scooping samples of sand for laboratory analysis. The scene combines 57 images taken on Jan. 19, 2016, during the 1,228th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. The camera used for this is the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) at the end of the rover's robotic arm. Namib Dune is part of the dark-sand "Bagnold Dune Field" along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. Images taken from orbit have shown that dunes in the Bagnold field move as much as about 3 feet (1 meter) per Earth year. The location of Namib Dune is show on a map of Curiosity's route at http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7640. The relationship of Bagnold Dune Field to the lower portion of Mount Sharp is shown in a map at PIA16064. The view does not include the rover's arm. Wrist motions and turret rotations on the arm allowed MAHLI to acquire the mosaic's component images. The arm was positioned out of the shot in the images, or portions of images, that were used in this mosaic. This process was used previously in acquiring and assembling Curiosity self-portraits taken at sample-collection sites, including "Rocknest" (PIA16468), "Windjana" (PIA18390) and "Buckskin" (PIA19807). For scale, the rover's wheels are 20 inches (50 centimeters) in diameter and about 16 inches (40 centimeters) wide. Other Curiosity self-portraits are available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20316

Geophysical Methods for Investigating Ground-Water Recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferre, Ty P.A.; Binley, Andrew M.; Blasch, Kyle W.; Callegary, James B.; Crawford, Steven M.; Fink, James B.; Flint, Alan L.; Flint, Lorraine E.; Hoffmann, John P.; Izbicki, John A.; Levitt, Marc T.; Pool, Donald R.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

2007-01-01

While numerical modeling has revolutionized our understanding of basin-scale hydrologic processes, such models rely almost exclusively on traditional measurements?rainfall, streamflow, and water-table elevations?for calibration and testing. Model calibration provides initial estimates of ground-water recharge. Calibrated models are important yet crude tools for addressing questions about the spatial and temporal distribution of recharge. An inverse approach to recharge estimation is taken of necessity, due to inherent difficulties in making direct measurements of flow across the water table. Difficulties arise because recharging fluxes are typically small, even in humid regions, and because the location of the water table changes with time. Deep water tables in arid and semiarid regions make recharge monitoring especially difficult. Nevertheless, recharge monitoring must advance in order to improve assessments of ground-water recharge. Improved characterization of basin-scale recharge is critical for informed water-resources management. Difficulties in directly measuring recharge have prompted many efforts to develop indirect methods. The mass-balance approach of estimating recharge as the residual of generally much larger terms has persisted despite the use of increasing complex and finely gridded large-scale hydrologic models. Geophysical data pertaining to recharge rates, timing, and patterns have the potential to substantially improve modeling efforts by providing information on boundary conditions, by constraining model inputs, by testing simplifying assumptions, and by identifying the spatial and temporal resolutions needed to predict recharge to a specified tolerance in space and in time. Moreover, under certain conditions, geophysical measurements can yield direct estimates of recharge rates or changes in water storage, largely eliminating the need for indirect measures of recharge. This appendix presents an overview of physically based, geophysical methods

Summary of groundwater-recharge estimates for Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stuart O. Reese,; Risser, Dennis W.

2010-01-01

Groundwater recharge is water that infiltrates through the subsurface to the zone of saturation beneath the water table. Because recharge is a difficult parameter to quantify, it is typically estimated from measurements of other parameters like streamflow and precipitation. This report provides a general overview of processes affecting recharge in Pennsylvania and presents estimates of recharge rates from studies at various scales.The most common method for estimating recharge in Pennsylvania has been to estimate base flow from measurements of streamflow and assume that base flow (expressed in inches over the basin) approximates recharge. Statewide estimates of mean annual groundwater recharge were developed by relating base flow to basin characteristics of HUC10 watersheds (a fifth-level classification that uses 10 digits to define unique hydrologic units) using a regression equation. The regression analysis indicated that mean annual precipitation, average daily maximum temperature, percent of sand in soil, percent of carbonate rock in the watershed, and average stream-channel slope were significant factors in the explaining the variability of groundwater recharge across the Commonwealth.Several maps are included in this report to illustrate the principal factors affecting recharge and provide additional information about the spatial distribution of recharge in Pennsylvania. The maps portray the patterns of precipitation, temperature, prevailing winds across Pennsylvania’s varied physiography; illustrate the error associated with recharge estimates; and show the spatial variability of recharge as a percent of precipitation. National, statewide, regional, and local values of recharge, based on numerous studies, are compiled to allow comparison of estimates from various sources. Together these plates provide a synopsis of groundwater-recharge estimations and factors in Pennsylvania.Areas that receive the most recharge are typically those that get the most

Dark Streaks Over-riding Inactive Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Not all sand dunes on Mars are active in the modern martian environment. This example from the Lycus Sulci (Olympus Mons'aureole') region shows a case where small windblown dunes at the base of a slope have been over-ridden by more recent dark streaks (arrows). The dark streaks are most likely caused by what geologists call mass wasting or mass movement (landslides and avalanches are mass movements). Dark slope streaks such as these are common in dustier regions of Mars, and they appear to result from movement of extremely dry dust or sand in an almost fluidlike manner down a slope. This movement disrupts the bright dust coating on the surface and thus appears darker than the surrounding terrain.

In this case, the dark slope streaks have moved up and over the dunes at the bottom of the slope, indicating that the process that moves sediment down the slope is more active (that is, it has occurred more recently and hence is more likely to occur) in the modern environment than is the movement of dunes and ripples at this location on Mars. The dunes, in fact, are probably mantled by dust. This October 1997 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture is illuminated from the left and located near 31.6oN, 134.0oW.

Defrosting Polar Dunes--'They Look Like Bushes!'

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

'They look like bushes!' That's what almost everyone says when they see the dark features found in pictures taken of sand dunes in the polar regions as they are beginning to defrost after a long, cold winter. It is hard to escape the fact that, at first glance, these images acquired by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) over both polar regions during the spring and summer seasons, do indeed resemble aerial photographs of sand dune fields on Earth--complete with vegetation growing on and around them! Of course, this is not what the features are, as we describe below and in related picture captions. Still, don't they look like vegetation to you? Shown here are two views of the same MGS MOC image. On the left is the full scene, on the right is an expanded view of a portion of the scene on the left. The bright, smooth surfaces that are dotted with occasional, nearly triangular dark spots are sand dunes covered by winter frost.

The MGS MOC has been used over the past several months (April-August 1999) to monitor dark spots as they form and evolve on polar dune surfaces. The dark spots typically appear first along the lower margins of a dune--similar to the position of bushes and tufts of grass that occur in and among some sand dunes on Earth.

Because the martian air pressure is very low--100 times lower than at Sea Level on Earth--ice on Mars does not melt and become liquid when it warms up. Instead, ice sublimes--that is, it changes directly from solid to gas, just as 'dry ice' does on Earth. As polar dunes emerge from the months-long winter night, and first become exposed to sunlight, the bright winter frost and snow begins to sublime. This process is not uniform everywhere on a dune, but begins in small spots and then over several months it spreads until the entire dune is spotted like a leopard.

The early stages of the defrosting process--as in the picture shown here--give the impression that something is 'growing' on the dunes

Latest Holocene Mapping of Tsunamigenically- and Seismogenically-Influenced Beach, Dune and Fluvial Landforms at Tolowa Dunes State Park, Northwestern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, P. R.

2015-12-01

Beach, dune, fluvial, and marine terrace deposits comprise a 16 kilometer (km) coastal strip immediately south of the Smith River at Tolowa Dunes State Park (TDSP), ~ 3.5 km north-northwest from downtown Crescent City, California. The park has numerous Native American sites that are vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal erosion, part of which may be influenced by Cascadia interseismic deformation. Efforts at removal of exotic beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) that stabilizes most of the dune complex have begun; vegetation removal will remobilize the dunes and could obscure and also expose near surficial geologic features. Using a LiDAR base to capture extant data and give context to future resource protection projects, I surficially mapped the dunes and provisionally interpreted, tsunamigenically-derived cobbles (which are more than five feet thick in one road cut exposure) that extensively mantle the deflation plain in the lee of the foredune. Natural, test pit and auger exposures helped characterize fluvial and marsh deposits in the southern bank and floodplain of the Smith River. Optically stimulated luminescence and/or radiocarbon dates constrain the ages for cobble deposits and dunes throughout the park, and liquefaction features exposed in the southern bank of the Smith River. In combination with estimated rates of dune formation and migration at TDSP since the A.D. 1700 Cascadia earthquake, the ages for seismogenically-sourced sediment associated with dune ridges and cobble deposits are tentatively correlated with the ages of latest Holocene Cascadia triggered turbidites dated by Goldfinger et al. (2012) on the Smith River platform. The mapping also helped identify a marine terrace sequence on the southern limb of the northwest-trending Lake Earl Syncline that bifurcates the park, and suggests projection of the northwest-trending Cemetery Scarp, part of the Point St. George fault complex (Polenz and Kelsey 1999), through the southern part of the park.

Assessing the geomorphic disturbance from fires on coastal dunes near Esperance, Western Australia: Implications for dune de-stabilisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumack, Samuel; Hesse, Paul

2018-04-01

Fire is commonly listed as a contributing disturbance to dune re-activation. This paper aims to characterise post-fire disturbance to vegetation and soil surface, and aeolian activity on coastal dunes. Field data were collected in February 2016 at two sites on coastal dunes near Esperance, Western Australia (WA) after recent wildfires in November 2015 and January 2016. We measured wind profiles at burnt and unburnt sites, and assessed recent sand movement, protective covering and burn severity. We also used remote sensing and on-site photos to monitor local patterns of short term biomass recovery. Results suggest that burnt vegetation enables near surface winds to flow with a similar profile shape to bare surfaces. Speed-up ratios (SR) were higher by 5-120% on burnt surfaces when compared with vegetated. However, burnt vegetation did not show the same topographic acceleration as bare dunes. This decelerating effect correlated with surface-level ground cover after removing topographically sheltered data points (r2 = 0.8, p < 0.001). Burnt surfaces had up to 30% more ripples than vegetated sites, but had significantly fewer ripples than previously-bare surfaces (by 60-100%). This was likely due to ground cover (r2 = 0.95, p < 0.001). Effective ground cover appears to be >40%. At one burnt transect a high burn intensity may have inhibited short term germination and re-sprouting. Fire as the sole disturbance is not a major threat to the stability of these dunes, however, extreme burn intensities may leave dunes susceptible to further non-fire disturbance events.

Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE): Conceptual Design Report. Volume 3: Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility for DUNE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strait, James; McCluskey, Elaine; Lundin, Tracy

2016-01-21

This volume of the LBNF/DUNE Conceptual Design Report covers the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility for DUNE and describes the LBNF Project, which includes design and construction of the beamline at Fermilab, the conventional facilities at both Fermilab and SURF, and the cryostat and cryogenics infrastructure required for the DUNE far detector.

Linear Dunes and Playas, Simson Desert, South Australia, Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-12-01

This image of abstract shapes is comprised numerous subparallel, very long, orange colored linear dunes and patchy grey dry lakes (playas). The dunes are aligned north to south in the great central basin of Astralia (27.0S, 138.0E). The regularity of the dunes is created by the winds blowing from the south. As the dunes advance, jaged edges on the south side of each dry lake are formed while the north side is eroded smooth by the wind and water.

The Evolution of a Snow Dune Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filhol, S.; Pirk, N.; Schuler, T.; Burkhart, J. F.

2017-12-01

On March 24, 2017 we observed the evolution of a snow dune field during a passing storm on the alpine plateau of Finse, Norway. With a terrestrial lidar we captured 15 high-resolution scans of the snow surface over an area of about 5000 m2 over the course of 7.5 hours from which we analyze morphological changes. An eddy covariance system located nearby at the Finse Alpine Research Station recorded wind and its turbulent structure, and measured the snow drifting flux with a FlowCapt sensor. This combined dataset provides novel insight into the responses and changes of the snow surface morphology exposed to storm constraints (e.g. wind speed, drifting flux). We found that individual dunes have moved 30 to 37 m over the course of 7.5 hours. The wavelength of the dunes varied from 10.3±3.1 m at the time of the first scan to 13.6±3.3 m at the last scan. Within this time period we observed individual dunes 1) migrating down wind, later becoming 2) temporarily nearly static as the wind speed dropped, and finally 3) migrating, growing, and merging into larger transverse dunes under strong wind conditions accompanied by large quantities of drifting snow. This dynamics can be considered analogous to sand dune behavior, however, on much shorter time scale (1h vs 10-100 years) and smaller spatial scale (10m vs 100m). The record of this event helps us to understand the morphological evolution of a snow surface during a blowing snow storm, and further illustrates the fate of self-sustained bedforms such as dunes in varying conditions. Such detailed description of erosion/deposition processes of the snow surface are crucial for improvements of land surface models, commonly applied to hydrological and ecological purposes.

Large-eddy simulation of sand dune morphodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosronejad, Ali; Sotiropoulos, Fotis; St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota Team

2015-11-01

Sand dunes are natural features that form under complex interaction between turbulent flow and bed morphodynamics. We employ a fully-coupled 3D numerical model (Khosronejad and Sotiropoulos, 2014, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 753:150-216) to perform high-resolution large-eddy simulations of turbulence and bed morphodynamics in a laboratory scale mobile-bed channel to investigate initiation, evolution and quasi-equilibrium of sand dunes (Venditti and Church, 2005, J. Geophysical Research, 110:F01009). We employ a curvilinear immersed boundary method along with convection-diffusion and bed-morphodynamics modules to simulate the suspended sediment and the bed-load transports respectively. The coupled simulation were carried out on a grid with more than 100 million grid nodes and simulated about 3 hours of physical time of dune evolution. The simulations provide the first complete description of sand dune formation and long-term evolution. The geometric characteristics of the simulated dunes are shown to be in excellent agreement with observed data obtained across a broad range of scales. This work was supported by NSF Grants EAR-0120914 (as part of the National Center for Earth-Surface Dynamics). Computational resources were provided by the University of Minnesota Supercomputing Institute.

The recharge process in alluvial strip aquifers in arid Namibia and implication for artificial recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, Diganta; Xu, Yongxin

2017-01-01

Alluvial strip aquifers associated with ephemeral rivers are important groundwater supply sources that sustain numerous settlements and ecological systems in arid Namibia. More than 70 % of the population in the nation's western and southern regions depend on alluvial aquifers associated with ephemeral rivers. Under natural conditions, recharge occurs through infiltration during flood events. Due to the characteristic spatial and temporal variability of rainfall in arid regions, recharge is irregular making the aquifers challenging to manage sustainably and they are often overexploited. This condition is likely to become more acute with increasing water demand and climate change, and artificial recharge has been projected as the apparent means of increasing reliability of supply. The article explores, through a case study and numerical simulation, the processes controlling infiltration, significance of surface water and groundwater losses, and possible artificial recharge options. It is concluded that recharge processes in arid alluvial aquifers differ significantly from those processes in subhumid systems and viability of artificial recharge requires assessment through an understanding of the natural recharge process and losses from the aquifer. It is also established that in arid-region catchments, infiltration through the streambed occurs at rates dependent on factors such as antecedent conditions, flow rate, flow duration, channel morphology, and sediment texture and composition. The study provides an important reference for sustainable management of alluvial aquifer systems in similar regions.

Enhanced groundwater recharge rates and altered recharge sensitivity to climate variability through subsurface heterogeneity

PubMed Central

Hartmann, Andreas; Gleeson, Tom; Wagener, Thorsten

2017-01-01

Our environment is heterogeneous. In hydrological sciences, the heterogeneity of subsurface properties, such as hydraulic conductivities or porosities, exerts an important control on water balance. This notably includes groundwater recharge, which is an important variable for efficient and sustainable groundwater resources management. Current large-scale hydrological models do not adequately consider this subsurface heterogeneity. Here we show that regions with strong subsurface heterogeneity have enhanced present and future recharge rates due to a different sensitivity of recharge to climate variability compared with regions with homogeneous subsurface properties. Our study domain comprises the carbonate rock regions of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East, which cover ∼25% of the total land area. We compare the simulations of two large-scale hydrological models, one of them accounting for subsurface heterogeneity. Carbonate rock regions strongly exhibit “karstification,” which is known to produce particularly strong subsurface heterogeneity. Aquifers from these regions contribute up to half of the drinking water supply for some European countries. Our results suggest that water management for these regions cannot rely on most of the presently available projections of groundwater recharge because spatially variable storages and spatial concentration of recharge result in actual recharge rates that are up to four times larger for present conditions and changes up to five times larger for potential future conditions than previously estimated. These differences in recharge rates for strongly heterogeneous regions suggest a need for groundwater management strategies that are adapted to the fast transit of water from the surface to the aquifers. PMID:28242703

Enhanced Groundwater Recharge Rates and Altered Recharge Sensitivity to Climate Variability Through Subsurface Heterogeneity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Andreas; Gleeson, Tom; Wada, Yoshihide; Wagener, Thorsten

2017-01-01

Our environment is heterogeneous. In hydrological sciences, the heterogeneity of subsurface properties, such as hydraulic conductivities or porosities, exerts an important control on water balance. This notably includes groundwater recharge, which is an important variable for efficient and sustainable groundwater resources management. Current large-scale hydrological models do not adequately consider this subsurface heterogeneity. Here we show that regions with strong subsurface heterogeneity have enhanced present and future recharge rates due to a different sensitivity of recharge to climate variability compared with regions with homogeneous subsurface properties. Our study domain comprises the carbonate rock regions of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East, which cover 25 of the total land area. We compare the simulations of two large-scale hydrological models, one of them accounting for subsurface heterogeneity. Carbonate rock regions strongly exhibit karstification, which is known to produce particularly strong subsurface heterogeneity. Aquifers from these regions contribute up to half of the drinking water supply for some European countries. Our results suggest that water management for these regions cannot rely on most of the presently available projections of groundwater recharge because spatially variable storages and spatial concentration of recharge result in actual recharge rates that are up to four times larger for present conditions and changes up to five times larger for potential future conditions than previously estimated. These differences in recharge rates for strongly heterogeneous regions suggest a need for groundwater management strategies that are adapted to the fast transit of water from the surface to the aquifers.

Dome and Barchan Dunes in Newton Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-10-01

This observation from NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows both dome and barchan dunes in a small sand dune field on the floor of Newton Crater, an approximately 300 kilometer 130 mile wide crater in the Southern hemisphere of Mars.

Frost-free Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Context image for PIA03291 Frost-free Dunes

These dark dunes are frost covered for most of the year. As southern summer draws to a close, the dunes have been completely defrosted.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -66.6N, Longitude 37.0E. 34 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Inland aeolian deposits of the Iberian Peninsula: Sand dunes and clay dunes of the Duero Basin and the Manchega Plain. Palaeoclimatic considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernat Rebollal, M.; Pérez-González, A.

2008-12-01

This paper describes the latest research on the geomorphological characteristics, formation environment and chronology of the main inland aeolian deposits from the south-eastern Duero Basin (DB) and the Manchega Plain (MP) of the Iberian Peninsula. Similarities and differences between the aeolian deposits of these two locations are summarised. Wind deflation from the Guadiana and Júcar alluvial systems created the aeolian deposits of the MP. These deposits are mainly composed of quartz sands. However, in the San Juan alluvial plain (MP) there is a large extent of clay dunes formed by exposure to prevalent winds of seasonal playa-lakes with salt and clay sediments. In the DB, wind remobilisation of the small particles from Quaternary terraces and Tertiary arkosic sediments left aeolian deposits of quartz-feldspar sands. Textural parameters of the aeolian deposits show large variations depending on the location and the original deposit. Thus, in the DB the aeolian sands derived from the deflation of fluvial sediments are better sorted and smaller in grain size than those created by the deflation of arkosic sediments. Morphologically, simple and compound parabolic dunes (U-V forms, hemicyclic, lobate and elongate), crescentic and linear dunes, climbing dunes and blowout dunes have been recognized at both sites. Barchan and dome dunes are present only in the DB while "lunette lunette-clay dunes" are found only in the MP. In both locations, the large extent of aeolian sand sheets and the predominance of simple and compound parabolic dunes indicates the active role of sparse vegetation cover in the formation of this aeolian system. In the DB, dunes were formed by southwest and west winds, while in the MP the aeolian morphologies indicate that the prevalent winds were west and northwest. The chronology of the dune deposits is being determined with luminescence (TL-OSL) dating and Mass Spectrometry Analysis ( 14C-AMS). In this way, the aeolian activity and stabilisation

Defrosting Polar Dunes -- "The Snow Leopard"

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-05-16

The patterns created by dark spots on defrosting south polar dunes are often strange and beautiful. This picture, which the Mars Orbiter Camera team has dubbed, "the snow leopard," shows a dune field located at 61.5°S, 18.9°W, as it appeared on July 1, 1999. The spots are areas where dark sand has been exposed from beneath bright frost as the south polar winter cap begins to retreat. Many of the spots have a diffuse, bright ring around them this is thought to be fresh frost that was re-precipitated after being removed from the dark spot. The spots seen on defrosting polar dunes are a new phenomenon that was not observed by previous spacecraft missions to Mars. Thus, there is much about these features that remains unknown. For example, no one yet knows why the dunes become defrosted by forming small spots that grow and grow over time. No one knows for sure if the bright rings around the dark spots are actually composed of re-precipitated frost. And no one knows for sure why some dune show spots that appear to be "lined-up" (as they do in the picture shown here). This Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera image is illuminated from the upper left. North is toward the upper right. The scale bar indicates a distance of 200 meters (656 feet). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02301

Southern Sand Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-01-15

At first glance, this NASA Mars Odyssey image showing impact craters and linear ridges and troughs is typical of the southern highlands. However, upon closer examination migrating sand dunes are observed within the troughs.

The effects of psammophilous plants on sand dune dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bel, Golan; Ashkenazy, Yosef

2014-07-01

Mathematical models of sand dune dynamics have considered different types of sand dune cover. However, despite the important role of psammophilous plants (plants that flourish in moving-sand environments) in dune dynamics, the incorporation of their effects into mathematical models of sand dunes remains a challenging task. Here we propose a nonlinear physical model for the role of psammophilous plants in the stabilization and destabilization of sand dunes. There are two main mechanisms by which the wind affects these plants: (i) sand drift results in the burial and exposure of plants, a process that is known to result in an enhanced growth rate, and (ii) strong winds remove shoots and rhizomes and seed them in nearby locations, enhancing their growth rate. Our model describes the temporal evolution of the fractions of surface cover of regular vegetation, biogenic soil crust, and psammophilous plants. The latter reach their optimal growth under either (i) specific sand drift or (ii) specific wind power. The model exhibits complex bifurcation diagrams and dynamics, which explain observed phenomena, and it predicts new dune stabilization scenarios. Depending on the climatological conditions, it is possible to obtain one, two, or, predicted here for the first time, three stable dune states. Our model shows that the development of the different cover types depends on the precipitation rate and the wind power and that the psammophilous plants are not always the first to grow and stabilize the dunes.

Boundary Conditions for Aeolian Activity in North American Dune Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halfen, A. F.; Lancaster, N.; Wolfe, S.

2014-12-01

Geomorphic and chronological data for dune fields are evaluated for three contrasting areas of North America: 1) the Prairie-Parkland-Boreal ecozones of the northern Great Plains in Canada; 2) the Central Great Plains of the USA; and 3) the deserts of southwestern USA and northern Mexico. Luminescence and radiocarbon ages for periods of dune accumulation and stability are compared with palaeoenvironment proxies to provide an assessment of the boundary conditions of dune system response to changes in sediment supply, availability, and mobility. Dune fields in the northern Great Plains were formed from sediment originating from glaciofluvial or glaciolacustrine sediments deposited during deglaciation 16-11 ka. Subsequent aeolian deposition occurred in Parkland and Prairie dune fields as a result of mid-Holocene (8-5 ka) and late-Holocene (< 3.5 ka) activity related to drought conditions that reworked pre-existing aeolian sands. In the Central Great Plains, dune fields are closely linked to fluvial sediment sources. Sediment supply was high during deglaciation of the Rocky Mountains and resulted in widespread dune construction 16-10 ka. Multiple periods of Holocene reactivation are recorded and reflect increased sediment availability during drought episodes. Dune fields in the southwestern deserts experienced periods of construction as a result of enhanced supply of sediment from fluvial and lacustrine sources during the period 11.8-8 ka and at multiple intervals during the late Holocene. Despite spatial and temporal gaps in chronometric data as a result of sampling biases, the record from North American dune fields indicates the strong influence of sediment supply on dune construction, with changes in sediment availability as a result of drought episodes resulting in dune field reactivation and reworking of pre-existing sediment.

Probabilistic estimation of dune retreat on the Gold Coast, Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Palmsten, Margaret L.; Splinter, Kristen D.; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Stockdon, Hilary F.

2014-01-01

Sand dunes are an important natural buffer between storm impacts and development backing the beach on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia. The ability to forecast dune erosion at a prediction horizon of days to a week would allow efficient and timely response to dune erosion in this highly populated area. Towards this goal, we modified an existing probabilistic dune erosion model for use on the Gold Coast. The original model was trained using observations of dune response from Hurricane Ivan on Santa Rosa Island, Florida, USA (Plant and Stockdon 2012. Probabilistic prediction of barrier-island response to hurricanes, Journal of Geophysical Research, 117(F3), F03015). The model relates dune position change to pre-storm dune elevations, dune widths, and beach widths, along with storm surge and run-up using a Bayesian network. The Bayesian approach captures the uncertainty of inputs and predictions through the conditional probabilities between variables. Three versions of the barrier island response Bayesian network were tested for use on the Gold Coast. One network has the same structure as the original and was trained with the Santa Rosa Island data. The second network has a modified design and was trained using only pre- and post-storm data from 1988-2009 for the Gold Coast. The third version of the network has the same design as the second version of the network and was trained with the combined data from the Gold Coast and Santa Rosa Island. The two networks modified for use on the Gold Coast hindcast dune retreat with equal accuracy. Both networks explained 60% of the observed dune retreat variance, which is comparable to the skill observed by Plant and Stockdon (2012) in the initial Bayesian network application at Santa Rosa Island. The new networks improved predictions relative to application of the original network on the Gold Coast. Dune width was the most important morphologic variable in hindcasting dune retreat, while hydrodynamic variables, surge and

Late Pleistocene dune activity in the central Great Plains, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mason, J.A.; Swinehart, J.B.; Hanson, P.R.; Loope, D.B.; Goble, R.J.; Miao, X.; Schmeisser, R.L.

2011-01-01

Stabilized dunes of the central Great Plains, especially the megabarchans and large barchanoid ridges of the Nebraska Sand Hills, provide dramatic evidence of late Quaternary environmental change. Episodic Holocene dune activity in this region is now well-documented, but Late Pleistocene dune mobility has remained poorly documented, despite early interpretations of the Sand Hills dunes as Pleistocene relicts. New optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from drill cores and outcrops provide evidence of Late Pleistocene dune activity at sites distributed across the central Great Plains. In addition, Late Pleistocene eolian sands deposited at 20-25 ka are interbedded with loess south of the Sand Hills. Several of the large dunes sampled in the Sand Hills clearly contain a substantial core of Late Pleistocene sand; thus, they had developed by the Late Pleistocene and were fully mobile at that time, although substantial sand deposition and extensive longitudinal dune construction occurred during the Holocene. Many of the Late Pleistocene OSL ages fall between 17 and 14 ka, but it is likely that these ages represent only the later part of a longer period of dune construction and migration. At several sites, significant Late Pleistocene or Holocene large-dune migration also probably occurred after the time represented by the Pleistocene OSL ages. Sedimentary structures in Late Pleistocene eolian sand and the forms of large dunes potentially constructed in the Late Pleistocene both indicate sand transport dominated by northerly to westerly winds, consistent with Late Pleistocene loess transport directions. Numerical modeling of the climate of the Last Glacial Maximum has often yielded mean monthly surface winds southwest of the Laurentide Ice Sheet that are consistent with this geologic evidence, despite strengthened anticyclonic circulation over the ice sheet. Mobility of large dunes during the Late Pleistocene on the central Great Plains may have been the result of

Non-equilibrium flow and sediment transport distribution over mobile river dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoitink, T.; Naqshband, S.; McElroy, B. J.

2017-12-01

Flow and sediment transport are key processes in the morphodynamics of river dunes. During floods in several rivers (e.g., the Elkhorn, Missouri, Niobrara, and Rio Grande), dunes are observed to grow rapidly as flow strength increases, undergoing an unstable transition regime, after which they are washed out in what is called upper stage plane bed. This morphological evolution of dunes to upper stage plane bed is the strongest bed-form adjustment during non-equilibrium flows and is associated with a significant change in hydraulic roughness and water levels. Detailed experimental investigations, however, have mostly focused on fixed dunes limited to equilibrium flow and bed conditions that are rare in natural channels. Our understanding of the underlying sedimentary processes that result into the washing out of dunes is therefore very limited. In the present study, using the Acoustic Concentration and Velocity Profiler (ACVP), we were able to quantify flow structure and sediment transport distribution over mobile non-equilibrium dunes. Under these non-equilibrium flow conditions average dune heights were decreasing while dune lengths were increasing. Preliminary results suggest that this morphological behaviour is due to a positive phase lag between sediment transport maximum and topographic maximum leading to a larger erosion on the dune stoss side compared to deposition on dune lee side.

Poster 17: Methane storms as a driver of Titan's dune orientation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charnay, Benjamin; Barth, Erika; Rafkin, Scot; Narteau, Clement; Lebonnois, Sebastien; Rodriguez, Sebastien; Courech Du Pont, Sylvain; Lucas, Antoine

2016-06-01

Titan's equatorial regions are covered by eastward oriented linear dunes [1,2]. This direction is opposite to mean surface winds simulated by Global Climate Models (GCMs) at these latitudes, oriented westward as trade winds on Earth. We propose that Titan's dune orientation is actually determined by equinoctial tropical methane storms producing a coupling with superrotation and dune formation [3]. Using meso-scale simulations of convective methane clouds [4] with a GCM wind profile featuring the superrotation [5,6], we show that Titan's storms should produce fast eastward gust fronts above the surface. Such gusts dominate the aeolian transport. Using GCM wind calculations and analogies with terrestrial dune fields [7], we show that Titan's dune propagation occurs eastward under these conditions. Finally, this scenario combining global circulation winds and methane storms can explain other major features of Titan's dunes as the divergence from the equator or the dune size and spacing. It also implies an equatorial origin of Titan's dune sand and a possible occurence of dust storms.

Thermophysical Variation within Dune Fields in the Southern Hemisphere of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courville, S. W.; Putzig, N. E.; Hoover, R.; Fenton, L. K.

2016-12-01

The activity and composition of Martian sand dunes, which are relatively young features, provide insight into the current and recent climate state of Mars. This study investigates small-scale variations of thermophysical properties within dune fields across the southern hemisphere of Mars to better understand near-surface composition. Previous morphological studies of southern hemisphere dune fields on Mars indicate a trend of decreasing activity with increasing latitude. We observe a corresponding trend in thermal properties. To investigate the thermal behavior of the dunes, we use apparent thermal inertia (ATI) derived from the Mars Odyssey's Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), which has a resolution of 100 meters per pixel. Overlaying THEMIS ATI values on images and digital terrain models from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) allows us to compare ATI with small-scale dune morphology and slopes. In general, we observe three types of ATI behavior: (1) fields with exposed ground between dunes display lower ATI on the dunes themselves, consistent with dunes of relatively low thermal inertia resting upon a wind-resistant consolidated bed with higher thermal inertia; (2) fields with little or no inter-dune exposures exhibit ATI in dune troughs that is 100 tiu or more lower than along crests, counterintuitively suggesting that dune trough material is finer than that along dune crests; and (3) fields with highly degraded dunes typically display uniform ATI values, indicating that their properties do not vary laterally at the resolution of THEMIS images or vertically within a seasonal skin depth. These ATI behaviors correspond to the activity state of the dune field with type 1 being the most active and occurring toward the equator, while type 3 is the least active and found mostly at high southern latitudes. To consider alternative explanations for the ATI variation observed in Type 2 fields, we created thermal models of slopes, lateral

Modeling Megacusps and Dune Erosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orzech, M.; Reniers, A. J.; Thornton, E. B.

2009-12-01

Megacusps are large, concave, erosional features of beaches, of O(200m) alongshore wavelength, which sometimes occur when rip channel bathymetry is present. It is commonly hypothesized that erosion of the dune and back beach will be greater at the alongshore locations of the megacusp embayments, principally because the beach width is narrower there and larger waves can more easily reach the dune toe (e.g., Short, J. Geol., 1979, Thornton, et al., Mar. Geol., 2007). At present, available field data in southern Monterey Bay provide some support for this hypothesis, but not enough to fully confirm or refute it. This analysis utilizes XBeach, a 2DH nearshore sediment transport model, to test the above hypothesis under a range of wave conditions over several idealized rip-megacusp bathymetries backed by dunes. Model results suggest that while specific wave conditions may result in erosional hot spots at megacusp embayments, other factors such as tides, wave direction, and surf zone bathymetry can often play an equal or stronger role.

Comparing groundwater recharge and storage variability from GRACE satellite observations with observed water levels and recharge model simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, D. M.; Henry, C.; Demon, H.; Kirste, D. M.; Huang, J.

2011-12-01

Sustainable management of groundwater resources, particularly in water stressed regions, requires estimates of groundwater recharge. This study in southern Mali, Africa compares approaches for estimating groundwater recharge and understanding recharge processes using a variety of methods encompassing groundwater level-climate data analysis, GRACE satellite data analysis, and recharge modelling for current and future climate conditions. Time series data for GRACE (2002-2006) and observed groundwater level data (1982-2001) do not overlap. To overcome this problem, GRACE time series data were appended to the observed historical time series data, and the records compared. Terrestrial water storage anomalies from GRACE were corrected for soil moisture (SM) using the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) to obtain monthly groundwater storage anomalies (GRACE-SM), and monthly recharge estimates. Historical groundwater storage anomalies and recharge were determined using the water table fluctuation method using observation data from 15 wells. Historical annual recharge averaged 145.0 mm (or 15.9% of annual rainfall) and compared favourably with the GRACE-SM estimate of 149.7 mm (or 14.8% of annual rainfall). Both records show lows and peaks in May and September, respectively; however, the peak for the GRACE-SM data is shifted later in the year to November, suggesting that the GLDAS may poorly predict the timing of soil water storage in this region. Recharge simulation results show good agreement between the timing and magnitude of the mean monthly simulated recharge and the regional mean monthly storage anomaly hydrograph generated from all monitoring wells. Under future climate conditions, annual recharge is projected to decrease by 8% for areas with luvisols and by 11% for areas with nitosols. Given this potential reduction in groundwater recharge, there may be added stress placed on an already stressed resource.

Cassini SAR, radiometry, scatterometry and altimetry observations of Titan's dune fields

USGS Publications Warehouse

Le, Gall A.; Janssen, M.A.; Wye, L.C.; Hayes, A.G.; Radebaugh, J.; Savage, C.; Zebker, H.; Lorenz, R.D.; Lunine, J.I.; Kirk, R.L.; Lopes, R.M.C.; Wall, S.; Callahan, P.; Stofan, E.R.; Farr, Tom

2011-01-01

Large expanses of linear dunes cover Titan's equatorial regions. As the Cassini mission continues, more dune fields are becoming unveiled and examined by the microwave radar in all its modes of operation (SAR, radiometry, scatterometry, altimetry) and with an increasing variety of observational geometries. In this paper, we report on Cassini's radar instrument observations of the dune fields mapped through May 2009 and present our key findings in terms of Titan's geology and climate. We estimate that dune fields cover ???12.5% of Titan's surface, which corresponds to an area of ???10millionkm2, roughly the area of the United States. If dune sand-sized particles are mainly composed of solid organics as suggested by VIMS observations (Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer) and atmospheric modeling and supported by radiometry data, dune fields are the largest known organic reservoir on Titan. Dune regions are, with the exception of the polar lakes and seas, the least reflective and most emissive features on this moon. Interestingly, we also find a latitudinal dependence in the dune field microwave properties: up to a latitude of ???11??, dune fields tend to become less emissive and brighter as one moves northward. Above ???11?? this trend is reversed. The microwave signatures of the dune regions are thought to be primarily controlled by the interdune proportion (relative to that of the dune), roughness and degree of sand cover. In agreement with radiometry and scatterometry observations, SAR images suggest that the fraction of interdunes increases northward up to a latitude of ???14??. In general, scattering from the subsurface (volume scattering and surface scattering from buried interfaces) makes interdunal regions brighter than the dunes. The observed latitudinal trend may therefore also be partially caused by a gradual thinning of the interdunal sand cover or surrounding sand sheets to the north, thus allowing wave penetration in the underlying

Mastcam Telephoto of a Martian Dune Downwind Face

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-04

This view combines multiple images from the telephoto-lens camera of the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover to reveal fine details of the downwind face of "Namib Dune." The site is part of the dark-sand "Bagnold Dunes" field along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. Images taken from orbit have shown that dunes in the Bagnold field move as much as about 3 feet (1 meter) per Earth year. Sand on this face of Namib Dune has cascaded down a slope of about 26 to 28 degrees. The top of the face is about 13 to 17 feet (4 to 5 meters) above the rocky ground at its base. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20283

Zooming in on neutrino oscillations with DUNE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Rahul; Ternes, Christoph A.; Tórtola, Mariam; Valle, José W. F.

2018-05-01

We examine the capabilities of the DUNE experiment as a probe of the neutrino mixing paradigm. Taking the current status of neutrino oscillations and the design specifications of DUNE, we determine the experiment's potential to probe the structure of neutrino mixing and C P violation. We focus on the poorly determined parameters θ23 and δC P and consider both two and seven years of run. We take various benchmarks as our true values, such as the current preferred values of θ23 and δC P, as well as several theory-motivated choices. We determine quantitatively DUNE's potential to perform a precision measurement of θ23, as well as to test the C P violation hypothesis in a model-independent way. We find that, after running for seven years, DUNE will make a substantial step in the precise determination of these parameters, bringing to quantitative test the predictions of various theories of neutrino mixing.

Dune and Dust Devil Tracks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

31 January 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a dark sand dune patch that occurs on the floor of a southern hemisphere crater near 64.1oS, 197.2oW. Passing dust devils have disrupted the fine, bright dust that coats the surrounding terrain, leaving wildly-varied streak patterns. Dark dots to the left (west) of the dune are boulders. The picture covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide; sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore : Transportation System Existing Conditions

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-20

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore ("the Lakeshore") is a significant regional destination along southern Lake Michigan. The Lakeshore manages scenic, fragile dunes and other ecosystems within its jurisdiction. The Lakeshores transportation system s...

Textures Where Curiosity Rover Studied a Martian Dune

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-04

This view from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows two scales of ripples, plus other textures, in an area where the mission examined a linear-shaped dune in the Bagnold dune field on lower Mount Sharp. The scene is an excerpt from a 360-degree panorama acquired on March 24 and March 25, 2017, (PST) during the 1,647th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars, at a location called "Ogunquit Beach." Crests of the longer ripples visible in the dark sand of the dune are several feet (a few meters) apart. This medium-scale feature in active sand dunes on Mars was one of Curiosity's findings at the crescent-shaped dunes that the rover examined in late 2015 and early 2016. Ripples that scale are not seen on Earth's sand dunes. Overlaid on those ripples are much smaller ripples, with crests about ten times closer together. Textures of the local bedrock in the foreground -- part of the Murray formation that originated as lakebed sediments -- and of gravel-covered ground (at right) are also visible. The image has been white-balanced so that the colors of the colors of the rock and sand materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11242

Recharge and groundwater models: An overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanford, W.

2002-01-01

Recharge is a fundamental component of groundwater systems, and in groundwater-modeling exercises recharge is either measured and specified or estimated during model calibration. The most appropriate way to represent recharge in a groundwater model depends upon both physical factors and study objectives. Where the water table is close to the land surface, as in humid climates or regions with low topographic relief, a constant-head boundary condition is used. Conversely, where the water table is relatively deep, as in drier climates or regions with high relief, a specified-flux boundary condition is used. In most modeling applications, mixed-type conditions are more effective, or a combination of the different types can be used. The relative distribution of recharge can be estimated from water-level data only, but flux observations must be incorporated in order to estimate rates of recharge. Flux measurements are based on either Darcian velocities (e.g., stream base-flow) or seepage velocities (e.g., groundwater age). In order to estimate the effective porosity independently, both types of flux measurements must be available. Recharge is often estimated more efficiently when automated inverse techniques are used. Other important applications are the delineation of areas contributing recharge to wells and the estimation of paleorecharge rates using carbon-14.

Flood-formed dunes in Athabasca Valles, Mars: Morphology, modeling, and implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burr, D.M.; Carling, P.A.; Beyer, R.A.; Lancaster, N.

2004-01-01

Estimates of discharge for martian outflow channels have spanned orders of magnitude due in part to uncertainties in floodwater height. A methodology of estimating discharge based on bedforms would reduce some of this uncertainty. Such a methodology based on the morphology and granulometry of flood-formed ('diluvial') dunes has been developed by Carling (1996b, in: Branson, J., Brown, A.G., Gregory, K.J. (Eds.), Global Continental Changes: The Context of Palaeohydrology. Geological Society Special Publication No. 115, London, UK, 165-179) and applied to Pleistocene flood-formed dunes in Siberia. Transverse periodic dune-like bedforms in Athabasca Valles, Mars, have previously been classified both as flood-formed dunes and as antidunes. Either interpretation is important, as they both imply substantial quantities of water, but each has different hydraulic implications. We undertook photoclinometric measurements of these forms, and compared them with data from flood-formed dunes in Siberia. Our analysis of those data shows their morphology to be more consistent with dunes than antidunes, thus providing the first documentation of flood-formed dunes on Mars. Other reasoning based on context and likely hydraulics also supports the bedforms' classification as dunes. Evidence does not support the dunes being aeolian, although a conclusive determination cannot be made with present data. Given the preponderance of evidence that the features are flood-formed instead of aeolian, we applied Carling's (1996b, in: Branson, J., Brown, A.G., Gregory, K.J. (Eds.), Global Continental Changes: The Context of Palaeohydrology. Geological Society Special Publication No. 115, London, UK, 165-179) dune-flow model to derive the peak discharge of the flood flow that formed them. The resultant estimate is approximately 2??106 m3/s, similar to previous estimates. The size of the Athabascan dunes' in comparison with that of terrestrial dunes suggests that these martian dunes took at least 1

Quantifying macropore recharge: Examples from a semi-arid area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, W.W.; Rainwater, Ken A.; Thompson, D.B.

1997-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the significantly increased resolution of determining macropore recharge by combining physical, chemical, and isotopic methods of analysis. Techniques for quantifying macropore recharge were developed for both small-scale (1 to 10 km2) and regional-scale areas in and semi-arid areas. The Southern High Plains region of Texas and New Mexico was used as a representative field site to test these methods. Macropore recharge in small-scale areas is considered to be the difference between total recharge through floors of topographically dosed basins and interstitial recharge through the same area. On the regional scale, macropore recharge was considered to be the difference between regional average annual recharge and interstitial recharge measured in the unsaturated zone. Stable isotopic composition of ground water and precipitation was used us an independent estimate of macropore recharge on the regional scale. Results of this analysis suggest that in the Southern High Plains recharge flux through macropores is between 60 and 80 percent of the total 11 mm/y. Between 15 and 35 percent of the recharge occurs by interstitial recharge through the basin floors. Approximately 5 percent of the total recharge occurs as either interstitial or matrix recharge between the basin floors, representing approximately 95 percent of the area. The approach is applicable to other arid and semi-arid areas that focus rainfall into depressions or valleys.The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the significantly increased resolution of determining macropore recharge by combining physical, chemical, and isotopic methods of analysis. Techniques for quantifying macropore recharge were developed for both small-scale (1 to 10 km2) and regional-scale areas in arid and semi-arid areas. The Southern High Plains region of Texas and New Mexico was used as a representative field site to test these methods. Macropore recharge in small-scale areas is considered

Sand dunes on the central Delmarva Peninsula, Maryland and Delaware

USGS Publications Warehouse

Denny, Charles Storrow; Owens, James Patrick

1979-01-01

Inconspicuous ancient sand dunes are present in parts of the central Delmarva Peninsula, Maryland and Delaware. Many dunes are roughly V-shaped, built by northwest winds, especially on the east sides of some of the large rivers. On the uplands, the form and spacing of the dunes are variable. A surficial blanket composed mainly of medium and fine-grained sand-the Parsonsburg Sand-forms both the ancient dunes and the broad plains between the dunes. The sand that forms the dunes is massive and intensely burrowed in the upper part; traces of horizontal or slightly inclined bedding appear near the base. Quartz is the dominant mineral constituent of the sand. Microline is abundant in the very fine to fine sand fraction. The heavy-mineral assemblages (high zircon, tourmaline, rutile) are more mature than in most of the possible source rocks. The most abundant minerals in the clay-sized fraction are dioctahedral vermiculite, kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, and gibbsite. The first four minerals are common in deposits of late Wisconsin and Holocene age. The gibbsite may be detrital, coming from weathered rocks of Tertiary age. The soil profile in the dune sand is weakly to moderately developed. At or near the base of the Parsonsburg Sand are peaty beds that range in age from about 30,000 to about 13,000 radiocarbon years B.P. Microfloral assemblages in the peaty beds suggest that the dunes on the uplands formed in a spruce parkland during the late Wisconsin glacial maximum. The river dunes may also be of late Wisconsin age, but could be Holocene.

Post-storm beach and dune recovery: Implications for barrier island resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houser, Chris; Wernette, Phil; Rentschlar, Elizabeth; Jones, Hannah; Hammond, Brianna; Trimble, Sarah

2015-04-01

The ability of beaches and dunes to recover following an extreme storm is a primary control of barrier island response to sea-level rise and changes in the frequency and/or magnitude of storm surges. Whereas erosion of the beach and dune occurs over hours and days, it can be years to decades before the beach and dune are able to recover to their pre-storm state. As a consequence, there are numerous descriptions of near-instantaneous beach and dune erosion due to storms, the immediate onshore transport of sand, and the initial phases of beach and dune recovery following a storm, but a paucity of data on long-term beach and dune recovery. A combination of previously published data from Galveston Island, Texas and new remotely sensed data from Santa Rosa Island, Florida is used in the present study to quantify the rate of dune recovery for dissipative and intermediate beach types, respectively. Recovery of the dune height and volume on Galveston Island was observed within two years following Hurricane Alicia (1983) and was largely complete within six years of the storm, despite extensive washover. In contrast, the dunes on Santa Rosa Island in Northwest Florida began to recover four years after Hurricane Ivan (2004), and only after the profile approached its pre-storm level and the rate of vegetation recovery (regrowth) was at a maximum. Results show that complete recovery of the largest dunes (in height and volume) will take approximately 10 years on Santa Rosa Island, which suggests that these sections of the island are particularly vulnerable to significant change in island morphology if there is also a change in the frequency and magnitude of storm events. In contrast, the areas of the island with the smallest dunes before Hurricane Ivan exhibited a rapid recovery, but no further growth in profile volume and dune height beyond the pre-storm volume and height, despite continued recovery of the largest dunes to their pre-storm height. A change in storm magnitude and

Russell Crater Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-27

Today's VIS image shows part of the large dune form on the floor of Russell Crater. Orbit Number: 67151 Latitude: -54.3002 Longitude: 13.0603 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-02-02 03:15 http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21517

Identifying and quantifying urban recharge: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerner, David N.

2002-02-01

The sources of and pathways for groundwater recharge in urban areas are more numerous and complex than in rural environments. Buildings, roads, and other surface infrastructure combine with man-made drainage networks to change the pathways for precipitation. Some direct recharge is lost, but additional recharge can occur from storm drainage systems. Large amounts of water are imported into most cities for supply, distributed through underground pipes, and collected again in sewers or septic tanks. The leaks from these pipe networks often provide substantial recharge. Sources of recharge in urban areas are identified through piezometry, chemical signatures, and water balances. All three approaches have problems. Recharge is quantified either by individual components (direct recharge, water-mains leakage, septic tanks, etc.) or holistically. Working with individual components requires large amounts of data, much of which is uncertain and is likely to lead to large uncertainties in the final result. Recommended holistic approaches include the use of groundwater modelling and solute balances, where various types of data are integrated. Urban recharge remains an under-researched topic, with few high-quality case studies reported in the literature.

First quantification of relationship between dune orientation and sediment availability, Olympia Undae, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Cascales, Laura; Lucas, Antoine; Rodriguez, Sébastien; Gao, Xin; Spiga, Aymeric; Narteau, Clément

2018-05-01

Dunes provide unique information about wind regimes on planetary bodies where there is no direct meteorological data. At the eastern margin of Olympia Undae on Mars, dune orientation is measured from satellite imagery and sediment cover is estimated using the high contrast between the dune material and substrate. The analysis of these data provide the first quantification of relationship between sediment availability and dune orientation. Abrupt and smooth dune reorientations are associated with inward and outward dynamics of dunes approaching and ejecting from major sedimentary bodies, respectively. These reorientation patterns along sediment transport pathways are interpreted using a new generation dune model based on the coexistence of two dune growth mechanisms. This model also permits solving of the inverse problem of predicting the wind regime from dune orientation. For bidirectional wind regimes, solutions of this inverse problem show substantial differences in the distributions of sediment flux orientation, which can be attributed to atmospheric flow variations induced by changes in albedo at the boundaries of major dune fields. Then, we conclude that relationships between sediment cover and dune orientation can be used to constrain wind regime and dune field development on Mars and other planetary surfaces.

Downwind Side of Namib Sand Dune on Mars, Stereo

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-04

This stereo view from NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover shows the downwind side of "Namib Dune," which stands about 13 feet (4 meters) high. The image appears three-dimensional when viewed through red-blue glasses with the red lens on the left. The site is part of Bagnold Dunes, a band of dark sand dunes along the northwestern flank of Mars' Mount Sharp. The component images stitched together into this scene were taken with Curiosity's Navigation Camera (Navcam) on Dec. 17, 2015, during the 1,196th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. In late 2015 and early 2016, Curiosity is conducting the first up-close studies ever made of active sand dunes anywhere but on Earth. Under the influence of Martian wind, the Bagnold Dunes are migrating up to about one yard or meter per Earth year. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20282

Statewide Groundwater Recharge Modeling in New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, F.; Cadol, D.; Newton, B. T.; Phillips, F. M.

2017-12-01

It is crucial to understand the rate and distribution of groundwater recharge in New Mexico because it not only largely defines a limit for water availability in this semi-arid state, but also is the least understood aspect of the state's water budget. With the goal of estimating groundwater recharge statewide, we are developing the Evapotranspiration and Recharge Model (ETRM), which uses existing spatial datasets to model the daily soil water balance over the state at a resolution of 250 m cell. The input datasets includes PRISM precipitation data, MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), NRCS soils data, state geology data and reference ET estimates produced by Gridded Atmospheric Data downscalinG and Evapotranspiration Tools (GADGET). The current estimated recharge presents diffuse recharge only, not focused recharge as in channels or playas. Direct recharge measurements are challenging and rare, therefore we estimate diffuse recharge using a water balance approach. The ETRM simulated runoff amount was compared with USGS gauged discharge in four selected ephemeral channels: Mogollon Creek, Zuni River, the Rio Puerco above Bernardo, and the Rio Puerco above Arroyo Chico. Result showed that focused recharge is important, and basin characteristics can be linked with watershed hydrological response. As the sparse instruments in NM provide limited help in improving estimation of focused recharge by linking basin characteristics, the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed, which is one of the most densely gauged and monitored semiarid rangeland watershed for hydrology research purpose, is now being modeled with ETRM. Higher spatial resolution of field data is expected to enable detailed comparison of model recharge results with measured transmission losses in ephemeral channels. The final ETRM product will establish an algorithm to estimate the groundwater recharge as a water budget component of the entire state of New Mexico. Reference ET estimated by GADGET

Interdisciplinary research produces results in understanding planetary dunes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Titus, Timothy N.; Hayward, Rosalyn K.; Dinwiddie, Cynthia L.

2012-01-01

Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop: Remote Sensing and Image Analysis of Planetary Dunes; Flagstaff, Arizona, 12–16 June 2012. This workshop, the third in a biennial series, was convened as a means of bringing together terrestrial and planetary researchers from diverse backgrounds with the goal of fostering collaborative interdisciplinary research. The small-group setting facilitated intensive discussions of many problems associated with aeolian processes on Earth, Mars, Venus, Titan, Triton, and Pluto. The workshop produced a list of key scientifc questions about planetary dune felds.

Windblown Dunes and Ripples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-411, 4 July 2003

July 4, 2003, is the 6th anniversary of the Mars Pathfinder landing. One of the elements carried to the red planet by Pathfinder was the Wind Sock Experiment. This project was designed to measure wind activity by taking pictures of three aluminum 'wind socks.' While the winds at the Mars Pathfinder site did not blow particularly strong during the course of that mission, dust storms seen from orbit and Earth-based telescopes attest to the fact that wind is a major force of change on the dry, desert surface of Mars today. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) narrow angle image shows dark sand dunes and lighter-toned ripples trapped among the mountainous central peak of an old impact crater in Terra Tyrrhena near 13.9oS, 246.7oW. The dune slip faces--the steepest slope on the larger dunes--indicate sand transport is from the top/upper left toward the bottom/lower right. North is toward the top/upper right; the picture is 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. This picture was obtained in April 2003.

Frost-covered dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

MOC image of dunes in Chasma Boreale, a giant trough in the north polar cap. This September 1998 view shows dark sand emergent from beneath a veneer of bright frost left over from the northern winter that ended in July 1998.

Possibility of star (pyramid) dune development in the area of bimodal wind regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biejat, K.

2012-04-01

Star (pyramid) dunes are the largest aeolian landforms. They can occur in three types - simple, complex and compound. Development of this type of dunes is usually connected with multidirectional or complex wind regimes. The aim of this study was to verify a hypothesis that the star dunes can also develop by a bimodal wind regime and by local modifications of nearsurface wind flow directions. Field study was performed on Erg Chebbi, in southern Morocco. Several star and transverse dunes were selected for the study of their shape. The star dunes were analysed concerning their type and position in the dune field. This erg contains all of three types of star dunes together with transverse dunes. The regional wind data show that there are two dominant wind directions - NE (Chergui) and SW (Saheli). To determine the difference in shape of star dunes, we performed topographic surveying by GPS RTK. The results allowed to create 3D models of star dunes. The models were used to determine metric characteristics of star dunes, including area of dune basis, volume, and slope angles. On the basis of 3D models, primary, secondary and, on the compound dunes, tertiary arms were determined. Primary arms on each type of star dunes, as well as crestlines of transverse dunes, have dominant orientation NW-SE, perpendicular to two dominant wind directions. This clearly confirms that star dunes of Erg Chebbi develop by a bimodal wind regime In contrast to primary arms, subsidiary (secondary and tertiary) arms are not connected to general wind regime. The secondary arms of star dunes occur to be differentially developer. There are more subsidiary arms on SW sides in comparison to the E sides of the dunes where inclination of slopes is constant. It can be therefore inferred that sand has been supplied predominantly from SW direction. This is supported by distribution of the dunes on the erg. Most compound star dunes compose a chain along the E margin of the erg. Comparison of compound star

Natural versus Urban dunes along the Emilia-Romagna coast, Northern Adriatic (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbau, Corinne; Simeoni, Umberto

2014-05-01

Beach-dune interaction models can be precious tools for land managers and policymakers. However, if the models are inaccurate, land use policies may be designed based on false pretences or assumptions leading to poor land management, long-term erosion and sustainability issues, and increased difficulties in maintaining the dynamic coastal systems. From the literature, it appears that even the most reliable beach-dunes interactions models are not applicable to all coastal systems (Short and Hesp, 1982; Psuty, 1988; Sherman and Bauer, 1993). The study aims to identify the morphological evolution of the Emilia-Romagna coastal dunes according to its natural and "human" characteristics and to classify groups of dunes with similar evolutionary patterns. The coastal area consists essentially of 130 km of low sandy coast, interrupted by vast lagoon areas, harbor jetties and numerous hard coastal defense structures that were built during the first half of the 20th century to protect the Emilia-Romagna coast against erosion. Today about 57% of the littoral is protected by hard defenses, which have modified the morphodynamic characteristics of the beach without inverting the negative coastal evolution's trend. From recent aerial photographs (2011), 62 coastal dunes have been identified and mapped. Furthermore, the dune analysis shows a variability of the "physical characteristics" of coastal-dune systems along the Emilia-Romagna coast. The dune height varies from 1 to 7 meters, the width of the beach and of the active dunes range respectively from 10 to 150 m and from 10 to 65 m. Three main factors may explain the variability of the "physical characteristics": 1- Firstly the frontal dunes may be of different states according to the classification of Hesp (2002) since they correspond to incipient foredunes, well-developed foredunes, blowouts, residual foredunes as well as reactivated relict foredunes, 2- This could also be related to a different orientation of the coastline

Monitoring and modeling infiltration-recharge dynamics of managed aquifer recharge with desalinated seawater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganot, Yonatan; Holtzman, Ran; Weisbrod, Noam; Nitzan, Ido; Katz, Yoram; Kurtzman, Daniel

2017-09-01

We study the relation between surface infiltration and groundwater recharge during managed aquifer recharge (MAR) with desalinated seawater in an infiltration pond, at the Menashe site that overlies the northern part of the Israeli Coastal Aquifer. We monitor infiltration dynamics at multiple scales (up to the scale of the entire pond) by measuring the ponding depth, sediment water content and groundwater levels, using pressure sensors, single-ring infiltrometers, soil sensors, and observation wells. During a month (January 2015) of continuous intensive MAR (2.45 × 106 m3 discharged to a 10.7 ha area), groundwater level has risen by 17 m attaining full connection with the pond, while average infiltration rates declined by almost 2 orders of magnitude (from ˜ 11 to ˜ 0.4 m d-1). This reduction can be explained solely by the lithology of the unsaturated zone that includes relatively low-permeability sediments. Clogging processes at the pond-surface - abundant in many MAR operations - are negated by the high-quality desalinated seawater (turbidity ˜ 0.2 NTU, total dissolved solids ˜ 120 mg L-1) or negligible compared to the low-permeability layers. Recharge during infiltration was estimated reasonably well by simple analytical models, whereas a numerical model was used for estimating groundwater recharge after the end of infiltration. It was found that a calibrated numerical model with a one-dimensional representative sediment profile is able to capture MAR dynamics, including temporal reduction of infiltration rates, drainage and groundwater recharge. Measured infiltration rates of an independent MAR event (January 2016) fitted well to those calculated by the calibrated numerical model, showing the model validity. The successful quantification methodologies of the temporal groundwater recharge are useful for MAR practitioners and can serve as an input for groundwater flow models.

The dune effect on sand-transporting winds on Mars.

PubMed

Jackson, Derek W T; Bourke, Mary C; Smyth, Thomas A G

2015-11-05

Wind on Mars is a significant agent of contemporary surface change, yet the absence of in situ meteorological data hampers the understanding of surface-atmospheric interactions. Airflow models at length scales relevant to landform size now enable examination of conditions that might activate even small-scale bedforms (ripples) under certain contemporary wind regimes. Ripples have the potential to be used as modern 'wind vanes' on Mars. Here we use 3D airflow modelling to demonstrate that local dune topography exerts a strong influence on wind speed and direction and that ripple movement likely reflects steered wind direction for certain dune ridge shapes. The poor correlation of dune orientation with effective sand-transporting winds suggests that large dunes may not be mobile under modelled wind scenarios. This work highlights the need to first model winds at high resolution before inferring regional wind patterns from ripple movement or dune orientations on the surface of Mars today.

The dune effect on sand-transporting winds on Mars

PubMed Central

Jackson, Derek W. T.; Bourke, Mary C; Smyth, Thomas A. G.

2015-01-01

Wind on Mars is a significant agent of contemporary surface change, yet the absence of in situ meteorological data hampers the understanding of surface–atmospheric interactions. Airflow models at length scales relevant to landform size now enable examination of conditions that might activate even small-scale bedforms (ripples) under certain contemporary wind regimes. Ripples have the potential to be used as modern ‘wind vanes' on Mars. Here we use 3D airflow modelling to demonstrate that local dune topography exerts a strong influence on wind speed and direction and that ripple movement likely reflects steered wind direction for certain dune ridge shapes. The poor correlation of dune orientation with effective sand-transporting winds suggests that large dunes may not be mobile under modelled wind scenarios. This work highlights the need to first model winds at high resolution before inferring regional wind patterns from ripple movement or dune orientations on the surface of Mars today. PMID:26537669

Recharge at the Hanford Site: Status report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gee, G.W.

A variety of field programs designed to evaluate recharge and other water balance components including precipitation, infiltration, evaporation, and water storage changes, have been carried out at the Hanford Site since 1970. Data from these programs have indicated that a wide range of recharge rates can occur depending upon specific site conditions. Present evidence suggests that minimum recharge occurs where soils are fine-textured and surfaces are vegetated with deep-rooted plants. Maximum recharge occurs where coarse soils or gravels exist at the surface and soils are kept bare. Recharge can occur in areas where shallow-rooted plants dominate the surface, particularly wheremore » soils are coarse-textured. Recharge estimates have been made for the site using simulation models. A US Geological Survey model that attempts to account for climate variability, soil storage parameters, and plant factors has calculated recharge values ranging from near zero to an average of about 1 cm/yr for the Hanford Site. UNSAT-H, a deterministic model developed for the site, appears to be the best code available for estimating recharge on a site-specific basis. Appendix I contains precipitation data from January 1979 to June 1987. 42 refs., 11 figs., 11 tabs.« less

Holocene eolian activity in the Minot dune field, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, D.R.; Stafford, Thomas W.; Been, J.; Mahan, S.A.; Burdett, J.; Skipp, G.; Rowland, Z.M.

1997-01-01

Stabilized eolian sand is common over much of the Great Plains region of the United States and Canada, including a subhumid area of ??? 1500 km2 near Minot, North Dakota. Eolian landforms consist of sand sheets and northwest-trending parabolic dunes. Dunes and sand sheets in the Minot field are presently stabilized by a cover of prairie grasses or oak woodland. Stratigraphic studies and accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating of paleosols indicate at least two periods of eolian sand movement in the late Holocene. Pedologic data suggest that all of the dune field has experienced late Holocene dune activity, though not all parts of the dune field may have been active simultaneously. Similar immobile element (Ti, Zr, La, Ce) concentrations support the interpretation that eolian sands are derived from local glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine sediments. However, glaciolacustrine and glaciofluvial source sediments have high Ca concentrations from carbonate minerals, whereas dune sands are depleted in Ca. Because noneolian-derived soils in the area are calcareous, these data indicate that the Minot dune field may have had extended periods of activity in the Holocene, such that eolian abrasion removed soft carbonate minerals. The southwest-facing parts of some presently stabilized dunes were active during the 1930s drought, but were revegetated during the wetter years of the 1940s. These observations indicate that severe droughts accompanied by high temperatures are the most likely cause of Holocene eolian activity.

A comparison of seed banks across a sand dune successional gradient at Lake Michigan dunes (Indiana, USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leicht-Young, S. A.; Pavlovic, N.B.; Grundel, R.; Frohnapple, K.J.

2009-01-01

In habitats where disturbance is frequent, seed banks are important for the regeneration of vegetation. Sand dune systems are dynamic habitats in which sand movement provides intermittent disturbance. As succession proceeds from bare sand to forest, the disturbance decreases. At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, we examined the seed banks of three habitat types across a successional gradient: foredunes, secondary dunes, and oak savanna. There were differences among the types of species that germinated from each of the habitats. The mean seed bank density increased across the successional gradient by habitat, from 376 to 433 to 968 seeds m-2, but with foredune and secondary dune seed bank densities being significantly lower than the savanna seed bank density. The number of seeds germinated was significantly correlated with soil organic carbon, demonstrating for this primary successional sequence that seed density increases with stage and age. The seed bank had much lower species richness than that of the aboveground vegetation across all habitats. Among sites within a habitat type, the similarity of species germinated from the seed banks was very low, illustrating the variability of the seed bank even in similar habitat types. These results suggest that restoration of these habitats cannot rely on seed banks alone. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Tidal dunes versus tidal bars: The sedimentological and architectural characteristics of compound dunes in a tidal seaway, the lower Baronia Sandstone (Lower Eocene), Ager Basin, Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olariu, Cornel; Steel, Ronald J.; Dalrymple, Robert W.; Gingras, Murray K.

2012-11-01

The Lower Eocene Baronia Formation in the Ager Basin is interpreted as a series of stacked compound dunes confined within a tectonically generated embayment or tidal seaway. This differs from the previous interpretation of lower Baronia sand bodies as tidal bars in the front of a delta. The key architectural building block of the succession, the deposit of a single compound dune, forms a 1-3 m-thick, upward coarsening succession that begins with highly bioturbated, muddy, very fine to fine grained sandstone that contains an open-marine Cruziana ichnofacies. This is overlain gradationally by ripple-laminated sandstone that is commonly bioturbated and contains mud drapes. The succession is capped by fine- to coarse-grained sandstones that contain both planar and trough cross-strata with unidirectional or bi-directional paleocurrent directions and occasional thin mud drapes on the foresets. The base of a compound dune is gradational where it migrated over muddy sandstone deposited between adjacent dunes, but is sharp and erosional where it migrated over the stoss side of a previous compound dune. The cross strata that formed by simple superimposed dunes dip in the same direction as the inclined master bedding planes within the compound dune, forming a forward-accretion architecture. This configuration is the fundamental reason why these sandbodies are interpreted as compound tidal dunes rather than as tidal bars, which, in contrast, generate lateral-accretion architecture. In the Baronia, fields of compound dunes generated tabular sandbodies 100s to 1000s of meters in extent parallel to the paleocurrent direction and up to 6 m thick that alternate vertically with highly bioturbated muddy sandstones (up to 10 m thick) that represent the low-energy fringes of the dune fields or periods of high sea level when current speeds decreased. Each cross-stratified sandstone sheet (compound-dune complexes) contains overlapping lenticular "shingles" formed by individual compound

Experimental study on the formation of subaqueous barchan dunes in closed conduits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, Carlos A.; Franklin, Erick

2018-06-01

The present paper reports the formation of subaqueous barchan dunes by analyzing the temporal evolution of their main geometrical characteristics (width W, length L and horn lengths Lh). After certain time, the dunes reach an equilibrium state and it is possible to study the relation between W versus L, and the dependence of the dune velocity on L. The barchan dunes were formed from spherical glass and zirconium beads. An initial conical heap of beads was placed on the bottom wall of a rectangular channel and it was entrained by a water turbulent flow. The evolution of the dunes was filmed with a CCD camera placed above the channel and mounted on a traveling system. Our results show that after a characteristic time the dune shape does not change and it travels with a roughly constant velocity. Once the equilibrium state is reach, W and L are measured, showing linear dependence. Furthermore, we show that the dune velocity Vd scales with the inverse of the dune length.

Preliminary study of Kelso Dunes using AVIRIS, TM, and AIRSAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xu, Pung; Blumberg, Dan G.; Greeley, Ronald

1995-01-01

Remote sensing of sand dunes helps in the understanding of aeolian process and provides important information about the regional geologic history, environmental change, and desertification. Remotely sensed data combined with field studies are valuable in studying dune morphology, regional aeolian dynamics, and aeolian depositional history. In particular, active and inactive sands of the Kelso Dunes have been studied using landsat TM and AIRSAR. In this report, we describe the use of AVIRIS data to study the Kelso dunes and to compare the AVIRIS information with that from TM and AIRSAR.

Southern high latitude dune fields on Mars: Morphology, aeolian inactivity, and climate change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fenton, L.K.; Hayward, R.K.

2010-01-01

In a study area spanning the martian surface poleward of 50?? S., 1190 dune fields have been identified, mapped, and categorized based on dune field morphology. Dune fields in the study area span ??? 116400km2, leading to a global dune field coverage estimate of ???904000km2, far less than that found on Earth. Based on distinct morphological features, the dune fields were grouped into six different classes that vary in interpreted aeolian activity level from potentially active to relatively inactive and eroding. The six dune field classes occur in specific latitude zones, with a sequence of reduced activity and degradation progressing poleward. In particular, the first signs of stabilization appear at ???60?? S., which broadly corresponds to the edge of high concentrations of water-equivalent hydrogen content (observed by the Neutron Spectrometer) that have been interpreted as ground ice. This near-surface ground ice likely acts to reduce sand availability in the present climate state on Mars, stabilizing high latitude dunes and allowing erosional processes to change their morphology. As a result, climatic changes in the content of near-surface ground ice are likely to influence the level of dune activity. Spatial variation of dune field classes with longitude is significant, suggesting that local conditions play a major role in determining dune field activity level. Dune fields on the south polar layered terrain, for example, appear either potentially active or inactive, indicating that at least two generations of dune building have occurred on this surface. Many dune fields show signs of degradation mixed with crisp-brinked dunes, also suggesting that more than one generation of dune building has occurred since they originally formed. Dune fields superposed on early and late Amazonian surfaces provide potential upper age limits of ???100My on the south polar layered deposits and ???3Ga elsewhere at high latitudes. No craters are present on any identifiable dune

Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE): Conceptual Design Report. Volume 1: The LBNF and DUNE Projects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Acciarri, R.

2016-01-22

This document presents the Conceptual Design Report (CDR) put forward by an international neutrino community to pursue the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment at the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF/DUNE), a groundbreaking science experiment for long-baseline neutrino oscillation studies and for neutrino astrophysics and nucleon decay searches. The DUNE far detector will be a very large modular liquid argon time-projection chamber (LArTPC) located deep underground, coupled to the LBNF multi-megawatt wide-band neutrino beam. DUNE will also have a high-resolution and high-precision near detector.

Underground physics with DUNE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kudryavtsev, Vitaly A.

2016-06-09

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a project to design, construct and operate a next-generation long-baseline neutrino detector with a liquid argon (LAr) target capable also of searching for proton decay and supernova neutrinos. It is a merger of previous efforts of the LBNE and LBNO collaborations, as well as other interested parties to pursue a broad programme with a staged 40-kt LAr detector at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) 1300 km from Fermilab. This programme includes studies of neutrino oscillations with a powerful neutrino beam from Fermilab, as well as proton decay and supernova neutrino burst searches.more » In this study, we will focus on the underground physics with DUNE.« less

Cost profiles and budget impact of rechargeable versus non-rechargeable sacral neuromodulation devices in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome.

PubMed

Noblett, Karen L; Dmochowski, Roger R; Vasavada, Sandip P; Garner, Abigail M; Liu, Shan; Pietzsch, Jan B

2017-03-01

Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a guideline-recommended third-line treatment option for managing overactive bladder. Current SNM devices are not rechargeable, and require neurostimulator replacement every 3-6 years. Our study objective was to assess potential cost effects to payers of adopting a rechargeable SNM neurostimulator device. We constructed a cost-consequence model to estimate the costs of long-term SNM-treatment with a rechargeable versus non-rechargeable device. Costs were considered from the payer perspective at 2015 reimbursement levels. Adverse events, therapy discontinuation, and programming rates were based on the latest published data. Neurostimulator longevity was assumed to be 4.4 and 10.0 years for non-rechargeable and rechargeable devices, respectively. A 15-year horizon was modeled, with costs discounted at 3% per year. Total budget impact to the United States healthcare system was estimated based on the computed per-patient cost findings. Over the 15-year horizon, per-patient cost of treatment with a non-rechargeable device was $64,111 versus $36,990 with a rechargeable device, resulting in estimated payer cost savings of $27,121. These cost savings were found to be robust across a wide range of scenarios. Longer analysis horizon, younger patient age, and longer rechargeable neurostimulator lifetime were associated with increased cost savings. Over a 15-year horizon, adoption of a rechargeable device strategy was projected to save the United States healthcare system up to $12 billion. At current reimbursement rates, our analysis suggests that rechargeable neurostimulator SNM technology for managing overactive bladder syndrome may deliver significant cost savings to payers over the course of treatment. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:727-733, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vegetation controls on the maximum size of coastal dunes.

PubMed

Durán, Orencio; Moore, Laura J

2013-10-22

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.

Effects of sand fences on coastal dune vegetation distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grafals-Soto, Rosana

2012-04-01

Sand fences are important human adjustments modifying the morphology of developed shores. The effects of sand fences on sediment transport and deposition in their initial stages have been well studied, but little is known about the effect of deteriorated sand fences that have become partially buried low scale barriers within the dune, potentially benefiting vegetation growth by protecting it from onshore stress. Data on vegetation, topography and fence characteristics were gathered at three dune sites in Ocean City, New Jersey on September 2007 and March 2008 to evaluate the effect of fences within the dune on vegetation distribution. Variables include: distance landward of dune toe, degree of sheltering from onshore stressors, net change in surface elevation (deposition or erosion), vegetation diversity and density, presence of remnant fence, and distance landward of fence. Results for the studied environment reveal that 1) vegetation diversity or density does not increase near remnant fences because most remnants are lower than average vegetation height and can not provide shelter; but 2) vegetation distribution is related to topographic variables, such as degree of sheltering, that are most likely the result of sand accretion caused by fence deployment. Fence deployment that prioritizes the creation of topographically diverse dunes within a restricted space may increase the diversity and density of the vegetation, and the resilience and value of developed dunes. Managers should consider the benefits of using sand fences on appropriately wide beaches to create a protective dune that is also diverse, functional and better able to adapt to change.

Variations in Titan's dune orientations as a result of orbital forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, George D.; Hayes, Alexander G.; Ewing, Ryan C.; Lora, Juan M.; Newman, Claire E.; Tokano, Tetsuya; Lucas, Antoine; Soto, Alejandro; Chen, Gang

2016-05-01

Wind-blown dunes are a record of the climatic history in Titan's equatorial region. Through modeling of the climatic conditions associated with Titan's historical orbital configurations (arising from apsidal precessions of Saturn's orbit), we present evidence that the orientations of the dunes are influenced by orbital forcing. Analysis of 3 Titan general circulation models (GCMs) in conjunction with a sediment transport model provides the first direct intercomparison of results from different Titan GCMs. We report variability in the dune orientations predicted for different orbital epochs of up to 70°. Although the response of the GCMs to orbital forcing varies, the orbital influence on the dune orientations is found to be significant across all models. Furthermore, there is near agreement among the two models run with surface topography, with 3 out of the 5 dune fields matching observation for the most recent orbital cycle. Through comparison with observations by Cassini, we find situations in which the observed dune orientations are in best agreement with those modeled for previous orbital configurations or combinations thereof, representing a larger portion of the cycle. We conclude that orbital forcing could be an important factor in governing the present-day dune orientations observed on Titan and should be considered when modeling dune evolution.

Defrosting Polar Dunes--'The Snow Leopard'

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The patterns created by dark spots on defrosting south polar dunes are often strange and beautiful. This picture, which the Mars Orbiter Camera team has dubbed, 'the snow leopard,' shows a dune field located at 61.5oS, 18.9oW, as it appeared on July 1, 1999. The spots are areas where dark sand has been exposed from beneath bright frost as the south polar winter cap begins to retreat. Many of the spots have a diffuse, bright ring around them this is thought to be fresh frost that was re-precipitated after being removed from the dark spot. The spots seen on defrosting polar dunes are a new phenomenon that was not observed by previous spacecraft missions to Mars. Thus, there is much about these features that remains unknown. For example, no one yet knows why the dunes become defrosted by forming small spots that grow and grow over time. No one knows for sure if the bright rings around the dark spots are actually composed of re-precipitated frost. And no one knows for sure why some dune show spots that appear to be 'lined-up' (as they do in the picture shown here).

This Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera image is illuminated from the upper left. North is toward the upper right. The scale bar indicates a distance of 200 meters (656 feet).

Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.

Ripples and Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-27

This MOC image shows dark sand dunes on the floor of an impact crater west of Hellas Planitia. Portions of the crater floor are exposed near the center and lower right corner of the image but, in general, the floor is covered by large, windblown ripples

Quantification of groundwater recharge in urban environments.

PubMed

Tubau, Isabel; Vázquez-Suñé, Enric; Carrera, Jesús; Valhondo, Cristina; Criollo, Rotman

2017-08-15

Groundwater management in urban areas requires a detailed knowledge of the hydrogeological system as well as the adequate tools for predicting the amount of groundwater and water quality evolution. In that context, a key difference between urban and natural areas lies in recharge evaluation. A large number of studies have been published since the 1990s that evaluate recharge in urban areas, with no specific methodology. Most of these methods show that there are generally higher rates of recharge in urban settings than in natural settings. Methods such as mixing ratios or groundwater modeling can be used to better estimate the relative importance of different sources of recharge and may prove to be a good tool for total recharge evaluation. However, accurate evaluation of this input is difficult. The objective is to present a methodology to help overcome those difficulties, and which will allow us to quantify the variability in space and time of the recharge into aquifers in urban areas. Recharge calculations have been initially performed by defining and applying some analytical equations, and validation has been assessed based on groundwater flow and solute transport modeling. This methodology is applicable to complex systems by considering temporal variability of all water sources. This allows managers of urban groundwater to evaluate the relative contribution of different recharge sources at a city scale by considering quantity and quality factors. The methodology is applied to the assessment of recharge sources in the Barcelona city aquifers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Observations of Coherent Flow Structures Over Subaqueous High- and Low- Angle Dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwoll, E.; Venditti, J. G.; Bradley, R. W.; Winter, C.

2017-11-01

Large-scale coherent flow structures (CFSs) above dunes are the dominant source of flow resistance and constitute the principal mechanism for sediment transport and mixing in sand bed river and estuarine systems. Based on laboratory observations, CFS formation has been previously linked to flow separation downstream of high-angle dunes with lee slopes of 30°. How CFSs form in natural, deep rivers and estuaries where dunes exhibit lower lee slopes and intermittent flow separation is not well understood. Here we present particle image velocimetry measurements from an experiment where dune lee slope was systematically varied (30°, 20°, and 10°), while other geometric and hydraulic parameters were held constant. We show that CFSs form downstream of all three dune geometries from shear layer vortices in the dune lee. The mode of CFS formation undergoes a low-frequency oscillation with periods of intense vortex shedding interspersed with periods of rare vortex shedding. Streamwise alignment of several vortices during periods of intense shedding results in wedge-shaped CFSs that are advected above the dune stoss side. Streamwise length scales of wedge-shaped CFS correspond to large-scale motions (LSMs). We hypothesize that the advection of LSM over the dune crest triggers the periods of intense shedding in the dune lee. LSMs are weaker and smaller above low-angle dunes; however, the low-frequency oscillation in CFS formation periods persists. The formation of smaller and weaker CFS results in a reduction of flow resistance over low-angle dunes.

SWB Groundwater Recharge Analysis, Catalina Island, California: Assessing Spatial and Temporal Recharge Patterns Within a Mediterranean Climate Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harlow, J.

2017-12-01

Groundwater recharge quantification is a key parameter for sustainable groundwater management. Many recharge quantification techniques have been devised, each with advantages and disadvantages. A free, GIS based recharge quantification tool - the Soil Water Balance (SWB) model - was developed by the USGS to produce fine-tuned recharge constraints in watersheds and illuminate spatial and temporal dynamics of recharge. The subject of this research is to examine SWB within a Mediterranean climate zone, focusing on the Catalina Island, California. This project relied on publicly available online resources with the exception the geospatial processing software, ArcGIS. Daily climate station precipitation and temperature data was obtained from the Desert Research Institute for the years 2008-2014. Precipitation interpolations were performed with ArcGIS using the Natural Neighbor method. The USGS-National Map Viewer (NMV) website provided a 30-meter DEM - to interpolate high and low temperature ASCII grids using the Temperature Lapse Rate (TLR) method, to construct a D-8 flow direction grid for downhill redirection of soil-moisture saturated runoff toward non-saturated cells, and for aesthetic map creation. NMV also provided a modified Anderson land cover classification raster. The US Department of Agriculture-National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Web Soil Survey website provided shapefiles of soil water capacity and hydrologic soil groups. The Hargreaves and Samani method was implemented to determine evapotranspiration rates. The resulting SWB output data, in the form of ASCII grids are easily added to ArcGIS for quick visualization and data analysis (Figure 1). Calculated average recharge for 2008-2014 was 3537 inches/year, or 0.0174 acre feet/year. Recharge was 10.2% of the islands gross precipitation. The spatial distribution of the most significant recharge is in hotspots which dominate the residential hills above Avalon, followed by grassy/unvegetated areas

The Mediterranean Coastal Dunes in Egypt: An Endangered Landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batanouny, K. H.

1999-08-01

The Mediterranean coast in Egypt extends almost 900 km, the major part of which is bordered by sand dunes of different natures and types. Along the coastline between Alexandria and El-Alamein, a distance of some 100 km, the sand dunes represent a particular landscape with special characteristics and features, and consequently plants with particular attributes. In this area, the belt of sand dunes has developed immediately south of the shore and these dunes may rise up to 10 m in height and extend about 0·5-1·5 km inland from the shore. These dunes are famous as a habitat for the fig (Ficus carica L.) cultivation depending on the irregular rainfall. They also represent a landing station and a cross-road for birds such as quail migrating from Europe in the north. In the past, summer resort areas were confined to limited areas with few people, these same areas support the growth of some important plant species, for example, sand binders, medicinal and range plants. For more than two decades, there has been considerable socio-economic change and an open-door policy in the economy of the country has been adopted. One of the consequences of this change is that a great part of the coastal dune belt west of Alexandria till El-Alamein, has been subjected to destruction, due to the continuous construction of summer resort villages. These were built at a distance of about 100 m of the shoreline, extending 400-600 m inland and a breadth of 400 m or more along the shoreline. The area already covered by the dunes is now almost occupied by new buildings, gardens and other infrastructure. The consequences of these human activities are numerous and include impacts on the soil, water resources, the flora and the fauna, migrating birds, trends of the indigenous people, and the cultural environment. The present paper gives a concise environmental setting of the dune belt before the advent of the new activities, and the socio-economic and political attitudes which threaten the dunes

Groundwater dynamics converted to a groundwater classification as a tool for nature development programs in the dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Kristine; Van Camp, Marc; Van Damme, Dirk; Walraevens, Kristine

2013-08-01

Within the European Union, Habitat Directives are developed with the aim of restoration and preservation of endangered species. The level of biodiversity in coastal dune systems is generally very high compared to other natural ecosystems, but suffers from deterioration. Groundwater extraction and urbanisation are the main reasons for the decrease in biodiversity. Many restoration actions are being carried out and are focusing on the restoration of groundwater level with the aim of re-establishing rare species. These actions have different degrees of success. The evaluation of the actions is mainly based on the appearance of red list species. The groundwater classes, developed in the Netherlands, are used for the evaluation of opportunities for vegetation, while the natural variability of the groundwater level and quality are under-estimated. Vegetation is used as a seepage indicator. The existing classification is not valid in the Belgian dunes, as the vegetation observed in the study area is not in correspondence with this classification. Therefore, a new classification is needed. The new classification is based on the variability of the groundwater level on a long term with integration of ecological factors. Based on the new classification, the importance of seasonal and inter-yearly fluctuations of the water table can be deduced. Inter-yearly fluctuations are more important in recharge areas while seasonal fluctuations are dominant in discharge areas. The new classification opens opportunities for relating vegetation and groundwater dynamics.

Novel rechargeable calcium phosphate nanoparticle-containing orthodontic cement

PubMed Central

Xie, Xian-Ju; Xing, Dan; Wang, Lin; Zhou, Han; Weir, Michael D; Bai, Yu-Xing; Xu, Hockin HK

2017-01-01

White spot lesions (WSLs), due to enamel demineralization, occur frequently in orthodontic treatment. We recently developed a novel rechargeable dental composite containing nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP) with long-term calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) ion release and caries-inhibiting capability. The objectives of this study were to develop the first NACP-rechargeable orthodontic cement and investigate the effects of recharge duration and frequency on the efficacy of ion re-release. The rechargeable cement consisted of pyromellitic glycerol dimethacrylate (PMGDM) and ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate (EBPADMA). NACP was mixed into the resin at 40% by mass. Specimens were tested for orthodontic bracket shear bond strength (SBS) to enamel, Ca and P ion initial release, recharge and re-release. The new orthodontic cement exhibited an SBS similar to commercial orthodontic cement without CaP release (P>0.1). Specimens after one recharge treatment (e.g., 1 min immersion in recharge solution repeating three times in one day, referred to as “1 min 3 times”) exhibited a substantial and continuous re-release of Ca and P ions for 14 days without further recharge. The ion re-release did not decrease with increasing the number of recharge/re-release cycles (P>0.1). The ion re-release concentrations at 14 days versus various recharge treatments were as follows: 1 min 3 times>3 min 2 times>1 min 2 times>6 min 1 time>3 min 1 time>1 min 1 time. In conclusion, although previous studies have shown that NACP nanocomposite remineralized tooth lesions and inhibited caries, the present study developed the first orthodontic cement with Ca and P ion recharge and long-term release capability. This NACP-rechargeable orthodontic cement is a promising therapy to inhibit enamel demineralization and WSLs around orthodontic brackets. PMID:27811847

Novel rechargeable calcium phosphate nanoparticle-containing orthodontic cement.

PubMed

Xie, Xian-Ju; Xing, Dan; Wang, Lin; Zhou, Han; Weir, Michael D; Bai, Yu-Xing; Xu, Hockin Hk

2017-03-01

White spot lesions (WSLs), due to enamel demineralization, occur frequently in orthodontic treatment. We recently developed a novel rechargeable dental composite containing nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP) with long-term calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) ion release and caries-inhibiting capability. The objectives of this study were to develop the first NACP-rechargeable orthodontic cement and investigate the effects of recharge duration and frequency on the efficacy of ion re-release. The rechargeable cement consisted of pyromellitic glycerol dimethacrylate (PMGDM) and ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate (EBPADMA). NACP was mixed into the resin at 40% by mass. Specimens were tested for orthodontic bracket shear bond strength (SBS) to enamel, Ca and P ion initial release, recharge and re-release. The new orthodontic cement exhibited an SBS similar to commercial orthodontic cement without CaP release (P>0.1). Specimens after one recharge treatment (e.g., 1 min immersion in recharge solution repeating three times in one day, referred to as "1 min 3 times") exhibited a substantial and continuous re-release of Ca and P ions for 14 days without further recharge. The ion re-release did not decrease with increasing the number of recharge/re-release cycles (P>0.1). The ion re-release concentrations at 14 days versus various recharge treatments were as follows: 1 min 3 times>3 min 2 times>1 min 2 times>6 min 1 time>3 min 1 time>1 min 1 time. In conclusion, although previous studies have shown that NACP nanocomposite remineralized tooth lesions and inhibited caries, the present study developed the first orthodontic cement with Ca and P ion recharge and long-term release capability. This NACP-rechargeable orthodontic cement is a promising therapy to inhibit enamel demineralization and WSLs around orthodontic brackets.

Global characterization of Titan's dune fields by RADAR and VIMS observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

garcia, A.; Rodriguez, S.; Lucas, A.; Appéré, T.; Le Gall, A.; Reffet, E.; Le Corre, L.; Le Mouélic, S.; Cornet, T.; Courrech Du Pont, S.; Narteau, C.; Bourgeois, O.; Radebaugh, J.; Arnold, K.; Barnes, J. W.; Sotin, C.; Brown, R. H.; Lorenz, R. D.; Turtle, E. P.

2013-12-01

Cassini/RADAR high-resolution images of Titan's surface revealed linear features, geomorphologically similar to longitudinal dunes. Those dunes cover a large portion of the whole surface of Titan, i.e 7.8%, and 13.4% are present on the 58.4% of the surface imaged by the RADAR/SAR from July 2004 to July 2013 (fig.1). 99.6% of the dunes are confined at the equatorial regions (30°N-30°S). Formed and sculpted by the wind, those features represent clues for the understanding of the climatic history on the satellite. By using the joint analysis between RADAR/SAR observations and the infrared VIMS mosaic corrected for atmospheric contributions acquired through July 2013 and June 2010 respectively, we found a very high degree of correlation at global scale (more than 70%) between the RADAR dunes and a specific infrared VIMS spectral unit, the 'dark brown unit'. Some RADAR dunes, less than 2%, also belong in a commonly referenced unit, the 'dark blue unit'. These two units have been delimited by defining for each a specific set of spectral criteria. We have shown that those two units present a spectral behavior different, especially at short wavelengths (below 2 μm) allowing to say that the 'dark brown unit' is dominated by organic sediment, similar to atmospheric aerosols, namely tholins, and the 'dark blue' is most likely enriched in water ice compared to the rest of Titan's surface. Given the strong correlation between RADAR dunes and the infrared 'dark brown unit' we are now able to extrapolate the total surface area of the dunes material to the total surface area of the 'dark brown unit' which correspond to 17% of the Titan's surface. This permits to estimate the volume of sediment of 360,000 km3 (total mass ≈ 290,000 GT). Thus, these estimates based on the RADAR dunes/VIMS units correlation make the dune fields the largest organic reservoir on Titan's surface and characterize more precisely the composition of the dune material over the total extend of the dune

Characteristics of dune-paleosol-sequences in Fuerteventura. - What should be questioned?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faust, Dominik; Willkommen, Tobias; Yanes, Yurena; Richter, David; Zöller, Ludwig

2013-04-01

Characteristics of dune-paleosol-sequences in Fuerteventura. - What should be questioned? Dominik Faust, TU Dresden, Germany Tobias Willkommen, TU Dresden, Germany Yurena Yanes, CSIC Granada/Cincinatti, Spain/USA David Richter, TU Dresden, Germany Ludwig Zöller, Uni Bayreuth, Germany The northern part of Fuerteventura is characterized by large dune fields. We investigated dune-paleosol-sequences in four pits to establish a robust stratigraphy and to propose a standard section. An interaction of processes like dune formation, soil formation and redeposition of soils and sand are most important to understand the principles of landscape development in the study area. To our mind a process cycle seem to be important: First climbing-dunes are formed by sand of shelf origin. Then soil formation could have taken place. Soil and/or sand were then eroded and deposited at toe slope position. This material in turn is the source of new sand supply and dune formation. The described cycle may be repeated several times and this ping-pong-process holds on. The results are sections composed of dune layers, paleosols and colluvial material interbedded. Fundamental questions still remain unanswered: Is climate change responsable for changes in process combination (e.g. from dune formation to soil formation)? Or are these features due to divergence phenomenon, where different effects/results (dune and soils) may be linked to similar causes (here: climate)? Assuming that different features (soils and dunes) were formed under one climate, increasing soil forming intensity could be mainly a function of decreasing sand supply. This in turn could be caused by reduced sand production (s. ZECH et al. accepted). However geochemical data and mollusc assemblages point to changing environments in space and even climate modifications in time.

Planetary dune workshop expands to include subaqueous processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Titus, Timothy N.; Bryant, Gerald; Rubin, David M.

2018-01-01

Dune-like structures appear in the depths of Earth’s oceans, across its landscapes, and in the extremities of the solar system beyond. Dunes rise up under the thick dense atmosphere of Venus, and they have been found under the almost unimaginably ephemeral atmosphere of a comet.

Using noble gases to investigate mountain-front recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manning, A.H.; Solomon, D.K.

2003-01-01

Mountain-front recharge is a major component of recharge to inter-mountain basin-fill aquifers. The two components of mountain-front recharge are (1) subsurface inflow from the mountain block (subsurface inflow), and (2) infiltration from perennial and ephemeral streams near the mountain front (stream seepage). The magnitude of subsurface inflow is of central importance in source protection planning for basin-fill aquifers and in some water rights disputes, yet existing estimates carry large uncertainties. Stable isotope ratios can indicate the magnitude of mountain-front recharge relative to other components, but are generally incapable of distinguishing subsurface inflow from stream seepage. Noble gases provide an effective tool for determining the relative significance of subsurface inflow, specifically. Dissolved noble gas concentrations allow for the determination of recharge temperature, which is correlated with recharge elevation. The nature of this correlation cannot be assumed, however, and must be derived for the study area. The method is applied to the Salt Lake Valley Principal Aquifer in northern Utah to demonstrate its utility. Samples from 16 springs and mine tunnels in the adjacent Wasatch Mountains indicate that recharge temperature decreases with elevation at about the same rate as the mean annual air temperature, but is on average about 2??C cooler. Samples from 27 valley production wells yield recharge elevations ranging from the valley elevation (about 1500 m) to mid-mountain elevation (about 2500 m). Only six of the wells have recharge elevations less than 1800 m. Recharge elevations consistently greater than 2000 m in the southeastern part of the basin indicate that subsurface inflow constitutes most of the total recharge in this area. ?? 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Dune Erosion Models and Swash Zone Kinematics from Remote Video Observations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-09

system. Thus, successful prediction of dune erosion requires knowledge of the expected trajectory of the eroding dune toe . If we describe the... dune toe trajectory as following a slope, βT, two end member retreat trajectories exist. The first would be direct landward erosion so that zb never...changes     0 0   T bb ztz  (2.24) The second end member trajectory is that erosion moves the dune toe directly up the foreshore slope

Orographic forcing of dune forming winds on Titan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, E. J.; Toon, O. B.; Friedson, A. J.

2013-12-01

Cassini has observed hundreds of dune fields on Titan, nearly all of which lie in the tropics and suggest westerly (from west to east) winds dominate at the surface [1,2]. Most GCMs however have obtained easterly surface winds in the tropics, seemingly contradicting the wind direction suggested by the dunes. This has led to an active debate in the community about the origin of the dune forming winds on Titan and their direction and modality. This discussion is mostly driven by a study of Earth dunes seen as analogous to Titan [1,2,3]. One can find examples of dunes on Earth that fit several wind regimes. To date only one GCM, that of Tokano [4,5], has presented detailed analysis of its near surface winds and their dune forming capabilities. Despite the bulk of the wind being easterly, this GCM produces faster westerlies at equinox, thus transporting sand to the east. Our model, the Titan CAM [6], is unable to reproduce the fast westerlies, although it is possible we are not outputting frequently enough to catch them. Our GCM has been updated to include realistic topography released by the Cassini radar team. Preliminary results suggest our tropical wind regime now has net westerly winds in the tropics, albeit weak. References: [1], Lorenz, R. et al. 2006. Science, 312, 724-727. [2], Radebaugh, J. et al. 2008. Icarus, 194, 690-703. [3] Rubin, D. and Hesp, P. 2009. Nature Geoscience 2, 653-658. [4] Tokano, T. 2008. Icarus 194, 243-262. [5] Tokano, T. 2010. Aeolian Research 2, 113-127. [6] Friedson, J. et al. 2009. Planetary Space Science, 57, 1931-1949.

Estimating the proportion of groundwater recharge from flood events in relation to total annual recharge in a karst aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvory, N. Z.; Ronen, A.; Livshitz, Y.; Adar, E.; Kuznetsov, M.; Yakirevich, A.

2017-12-01

Sustainable groundwater production from karstic aquifers is primarily dictated by its recharge rate. Therefore, in order to limit over-exploitation, it is essential to accurately quantify groundwater recharge. Infiltration during erratic floods in karstic basins may contribute substantial amount to aquifer recharge. However, the complicated nature of karst systems, which are characterized in part by multiple springs, sinkholes, and losing/gaining streams, present a large obstacle to accurately assess the actual contribution of flood water to groundwater recharge. In this study, we aim to quantify the proportion of groundwater recharge during flood events in relation to the annual recharge for karst aquifers. The role of karst conduits on flash flood infiltration was examined during four flood and artificial runoff events in the Sorek creek near Jerusalem, Israel. The events were monitored in short time steps (four minutes). This high resolution analysis is essential to accurately estimating surface flow volumes, which are of particular importance in arid and semi-arid climate where ephemeral flows may provide a substantial contribution to the groundwater reservoirs. For the present investigation, we distinguished between direct infiltration, percolation through karst conduits and diffused infiltration, which is most affected by evapotranspiration. A water balance was then calculated for the 2014/15 hydrologic year using the Hydrologic Engineering Center - Hydrologic Modelling System (HEC-HMS). Simulations show that an additional 8% to 24% of the annual recharge volume is added from runoff losses along the creek that infiltrate through the karst system into the aquifer. The results improve the understanding of recharge processes and support the use of the proposed methodology for quantifying groundwater recharge.

Two-dimensional airflow modeling underpredicts the wind velocity over dunes

PubMed Central

Michelsen, Britt; Strobl, Severin; Parteli, Eric J. R.; Pöschel, Thorsten

2015-01-01

We investigate the average turbulent wind field over a barchan dune by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics. We find that the fractional speed-up ratio of the wind velocity over the three-dimensional barchan shape differs from the one obtained from two-dimensional calculations of the airflow over the longitudinal cut along the dune’s symmetry axis — that is, over the equivalent transverse dune of same size. This finding suggests that the modeling of the airflow over the central slice of barchan dunes is insufficient for the purpose of the quantitative description of barchan dune dynamics as three-dimensional flow effects cannot be neglected. PMID:26572966

Dune management challenges on developed coasts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elko, Nicole A.; Brodie, Kate; Stockdon, Hilary F.; Nordstrom, Karl F.; Houser, Chris; McKenna, Kim; Moore, Laura; Rosati, Julie D.; Ruggiero, Peter; Thuman, Roberta; Walker, Ian J.

2015-01-01

From October 26-28, 2015, nearly 100 members of the coastal management and research communities met in Kitty Hawk, NC, USA to bridge the apparent gap between the coastal dune research of scientists and engineers and the needs of coastal management practitioners. The workshop aimed to identify the challenges involved in building and managing dunes on developed coasts, assess the extent to which scientific knowledge can be applied to the management community, and identify approaches to provide means to bridge the gap between needs and potential solutions.

North Polar Gypsum Dunes in Olympia Undae

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-07-15

These sand dunes are a type of aeolian bedform and partly encircle the Martian North Pole in a region called Olympia Undae. Unlike most of the sand dunes on Mars that are made of the volcanic rock basalt, these are made of a type of sulfate mineral called gypsum. Whence the sand? Well, gypsum is a mineral that can often form from the evaporation of water that has sulfur and calcium dissolved in it. This sand was probably sourced from a northern region on Mars that used to be quite wet. The boxy gridding of the dunes indicates that the wind blows in multiple directions. Note: "Aeolian" means wind-blown and "bedform" means piles of sediment shaped by a flowing fluid (liquid or gas). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20743

Rechargeable lithium battery technology - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halpert, Gerald; Surampudi, Subbarao

1990-01-01

The technology of the rechargeable lithium battery is discussed with special attention given to the types of rechargeable lithium cells and to their expected performance and advantages. Consideration is also given to the organic-electrolyte and polymeric-electrolyte cells and to molten salt lithium cells, as well as to technical issues, such as the cycle life, charge control, rate capability, cell size, and safety. The role of the rechargeable lithium cell in future NASA applications is discussed.

Dunes Streaming through Hills

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-26

This dramatic image observed by NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows dark rippled bodies of sand, sometimes in the form of dunes, streaming through Ganges Chasma. The floor of the canyon is covered by hills and mesas.

Coastal change-potential assessment of Sleeping Bear Dunes, Indiana Dunes, and Apostle Islands National Lakeshores to lake-level changes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pendleton, Elizabeth A.; Thieler, E. Robert; Williams, S. Jeffress

2007-01-01

A change-potential index (CPI) was used to map the susceptibility of the shoreline to future lake-level change within Apostle Islands, Indiana Dunes, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshores (NL) along Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The CPI in the Great Lakes setting ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to lake-level related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate and direction (i.e., rise and fall) of relative lake-level change, historical shoreline change rates, annual ice cover and mean significant wave height. The rankings for each input variable were combined, and an index value calculated for 1-minute bins covering the parks. The CPI highlights those regions where the physical effects of lake-level and coastal change might be the greatest. This approach combines the coastal system's potential for change with its natural ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, yielding a quantitative, although relative, measure of the parks' natural susceptibility to the effects of lake-level variation. The CPI provides an objective technique for evaluation and long-term planning by scientists and park managers. The CPI is applied to the National Lakeshores of Apostle Islands, Indiana Dunes, and Sleeping Bear Dunes to test this methodology in lake settings. The National Lakeshores in this study consist of sand and gravel beaches, rock outcrops, and dune and glacial bluffs. The areas within these Great Lakes parks that are likely to experience the most lake-level-related coastal change are areas of unconsolidated sediment where regional coastal slope is low and wave energy is high.

Advanced Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Imaging Radar (InSAR) for Dune Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Havivi, Shiran; Amir, Doron; Schvartzman, Ilan; August, Yitzhak; Mamman, Shimrit; Rotman, Stanely R.; Blumberg, Dan G.

2016-04-01

Aeolian morphologies are formed in the presence of sufficient wind energy and available lose particles. These processes occur naturally or are further enhanced or reduced by human intervention. The dimensions of change are dependent primarily on the wind energy and surface properties. Since the 1970s, remote sensing imagery, both optical and radar, have been used for documentation and interpretation of the geomorphologic changes of sand dunes. Remote sensing studies of aeolian morphologies is mostly useful to document major changes, yet, subtle changes, occurring in a period of days or months in scales of centimeters, are very difficult to detect in imagery. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is an imaging technique for measuring Earth's surface topography and deformation. InSAR images are produced by measuring the radar phase difference between two separated antennas that view the same surface area. Classical InSAR is based on high coherence between two or more images. The output (interferogram) can show subtle changes with an accuracy of several millimeters to centimeters. Very little work has been done on measuring or identifying the changes in dunes using InSAR methods. The reason is that dunes tend to be less coherent than firm, stable, surfaces. This work aims to demonstrate how interferometric decorrelation can be used for identifying dune instability. We hypothesize and demonstrate that the loss of radar coherence over time on dunes can be used as an indication of the dune's instability. When SAR images are acquired at sufficiently close intervals one can measure the time it takes to lose coherence and associate this time with geomorphic stability. To achieve our goals, the coherence change detection method was used, in order to identify dune stability or instability and the dune activity level. The Nitzanim-Ashdod coastal dunes along the Mediterranean, 40 km south of Tel-Aviv, Israel, were chosen as a case study. The dunes in this area are of

Late Quaternary stratigraphy and geochronology of the western Killpecker Dunes, Wyoming, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mayer, J.H.; Mahan, S.A.

2004-01-01

New stratigraphic and geochronologic data from the Killpecker Dunes in southwestern Wyoming facilitate a more precise understanding of the dune field's history. Prior investigations suggested that evidence for late Pleistocene eolian activity in the dune field was lacking. However, luminescence ages from eolian sand of ???15,000 yr, as well as Folsom (12,950-11,950 cal yr B.P.) and Agate Basin (12,600-10,700 cal yr) artifacts overlying eolian sand, indicate the dune field existed at least during the latest Pleistocene, with initial eolian sedimentation probably occurring under a dry periglacial climate. The period between ???13,000 and 8900 cal yr B.P. was characterized by relatively slow eolian sedimentation concomitant with soil formation. Erosion occurred between ???8182 and 6600 cal yr B.P. on the upwind region of the dune field, followed by relative stability and soil formation between ???5900 and 2700 cal yr B.P. The first of at least two latest Holocene episodes of eolian sedimentation occurred between ???2000 and 1500 yr, followed by a brief (???500 yr) episode of soil formation; a second episode of sedimentation, occurring by at least ???700 yr, may coincide with a hypothesized Medieval warm period. Recent stabilization of the western Killpecker Dunes likely occurred during the Little Ice Age (???350-100 yr B.P.). The eolian chronology of the western Killpecker Dunes correlates reasonably well with those of other major dune fields in the Wyoming Basin, suggesting that dune field reactivation resulted primarily due to departures toward aridity during the late Quaternary. Similar to dune fields on the central Great Plains, dune fields in the Wyoming Basin have been active under a periglacial climate during the late Pleistocene, as well as under near-modern conditions during the latest Holocene. ?? 2003 University of Washington. All rights reserved.

Deep learning for the detection of barchan dunes in satellite images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azzaoui, A. M.; Adnani, M.; Elbelrhiti, H.; Chaouki, B. E. K.; Masmoudi, L.

2017-12-01

Barchan dunes are known to be the fastest moving sand dunes in deserts as they form under unidirectional winds and limited sand supply over a firm coherent basement (Elbelrhiti and Hargitai,2015). They were studied in the context of natural hazard monitoring as they could be a threat to human activities and infrastructures. Also, they were studied as a natural phenomenon occurring in other planetary landforms such as Mars or Venus (Bourke et al., 2010). Our region of interest was located in a desert region in the south of Morocco, in a barchan dunes corridor next to the town of Tarfaya. This region which is part of the Sahara desert contained thousands of barchans; which limits the number of dunes that could be studied during field missions. Therefore, we chose to monitor barchan dunes with satellite imagery, which can be seen as a complementary approach to field missions. We collected data from the Sentinel platform (https://scihub.copernicus.eu/dhus/); we used a machine learning method as a basis for the detection of barchan dunes positions in the satellite image. We trained a deep learning model on a mid-sized dataset that contained blocks representing images of barchan dunes, and images of other desert features, that we collected by cropping and annotating the source image. During testing, we browsed the satellite image with a gliding window that evaluated each block, and then produced a probability map. Finally, a threshold on the latter map exposed the location of barchan dunes. We used a subsample of data to train the model and we gradually incremented the size of the training set to get finer results and avoid over fitting. The positions of barchan dunes were successfully detected and deep learning was an effective method for this application. Sentinel-2 images were chosen for their availability and good temporal resolution, which will allow the tracking of barchan dunes in future work. While Sentinel images had sufficient spatial resolution for the

Reusable Energy and Power Sources: Rechargeable Batteries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiung, Steve C.; Ritz, John M.

2007-01-01

Rechargeable batteries are very popular within consumer electronics. If one uses a cell phone or portable electric tool, she/he understands the need to have a reliable product and the need to remember to use the recharging systems that follow a cycle of charge/discharge. Rechargeable batteries are being called "green" energy sources. They are a…

Spatial and temporal variations in the sediment state of North American dune fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halfen, Alan F.; Lancaster, Nicholas; Wolfe, Stephen

2015-04-01

This research evaluates geomorphic and chronologic data from the INQUA Dune Atlas for three areas of North America: 1) the Prairie, Parkland and Boreal ecozones of the northern Great Plains in Canada; 2) the Central Great Plains of the USA; and 3) the deserts of southwestern USA and northern Mexico. Chronometric data for periods of dune activity and stability are compared with palaeoenvironment reconstructions to assess dune system response to changes in sediment supply, availability, and mobility. Dune fields in the northern Great Plains were formed from glaciofluvial or glaciolacustrine sediments deposited during deglaciation 16-11 ka. Subsequent aeolian deposition occurred in Parkland and Prairie dune fields as a result of mid-Holocene (8-5 ka) and late-Holocene (< 3.5 ka) activity related to drought conditions. In the Central Great Plains, many dune fields are closely linked to fluvial sediment sources. Sediment supply was high in these dune fields during deglaciation of the Rocky Mountains and resulted in widespread dune construction 16-10 ka. Multiple periods of Holocene reactivation are recorded and reflect increased sediment availability during drought episodes. Dune fields in the southwestern deserts experienced periods of construction as a result of enhanced supply of sediment from fluvial and lacustrine sources during the period 11.8 - 8 ka and at short but repeated intervals during the late Holocene. Despite spatial and temporal gaps in chronometric data, the record from North American dune fields indicates the strong influence of sediment supply on dune construction, with changes in sediment availability, as a result of drought, being the primary driver of dune activity during the Holocene.

Dunes on Titan: A major landform revealing atmospheric and surface processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radebaugh, Jani; Lorenz, Ralph; Arnold, Karl; Savage, Christopher; Williams, Brigitte

The surface of Saturn’s moon Titan is covered in features that herald an active atmosphere and perhaps interior, such as dunes, rivers, lakes, mountain chains, and possible cryovolcanoes. Examining the geomorphology of these features helps us approach an understanding of the processes that are occurring or have occurred in the atmosphere and subsurface. A major landform on Titan is dunes, composed of organic sands ultimately derived from upper atmospheric processing of methane, subsequently perhaps eroded from organic sedimentary layers by methane rainfall and fluvial flow. Dunes fill vast fields, termed sand seas, similar to those observed in the Sahara, Namibia, and the Arabian peninsula. The equatorial region of Titan contains five separate sand seas as observed by the Cassini Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) and Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instruments. Together these sand seas cover 14 percent of the surface, totaling 12 million km2, and each have areas on the scale of the Saharan Great Sand Sea. They adjoin each other through sediment pathways around landmasses, and these large-scale connections as well as individual dune interactions with topography indicate a general transport of sediment from west to east. Measurements of dune height, width and spacing in Cassini SAR images reveal all of Titan’s thousands of linear dunes are of the same population. This indicates there was general uniformity in the wind and sediment supply conditions that led to the current dune forms. Variations in the parametric values result from deviations from these conditions, in some locations where elevated terrains have deflected winds. Dunes and sand seas are among the stratigraphically youngest features on Titan, showing little evidence of being affected by impact cratering or fluvial flow. However, individual dunes may be relatively stable, as the reorganization time scale for these features on Earth can be tens to hundreds

Recycling of used Ni-MH rechargeable batteries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoshida, T.; Ono, H.; Shirai, R.

1995-12-31

The Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride) rechargeable battery was developed several years ago. Its higher electrochemical capacity and greater safety compared with the Ni-Cd rechargeable battery have resulted in very rapid increase in its production. The Ni-MH rechargeable battery consists of Ni, Co and rare earth metals, so that recycling is important to recover these valuable mineral resources. In this study, a basic recycling process for used Ni-MH rechargeable batteries has been developed, in which the Ni, Co and rare earth elements are recovered through a combination of mechanical processing and hydrometallurgical processing.

Probabilistic assessment of beach and dune changes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sallenger, A.H.; Stockdon, H.; Haines, J.; Krabill, W.; Swift, R.; Brock, J.

2004-01-01

The recent availability of spatially-dense airborne lidar data makes assessment of the vulnerability of beaches and dunes to storm impacts practical over long reaches of coast. As an initial test, elevations of the tops (D high) and bases (Dlow) of foredune ridges along a 55-km reach on the northern Outer Banks, NC were found to have considerable spatial variability suggesting that different parts of the barrier island would respond differently to storms. Comparing statistics of storm wave runup to D high and Dlow, we found that net erosion due to overwash and dune retreat should be greatest at the northern and southern ends of the study area and least in the central section. This predicted spatial pattern of storm-induced erosion is similar to the spatial pattern of long-term erosion of the shoreline which may be controlled by additional processes (such as gradients in longshore transport) as well as the cross-shore processes considered here. However, consider feedback where at erosional hot spots there is a deficit of sand (caused by gradients in longshore transport) which lead to lower dunes and enhanced erosional cross-shore processes, such as overwash. Hence, the erosional hot spots would be exacerbated, further increasing the vulnerability of the beach and dunes to net erosion.

The Dark UNiverse Explorer (DUNE): proposal to ESA's cosmic vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Refregier, A.

2009-03-01

The Dark UNiverse Explorer (DUNE) is a wide-field space imager whose primary goal is the study of dark energy and dark matter with unprecedented precision. For this purpose, DUNE is optimised for the measurement of weak gravitational lensing but will also provide complementary measurements of baryonic accoustic oscillations, cluster counts and the Integrated Sachs Wolfe effect. Immediate auxiliary goals concern the evolution of galaxies, to be studied with unequalled statistical power, the detailed structure of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, and the demographics of Earth-mass planets. DUNE is an Medium-class mission which makes use of readily available components, heritage from other missions, and synergy with ground based facilities to minimise cost and risks. The payload consists of a 1.2 m telescope with a combined visible/NIR field-of-view of 1 deg2. DUNE will carry out an all-sky survey, ranging from 550 to 1600 nm, in one visible and three NIR bands which will form a unique legacy for astronomy. DUNE will yield major advances in a broad range of fields in astrophysics including fundamental cosmology, galaxy evolution, and extrasolar planet search. DUNE was recently selected by ESA as one of the mission concepts to be studied in its Cosmic Vision programme.

Simulation model of erosion and deposition on a barchan dune

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, A. D.; Morton, J. B.; Gal-El-hak, M.; Pierce, D. B.

1977-01-01

Erosion and deposition over a barchan dune near the Salton Sea, California, are modeled by bookkeeping the quantity of sand in saltation following streamlines of transport. Field observations of near surface wind velocity and direction plus supplemental measurements of the velocity distribution over a scale model of the dune are combined as input to Bagnold type sand transport formulas corrected for slope effects. A unidirectional wind is assumed. The resulting patterns of erosion and deposition compare closely with those observed in the field and those predicted by the assumption of equilibrium (downwind translation of the dune without change in size or geometry). Discrepancies between the simulated results and the observed or predicted erosional patterns appear to be largely due to natural fluctuations in the wind direction. The shape of barchan dunes is a function of grain size, velocity, degree of saturation of the oncoming flow, and the variability in the direction of the oncoming wind. The size of the barchans may be controlled by natural atmospheric scales, by the age of the dunes, or by the upwind roughness. The upwind roughness can be controlled by fixed elements or by sand in the saltation. In the latter case, dune scale is determined by grain size and wind velocity.

Parabolic dune reactivation and migration at Napeague, NY, USA: Insights from aerial and GPR imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girardi, James D.; Davis, Dan M.

2010-02-01

Observations from mapping since the 19th century and aerial imagery since 1930 have been used to study changes in the aeolian geomorphology of coastal parabolic dunes over the last ~ 170 years in the Walking Dune Field, Napeague, NY. The five large parabolic dunes of the Walking Dune Field have all migrated across, or are presently interacting with, a variably forested area that has affected their migration, stabilization and morphology. This study has concentrated on a dune with a particularly complex history of stabilization, reactivation and migration. We have correlated that dune's surface evolution, as revealed by aerial imagery, with its internal structures imaged using 200 MHz and 500 MHz Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys. Both 2D (transect) and high-resolution 3D GPR imagery image downwind dipping bedding planes which can be grouped by apparent dip angle into several discrete packages of beds that reflect distinct decadal-scale episodes of dune reactivation and growth. From aerial and high resolution GPR imagery, we document a unique mode of reactivation and migration linked to upwind dune formation and parabolic dune interactions with forest trees. This study documents how dune-dune and dune-vegetation interactions have influenced a unique mode of blowout deposition that has alternated on a decadal scale between opposite sides of a parabolic dune during reactivation and migration. The pattern of recent parabolic dune reactivation and migration in the Walking Dune Field appears to be somewhat more complex, and perhaps more sensitive to subtle environmental pressures, than an idealized growth model with uniform deposition and purely on-axis migration. This pattern, believed to be prevalent among other parabolic dunes in the Walking Dune Field, may occur also in many other places where similar observational constraints are unavailable.

Predicting Martian dune shape and orientation from wind directional variability and sediment availability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Cascales, Laura; Lucas, Antoine; Rodriguez, Sébastien; Narteau, Clément; Spiga, Aymeric; Allemand, Pascal

2016-04-01

Dunes provide a unique set of information to constrain local climatic regimes on planetary bodies where there is no direct meteorological data. Wind directional variability and sediment availability are known to control the dune growth mechanism (i.e. the bed instability or fingering modes) and the subsequent dune shape and orientation (Courrech du Pont at al., 2014; Gao et al., 2015). Here we provide a quantitative analysis of these dependences on Mars using the output of the Martian General Circulation Models (GCM) and satellite imagery such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Context Camera (CTX) images, at a selection of places where there is a high contrast between the dune material and the non-erodible ground. Dunes, mostly composed of unweathered basaltic and andesitic grains, appear dark, whereas the non-erodible ground has a higher albedo. Such a systematic contrast permits to link dune morphology to the local sediment cover. Dune shape, crest orientation and local sediment cover are extracted from CTX images using an automatic linear segment detection method and the local distribution in albedo. In zones of high sediment supply, dune crest alignments are close to the orientation of the bed instability mode predicted from the local winds from the Martian Climate Database (MCD) where is stored the outputs of the IPSL-GCM for Mars (Millour et al., 2014). Using the same wind data, in zones of low sediment supply, the crest angle is close to the orientation of the fingering mode. In addition, there are continuous transitions in dune shape and orientation as the dunes migrate from zone of high to low sediment availability. These results indicate that the prediction of the IPSL-GCM are in good agreement with the present dune shapes and orientations and shed new light on the dynamics of complex dune fields along sand flow path.

Monitoring Sand Sheets and Dunes

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-12

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured this crater featuring sand dunes and sand sheets on its floor. What are sand sheets? Snow fall on Earth is a good example of sand sheets: when it snows, the ground gets blanketed with up to a few meters of snow. The snow mantles the ground and "mimics" the underlying topography. Sand sheets likewise mantle the ground as a relatively thin deposit. This kind of environment has been monitored by HiRISE since 2007 to look for movement in the ripples covering the dunes and sheets. This is how scientists who study wind-blown sand can track the amount of sand moving through the area and possibly where the sand came from. Using the present environment is crucial to understanding the past: sand dunes, sheets, and ripples sometimes become preserved as sandstone and contain clues as to how they were deposited The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning); objects on the order of 75 centimeters (29.5 inches) across are resolved.] North is up. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21757

Proposed artificial recharge studies in northern Qatar

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimrey, J.O.

1985-01-01

The aquifer system in northern Qatar comprises a water-table aquifer in the Rus Formation which is separated by an aquitard from a partially confined aquifer in the top of the overlying Umm er Radhuma Formation. These two aquifers are composed of limestone and dolomite of Eocene and Paleocene age and contain a fragile lens of freshwater which is heavily exploited as a source of water for agricultural irrigation. Net withdrawals are greatly in excess of total recharge, and quality of ground water is declining. Use of desalinated seawater for artificial recharge has been proposed for the area. Artificial recharge, on a large scale, could stabilize the decline in ground-water quality while allowing increased withdrawals for irrigation. The proposal appears technically feasible. Recharge should be by injection to the Umm er Radhuma aquifer whose average transmissivity is about 2,000 meters squared per day (as compared to an average of about 200 meters squared per day for the Rus aquifer). Implementation of artificial recharge should be preceded by a hydrogeologic appraisal. These studies should include test drilling, conventional aquifer tests, and recharge-recovery tests at four sites in northern Qatar. (USGS)

Thermal Methods for Investigating Ground-Water Recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blasch, Kyle W.; Constantz, Jim; Stonestrom, David A.

2007-01-01

Recharge of aquifers within arid and semiarid environments is defined as the downward flux of water across the regional water table. The introduction of recharging water at the land surface can occur at discreet locations, such as in stream channels, or be distributed over the landscape, such as across broad interarroyo areas within an alluvial ground-water basin. The occurrence of recharge at discreet locations is referred to as focused recharge, whereas the occurrence of recharge over broad regions is referred to as diffuse recharge. The primary interest of this appendix is focused recharge, but regardless of the type of recharge, estimation of downward fluxes is essential to its quantification. Like chemical tracers, heat can come from natural sources or be intentionally introduced to infer transport properties and aquifer recharge. The admission and redistribution of heat from natural processes such as insolation, infiltration, and geothermal activity can be used to quantify subsurface flow regimes. Heat is well suited as a ground-water tracer because it provides a naturally present dynamic signal and is relatively harmless over a useful range of induced perturbations. Thermal methods have proven valuable for recharge investigations for several reasons. First, theoretical descriptions of coupled water-and-heat transport are available for the hydrologic processes most often encountered in practice. These include land-surface mechanisms such as radiant heating from the sun, radiant cooling into space, and evapotranspiration, in addition to the advective and conductive mechanisms that usually dominate at depth. Second, temperature is theoretically well defined and readily measured. Third, thermal methods for depths ranging from the land surface to depths of hundreds of meters are based on similar physical principles. Fourth, numerical codes for simulating heat and water transport have become increasingly reliable and widely available. Direct measurement of water

Non-climatic signal in ice core records: Lessons from Antarctic mega-dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekaykin, Alexey; Eberlein, Lutz; Lipenkov, Vladimir; Popov, Sergey; Schroder, Ludwig

2015-04-01

We present the results of glaciological investigations in the mega-dune area located 30 km to the east from Vostok Station (central East Antarctica) implemented during the 58th and 59th Russian Antarctic Expedition (January 2013 and January 2014). Snow accumulation rate and isotope content (δD and δ18O) were measured along the 2-km profile across the mega-dune ridge accompanied by precise GPS altitude measurements and GPR survey. It is shown that the spatial variability of snow accumulation and isotope content covaries with the surface slope. The accumulation rate regularly changes by 1 order of magnitude within the distance < 1 km, with the reduced accumulation at the leeward slope of the dune and increased accumulation in the hollow between the dunes. At the same time, the accumulation rate averaged over the length of a dune wave (25 mm w.e.) corresponds well with the value obtained at Vostok Station, which suggests no additional wind-driven snow sublimation in the mega-dunes comparing to the surrounding plateau. The snow isotope content is in negative correlation with the snow accumulation, which could be explained by post-depositional snow modification and/or by enhanced redistribution by wind of winter precipitation comparing to summer precipitation. Using the GPR data, we estimated the dune drift velocity (5.5 ± 1.3 m yr-1). The full cycle of the dune drift is thus about 340 years. Since the spatial anomalies of snow accumulation and isotope content are supposed to drift with the dune, an ice core drilled in the mega-dune area would exhibit the non-climatic 340-yr cycle of these two parameters. We made an attempt to simulate a vertical profile of isotope content with such a non-climatic variability in a virtual ice core, using the data on the dune size and velocity. The obtained results are discussed in terms of real ice core data interpretation.

Alterations to groundwater recharge due to anthropogenic landscape change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Dongmei; Currell, Matthew J.; Cao, Guoliang; Hall, Benjamin

2017-11-01

The impacts of anthropogenic modifications to the landscape on groundwater recharge rates, locations, and mechanisms are reviewed. The two major categories of change examined are conversion of land for agriculture and urbanization, both of which have significant effects on groundwater recharge. Techniques for identifying and quantifying the changes in recharge due to these impacts are discussed. Land-clearing for agriculture and surface water transfer for irrigation have resulted in order of magnitude increases in recharge rates in many semi-arid regions worldwide, causing ongoing land and water salinization and water-logging problems. While increased recharge by irrigation return flow may alleviate shallow groundwater depletion in some settings, this is complicated by the effect of unsaturated zone thickening, which reduces the fraction of potential recharge becoming actual recharge, and may result in new water quality risks such as nitrate contamination. Expansion of urban and peri-urban land and their associated surface and sub-surface infrastructure results in complex water balance changes that re-distribute groundwater recharge locations, modify recharge mechanism(s) and result in variable impacts on recharge rates (e.g., overall net decrease, increase or minimal change) and quality. While changes to groundwater recharge resulting from conversion of land for agriculture are relatively well understood, less is documented about the changes resulting from urbanization, due to a paucity of data from field-based studies. Two case studies from Beijing, China and Melbourne Australia are examined, which highlight these impacts and demonstrate some potential methodological techniques for this topic.

Large-eddy simulations of unidirectional water flow over dunes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoriadis, D. G. E.; Balaras, E.; Dimas, A. A.

2009-06-01

The unidirectional, subcritical flow over fixed dunes is studied numerically using large-eddy simulation, while the immersed boundary method is implemented to incorporate the bed geometry. Results are presented for a typical dune shape and two Reynolds numbers, Re = 17,500 and Re = 93,500, on the basis of bulk velocity and water depth. The numerical predictions of velocity statistics at the low Reynolds number are in very good agreement with available experimental data. A primary recirculation region develops downstream of the dune crest at both Reynolds numbers, while a secondary region develops at the toe of the dune crest only for the low Reynolds number. Downstream of the reattachment point, on the dune stoss, the turbulence intensity in the developing boundary layer is weaker than in comparable equilibrium boundary layers. Coherent vortical structures are identified using the fluctuating pressure field and the second invariant of the velocity gradient tensor. Vorticity is primarily generated at the dune crest in the form of spanwise "roller" structures. Roller structures dominate the flow dynamics near the crest, and are responsible for perturbing the boundary layer downstream of the reattachment point, which leads to the formation of "horseshoe" structures. Horseshoe structures dominate the near-wall dynamics after the reattachment point, do not rise to the free surface, and are distorted by the shear layer of the next crest. The occasional interaction between roller and horseshoe structures generates tube-like "kolk" structures, which rise to the free surface and persist for a long time before attenuating.

Holocene dune formation at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Area, Nevada, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lancaster, Nicholas; Mahan, Shannon

2012-01-01

Small isolated dune fields in the northern Mojave Desert are important centers of biodiversity and archaeological occupation sites. Currently dunes at Ash Meadows, Nevada, are stabilized by vegetation and are experiencing erosion of their upwind margins, indicating a negative sediment budget. New OSL ages from dunes at Ash Meadows indicate continuous eolian accumulation from 1.5 to 0.8 ka, with further accumulation around 0.2 ka. Prior studies (e.g., Mehringer and Warren, 1976) indicate periods of dune accumulation prior to 3.3 ka; 1.9–1 ka; and after 0.9 ka. These periods of eolian accumulation are largely synchronous with those identified elsewhere in the Mojave Desert. The composition of the Ash Meadows dunes indicates their derivation from regional fluvial sources, most likely during periods when axial washes were active as a result of enhanced winter precipitation.

Short-term changes in mobile dunes at Port Alfred, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubke, Roy A.; Sugden, Jean

1990-03-01

Development along the western beachfront of Port Alfred, which is situated along a sandy shoreline, increased markedly in the 1960s as the coastal town became a popular holiday resort. This development included the removal of coastal vegetation, which resulted in the destabilization of dunes and migration of sand westerly onto the road, West Beach parking lot, and lawns of the cabanas. Sand traps were constructed to collect sand blowing across the dunes over set periods, and the net sand movement along the mobile dune belt was calculated using Hunter's equation. The dunes show an easterly movement of sand at a rate of 3.5 m/yr, which is comparable with figures recorded along other areas of this coastline. Considering the wind regime and amount of sand movement along this coast, it is inappropriate to clear vegetation and develop within the dune region.

Vegetation of semi-stable rangeland dunes of the Navajo Nation, Southwestern USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Kathryn A.; Redsteer, Margaret H.

2016-01-01

Dune destabilization and increased mobility is a worldwide issue causing ecological, economic, and health problems for the inhabitants of areas with extensive dune fields. Dunes cover nearly a third of the Navajo Nation within the Colorado Plateau of southwestern USA. There, higher temperatures and prolonged drought beginning in 1996 have produced significant increases in dune mobility. Vegetation plays an important role in dune stabilization, but there are few studies of the plants of the aeolian surfaces of this region. We examined plant species and their attributes within a moderately vegetated dune field of the Navajo Nation to understand the types and characteristics of plants that stabilize rangeland dunes. These dunes supported a low cover of mixed grass-scrubland with fifty-two perennial and annual species including extensive occurrence of non-native annual Salsola spp. Perennial grass richness and shrub cover were positively associated with increased soil sand composition. Taprooted shrubs were more common on sandier substrates. Most dominant grasses had C4 photosynthesis, suggestive of higher water-use efficiencies and growth advantage in warm arid environments. Plant cover was commonly below the threshold of dune stabilization. Increasing sand movement with continued aridity will select for plants adapted to burial, deflation, and abrasion. The study indicates plants tolerant of increased sand mobility and burial but more investigation is needed to identify the plants adapted to establish and regenerate under these conditions. In addition, the role of Salsola spp. in promoting decline of perennial grasses and shrubs needs clarification.

Dunes on Saturn’s moon Titan as revealed by the Cassini Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radebaugh, Jani

2013-12-01

Dunes on Titan, a dominant landform comprising at least 15% of the surface, represent the end product of many physical processes acting in alien conditions. Winds in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere with Earth-like pressure transport sand that is likely to have been derived from complex organics produced in the atmosphere. These sands then accumulate into large, planet-encircling sand seas concentrated near the equator. Dunes on Titan are predominantly linear and similar in size and form to the large linear dunes of the Namib, Arabian and Saharan sand seas. They likely formed from wide bimodal winds and appear to undergo average sand transport to the east. Their singular form across the satellite indicates Titan’s dunes may be highly mature, and may reside in a condition of stability that permitted their growth and evolution over long time scales. The dunes are among the youngest surface features, as even river channels do not cut through them. However, reorganization time scales of large linear dunes on Titan are likely tens of thousands of years. Thus, Titan’s dune forms may be long-lived and yet be actively undergoing sand transport. This work is a summary of research on dunes on Titan after the Cassini Prime and Equinox Missions (2004-2010) and now during the Solstice Mission (to end in 2017). It discusses results of Cassini data analysis and modeling of conditions on Titan and it draws comparisons with observations and models of linear dune formation and evolution on Earth.

NORTH CAROLINA GROUNDWATER RECHARGE RATES 1994

EPA Science Inventory

North Carolina Groundwater Recharge Rates, from Heath, R.C., 1994, Ground-water recharge in North Carolina: North Carolina State University, as prepared for the NC Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources (NC DEHNR) Division of Enviromental Management Groundwater S...

Groundwater recharge: The intersection between humanity and hydrogeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smerdon, Brian D.; Drewes, Jörg E.

2017-12-01

Groundwater recharge is an essential part of subsurface water circulation and the beginning of groundwater flow systems that can vary in duration from days to millennia. Globally, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that many of Earth's aquifers contain 'fossil' groundwater that was recharged more than 12,000 years ago (Jasechko et al., 2017), and a very small portion of groundwater that was recharged within the last 50 years (Gleeson et al., 2015). Together, this information demonstrates the irregular distribution of groundwater circulation within the Earth and the wide variability of recharge conditions that replenish aquifer systems (Befus et al., 2017). Knowledge of groundwater recharge rates and distribution are needed for evaluating and regulating the quantity and quality of water resources, understanding consequences of landscapes use, identifying where managed aquifer recharge can augment supply, and predicting how groundwater systems will respond to a changing climate. In-turn, these topics are of central importance for the health of humans and ecosystems, and security of food and energy. Yet, despite the global importance, quantifying groundwater recharge remains challenging as it cannot be measured directly, and there is uncertainty associated with all currently known estimation methods (Scanlon et al., 2002).

Quantifying potential recharge in mantled sinkholes using ERT.

PubMed

Schwartz, Benjamin F; Schreiber, Madeline E

2009-01-01

Potential recharge through thick soils in mantled sinkholes was quantified using differential electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). Conversion of time series two-dimensional (2D) ERT profiles into 2D volumetric water content profiles using a numerically optimized form of Archie's law allowed us to monitor temporal changes in water content in soil profiles up to 9 m in depth. Combining Penman-Monteith daily potential evapotranspiration (PET) and daily precipitation data with potential recharge calculations for three sinkhole transects indicates that potential recharge occurred only during brief intervals over the study period and ranged from 19% to 31% of cumulative precipitation. Spatial analysis of ERT-derived water content showed that infiltration occurred both on sinkhole flanks and in sinkhole bottoms. Results also demonstrate that mantled sinkholes can act as regions of both rapid and slow recharge. Rapid recharge is likely the result of flow through macropores (such as root casts and thin gravel layers), while slow recharge is the result of unsaturated flow through fine-grained sediments. In addition to developing a new method for quantifying potential recharge at the field scale in unsaturated conditions, we show that mantled sinkholes are an important component of storage in a karst system.

Numerical modeling of the wind flow over a transverse dune

PubMed Central

Araújo, Ascânio D.; Parteli, Eric J. R.; Pöschel, Thorsten; Andrade, José S.; Herrmann, Hans J.

2013-01-01

Transverse dunes, which form under unidirectional winds and have fixed profile in the direction perpendicular to the wind, occur on all celestial objects of our solar system where dunes have been detected. Here we perform a numerical study of the average turbulent wind flow over a transverse dune by means of computational fluid dynamics simulations. We find that the length of the zone of recirculating flow at the dune lee — the separation bubble — displays a surprisingly strong dependence on the wind shear velocity, u*: it is nearly independent of u* for shear velocities within the range between 0.2 m/s and 0.8 m/s but increases linearly with u* for larger shear velocities. Our calculations show that transport in the direction opposite to dune migration within the separation bubble can be sustained if u* is larger than approximately 0.39 m/s, whereas a larger value of u* (about 0.49 m/s) is required to initiate this reverse transport. PMID:24091456

Recharge signal identification based on groundwater level observations.

PubMed

Yu, Hwa-Lung; Chu, Hone-Jay

2012-10-01

This study applied a method of the rotated empirical orthogonal functions to directly decompose the space-time groundwater level variations and determine the potential recharge zones by investigating the correlation between the identified groundwater signals and the observed local rainfall records. The approach is used to analyze the spatiotemporal process of piezometric heads estimated by Bayesian maximum entropy method from monthly observations of 45 wells in 1999-2007 located in the Pingtung Plain of Taiwan. From the results, the primary potential recharge area is located at the proximal fan areas where the recharge process accounts for 88% of the spatiotemporal variations of piezometric heads in the study area. The decomposition of groundwater levels associated with rainfall can provide information on the recharge process since rainfall is an important contributor to groundwater recharge in semi-arid regions. Correlation analysis shows that the identified recharge closely associates with the temporal variation of the local precipitation with a delay of 1-2 months in the study area.

Effects of topography on the dune forming winds on Titan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, Erik J.; Toon, O. B.; Friedson, A. J.

2013-10-01

Cassini observed hundreds of dune fields on Titan, nearly all of which lie in the tropics and suggest westerly (from west to east) winds dominate at the surface. Most GCMs however have obtained easterly surface winds in the tropics, seemingly contradicting the wind direction suggested by the dunes. This has led to an active debate in the community about the origin of the dune forming winds on Titan and their direction and modality. This discussion is mostly driven by a study of Earth dunes seen as analogous to Titan. One can find examples of dunes on Earth that fit several wind regimes. To date only one GCM, that of Tokano (2008, 2010), has presented detailed analysis of its near surface winds and their dune forming capabilities. Despite the bulk of the wind being easterly, this GCM produces faster westerlies at equinox, thus transporting sand to the east. Our model, the Titan CAM (Friedson et al. 2009), is unable to reproduce the fast westerlies. Our GCM has been updated to include realistic topography released by the Cassini radar team. Preliminary results suggest our tropical wind regime now has net westerly winds in the tropics, albeit weak. References: Tokano, T. 2008. Icarus 194, 243-262. Tokano, T. 2010. Aeolian Research 2, 113-127. Friedson, J. et al. 2009. Planet. Sp. Sci., 57, 1931-1949.

Reply to ``Comment on `Minimal size of a barchan dune' ''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parteli, E. J. R.; Durán, O.; Herrmann, H. J.

2007-12-01

We reply to the preceding comment by Andreotti and Claudin [Phys. Rev. E 76, 063301 (2007)] on our paper [Phys. Rev. E 75, 011301 (2007)]. We show that the equations of the dune model used in our calculations are self-consistent and effectively lead to a dependence of the minimal dune size on the wind speed through the saturation length. Furthermore, we show that Meridiani Planum ripples are probably not a good reference to estimate the grain size of Martian dune sands: the soil in the ripple troughs at the landing site is covered with nonerodible elements (“blueberries”), which increase the minimal threshold for saltation by a factor of 2.0. We conclude that, in the absence of large fragments as the ones found at the landing site, basaltic grains of diameter d=500±100μm that compose the large, typical dark Martian dunes [K. S. Edgett and P. R. Christensen, J. Geophys. Res. 96, 22765 (1991)] probably saltate during the strongest storms on Mars. We also show that the wind friction speed u∗≈3.0m/s that we found from the calculations of Martian dunes is within the values of maximum wind speeds that occur during Martian storms a few times a decade [R. E. Arvidson , Science 222, 463 (1983); H. J. Moore, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 163 (1985); R. Sullivan , Nature (London) 436, 58 (2005); D. J. Jerolmack , J. Geophys. Res. 111, E12S02 (2006)]. In this manner, the dune model predicts that Martian dunes can be formed under present Martian conditions, with no need to assume other conditions of wind and atmosphere that could have prevailed in the past.

The effects of dune slopes and material heterogeneity on the thermal behavior of dune fields in Mars' Southern Hemisphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Shea, P. M.; Putzig, N. E.; Van Kooten, S.; Fenton, L. K.

2015-12-01

We analyzed the effects of slopes on the thermal properties of three dune fields in Mars' southern hemisphere. Although slope has important thermal effects, it is not the main driver of observed apparent thermal inertia (ATI) for these dunes. Comparing the ATI seasonal behavior as derived from Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data with that modeled for compositional heterogeneities, we found that TES results correlate best with models of duricrust overlying and/or horizontally mixing with fines. We measured slopes and aspects in digital terrain models created from High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images of dunes within Proctor, Kaiser, and Wirtz craters. Using the MARSTHERM web toolset, we incorporated the slopes and aspects together with TES albedo, TES thermal inertia, surface pressure, and TES dust opacity, into models of seasonal ATI. Models that incorporate sub-pixel slopes show seasonal day and night ATI values that differ from the TES results by 0-300 J m-2 K-1 s-½. In addition, the models' day-night differences are opposite in sign from those of the TES results, indicating that factors other than slope are involved. We therefore compared the TES data to model results for a broad range of horizontally mixed and two-layered surfaces to seek other possible controls on the observed data, finding that a surface layer of higher thermal inertia is a likely contributor. However, it is clear from this study that the overall composition and morphology of the dune fields are more complex than currently available models allow. Future work will combine slopes with other model parameters such as multi-layered surfaces and lateral changes in layer thickness. Coupling these improvements with broader seasonal coverage from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) at more thermally favorable times of day would allow more accurate characterization of dune thermal behavior.

Numerical modelling of flow structures over idealized transverse aeolian dunes of varying geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, Daniel R.; Walker, Ian J.; Wiggs, Giles F. S.

2004-04-01

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model (PHOENICS™ 3.5) previously validated for wind tunnel measurements is used to simulate the streamwise and vertical velocity flow fields over idealized transverse dunes of varying height ( h) and stoss slope basal length ( L). The model accurately reproduced patterns of: flow deceleration at the dune toe; stoss flow acceleration; vertical lift in the crest region; lee-side flow separation, re-attachment and reversal; and flow recovery distance. Results indicate that the flow field over transverse dunes is particularly sensitive to changes in dune height, with an increase in height resulting in flow deceleration at the toe, streamwise acceleration and vertical lift at the crest, and an increase in the extent of, and strength of reversed flows within, the lee-side separation cell. In general, the length of the separation zone varied from 3 to 15 h from the crest and increased over taller, steeper dunes. Similarly, the flow recovery distance ranged from 45 to >75 h and was more sensitive to changes in dune height. For the range of dune shapes investigated in this study, the differing effects of height and stoss slope length raise questions regarding the applicability of dune aspect ratio as a parameter for explaining airflow over transverse dunes. Evidence is also provided to support existing research on: streamline curvature and the maintenance of sand transport in the toe region; vertical lift in the crest region and its effect on grainfall delivery; relations between the turbulent shear layer and downward forcing of flow re-attachment; and extended flow recovery distances beyond the separation cell. Field validation is required to test these findings in natural settings. Future applications of the model will characterize turbulence and shear stress fields, examine the effects of more complex isolated dune forms and investigate flow over multiple dunes.

Dune formation on the Cooper Creek floodplain, Strzelecki Desert, Australia - first results of morphodynamic simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kryger, Mateusz; Bubenzer, Olaf; Parteli, Eric

2017-04-01

Linear Dunes, which align longitudinally to the resultant wind vector, are the prevailing type of the south-north trending and partially vegetated dunes in the Strzelecki Desert, Australia. However, particularly on the Cooper Creek floodplain near Innamincka, striking complex dune features consisting of transversely oriented east-west trending dunes occur. These transverse dunes extend over several kilometers and are superimposed by linear dunes that elongate northwards and are separated by sandy swales. The aeolian features in the Strzelecki Desert are the result of interrelated late quaternary aeolian and fluvial activity and serve, thus, as archives providing information about variations in palaeoclimate and potential changes in fluvial sediment supply and wind strength and directionality. However, since the dunes are currently mostly stabilized by vegetation, it is uncertain whether their formation can be explained by the contemporary wind systems. To understand the dynamic processes underlying the genesis of the dune field in the Strzelecki Desert, the role of vegetation and the wind regimes leading to the observed dune patterns must be elucidated. Here we investigate the formative processes of the dune features occurring on the Cooper Creek floodplain by means of morphodynamic modeling of aeolian sand transport and dune formation in presence of vegetation growth. Our simulations show that a source-bordering dune can be formed out of the sediments of seasonally exposed sandbars of the palaeo-Cooper system by a unidirectional wind, which explains the emergence of the transverse dunes in the field. Moreover, a shift in the wind regime to obtuse bidirectional wind flows combined with a rapid decrease in the vegetation cover leads to the formation of linear dunes on the surface and in the lee of the transverse dunes. These linear dunes elongate over several kilometers downwind as a result of the seasonal wind changes. The dune shapes obtained in our simulations

Estimated infiltration, percolation, and recharge rates at the Rillito Creek focused recharge investigation site, Pima County, Arizona: Chapter H in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffmann, John P.; Blasch, Kyle W.; Pool, Don R.; Bailey, Matthew A.; Callegary, James B.; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

A large fraction of ground water stored in the alluvial aquifers in the Southwest is recharged by water that percolates through ephemeral stream-channel deposits. The amount of water currently recharging many of these aquifers is insufficient to meet current and future demands. Improving the understanding of streambed infiltration and the subsequent redistribution of water within the unsaturated zone is fundamental to quantifying and forming an accurate description of streambed recharge. In addition, improved estimates of recharge from ephemeral-stream channels will reduce uncertainties in water-budget components used in current ground-water models.This chapter presents a summary of findings related to a focused recharge investigation along Rillito Creek in Tucson, Arizona. A variety of approaches used to estimate infiltration, percolation, and recharge fluxes are presented that provide a wide range of temporal- and spatial-scale measurements of recharge beneath Rillito Creek. The approaches discussed include analyses of (1) cores and cuttings for hydraulic and textural properties, (2) environmental tracers from the water extracted from the cores and cuttings, (3) seepage measurements made during sustained streamflow, (4) heat as a tracer and numerical simulations of the movement of heat through the streambed sediments, (5) water-content variations, (6) water-level responses to streamflow in piezometers within the stream channel, and (7) gravity changes in response to recharge events. Hydraulic properties of the materials underlying Rillito Creek were used to estimate long-term potential recharge rates. Seepage measurements and analyses of temperature and water content were used to estimate infiltration rates, and environmental tracers were used to estimate percolation rates through the thick unsaturated zone. The presence or lack of tritium in the water was used to determine whether or not water in the unsaturated zone infiltrated within the past 40 years

Global synthesis of groundwater recharge in semiarid and arid regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Keese, Kelley E.; Flint, Alan L.; Flint, Lorraine E.; Gaye, Cheikh B.; Edmunds, W. Michael; Simmers, Ian

2006-10-01

Global synthesis of the findings from 140 recharge study areas in semiarid and arid regions provides important information on recharge rates, controls, and processes, which are critical for sustainable water development. Water resource evaluation, dryland salinity assessment (Australia), and radioactive waste disposal (US) are among the primary goals of many of these recharge studies. The chloride mass balance (CMB) technique is widely used to estimate recharge. Average recharge rates estimated over large areas (40-374 000 km2) range from 0.2 to 35 mm year-1, representing 0.1-5% of long-term average annual precipitation. Extreme local variability in recharge, with rates up to 720 m year-1, results from focussed recharge beneath ephemeral streams and lakes and preferential flow mostly in fractured systems. System response to climate variability and land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes is archived in unsaturated zone tracer profiles and in groundwater level fluctuations. Inter-annual climate variability related to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) results in up to three times higher recharge in regions within the SW US during periods of frequent El Niños (1977-1998) relative to periods dominated by La Niñas (1941-1957). Enhanced recharge related to ENSO is also documented in Argentina. Climate variability at decadal to century scales recorded in chloride profiles in Africa results in recharge rates of 30 mm year-1 during the Sahel drought (1970-1986) to 150 mm year-1 during non-drought periods. Variations in climate at millennial scales in the SW US changed systems from recharge during the Pleistocene glacial period (10 000 years ago) to discharge during the Holocene semiarid period. LU/LC changes such as deforestation in Australia increased recharge up to about 2 orders of magnitude. Changes from natural grassland and shrublands to dryland (rain-fed) agriculture altered systems from discharge (evapotranspiration, ET) to recharge in the SW US. The impact of LU

Global synthesis of groundwater recharge in semiarid and arid regions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Keese, K.E.; Flint, A.L.; Flint, L.E.; Gaye, C.B.; Edmunds, W.M.; Simmers, I.

2006-01-01

Global synthesis of the findings from ∼140 recharge study areas in semiarid and arid regions provides important information on recharge rates, controls, and processes, which are critical for sustainable water development. Water resource evaluation, dryland salinity assessment (Australia), and radioactive waste disposal (US) are among the primary goals of many of these recharge studies. The chloride mass balance (CMB) technique is widely used to estimate recharge. Average recharge rates estimated over large areas (40–374 000 km2) range from 0·2 to 35 mm year−1, representing 0·1–5% of long-term average annual precipitation. Extreme local variability in recharge, with rates up to ∼720 m year−1, results from focussed recharge beneath ephemeral streams and lakes and preferential flow mostly in fractured systems. System response to climate variability and land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes is archived in unsaturated zone tracer profiles and in groundwater level fluctuations. Inter-annual climate variability related to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) results in up to three times higher recharge in regions within the SW US during periods of frequent El Niños (1977–1998) relative to periods dominated by La Niñas (1941–1957). Enhanced recharge related to ENSO is also documented in Argentina. Climate variability at decadal to century scales recorded in chloride profiles in Africa results in recharge rates of 30 mm year−1 during the Sahel drought (1970–1986) to 150 mm year−1 during non-drought periods. Variations in climate at millennial scales in the SW US changed systems from recharge during the Pleistocene glacial period (≥10 000 years ago) to discharge during the Holocene semiarid period. LU/LC changes such as deforestation in Australia increased recharge up to about 2 orders of magnitude. Changes from natural grassland and shrublands to dryland (rain-fed) agriculture altered systems from discharge (evapotranspiration, ET) to recharge in

Southern Dunes - False Color

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-12-04

The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. Data from the filters can be combined in many ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the region just west of the dune/polar cap image from earlier this week.

Sand Dunes of Nili Patera in 3-D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The most exciting new aspect of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Extended Mission is the opportunity to turn the spacecraft and point the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) at specific features of interest. Opportunities to point the spacecraft come about ten times a week. Throughout the Primary Mission (March 1999 - January 2001), nearly all MGS operations were conducted with the spacecraft pointing 'nadir'--that is, straight down. A search for the missing Mars Polar Lander in late 1999 and early 2000 demonstrated that pointing the spacecraft could allow opportunities for MOC to see things that simply had not entered its field of view during typical nadir-looking operations, and to target areas previously seen in a nadir view so that stereo ('3-D') pictures could be derived.

One of the very first places photographed by the MOC at the start of the Mapping Mission in March 1999 was a field of dunes located in Nili Patera, a volcanic depression in central Syrtis Major. A portion of this dune field was shown in a media release on March 11, 1999, 'Sand Dunes of Nili Patera, Syrtis Major'. Subsequently, the image was archived with the NASA Planetary Data System, as shown in the Malin Space Science Systems MOC Gallery. On April 24, 2001, an opportunity arose in which the MGS could be pointed off-nadir to take a new picture of the same dune field. By combining the nadir view from March 1999 and the off-nadir view from April 2001, a stereoscopic image was created. The anaglyph shown here must be viewed with red (left-eye) and blue (right-eye) '3-D' glasses. The dunes and the local topography of the volcanic crater's floor stand out in sharp relief. The images, taken more than one Mars year apart, show no change in the shape or location of the dunes--that is, they do not seem to have moved at all since March 1999.

36 CFR 7.80 - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Sleeping Bear Dunes National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.80 Sleeping Bear Dunes National... applicable State law is allowed. (c) Bicycling. (1) The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, approximately 27 miles...

36 CFR 7.80 - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Sleeping Bear Dunes National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.80 Sleeping Bear Dunes National... applicable State law is allowed. (c) Bicycling. (1) The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, approximately 27 miles...

Programming settings and recharge interval in a prospective study of a rechargeable sacral neuromodulation system for the treatment of overactive bladder.

PubMed

Blok, Bertil; Van Kerrebroeck, Philip; de Wachter, Stefan; Ruffion, Alain; Van der Aa, Frank; Jairam, Ranjana; Perrouin-Verbe, Marie; Elneil, Sohier

2018-02-01

The RELAX-OAB study is designed to confirm the safety, efficacy, and technical performance of the Axonics r-SNM System, a miniaturized, rechargeable SNM system approved in Europe and Canada for the treatment of bladder and bowel dysfunction. The purpose of this article is to describe study subjects' ability to charge the rechargeable neurostimulator and to document their neurostimulator program settings and recharge interval over time. Fifty-one OAB patients were implanted in a single-stage procedure. These results represent the 3-month charging experience for 48 subjects who completed the 3-month follow-up. Recharge intervals were estimated using therapy stimulation settings and subject experience was evaluated using questionnaires. Forty-seven of forty-eight (98%) subjects were able to successfully charge their device prior to follow-up within 1-month post-implant. At 3-month post-implant, 98% of subjects were able to charge prior to their follow-up visit. Average stimulation amplitude across all subjects was 1.8 mA (±1.1 mA). A total of 69% of subjects had ≥14-day recharge intervals (time between charging) and 98% of subjects had ≥7-day recharge interval. No charging related adverse events occurred. Study subjects were able to charge the Axonics r-SNM System and stimulation settings provided 2 weeks of therapy between recharging for most subjects. Subject satisfaction indicates that subjects are satisfied with rechargeable SNM therapy. © 2018 The Authors. Neurourology and Urodynamics Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Slip Face on Downwind Side of Namib Sand Dune on Mars

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-04

This view from NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover shows the downwind side of "Namib Dune," which stands about 13 feet (4 meters) high. The site is part of Bagnold Dunes, a band of dark sand dunes along the northwestern flank of Mars' Mount Sharp. The component images stitched together into this scene were taken with Curiosity's Navigation Camera (Navcam) on Dec. 17, 2015, during the 1,196th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. In late 2015 and early 2016, Curiosity is conducting the first up-close studies ever made of active sand dunes anywhere but on Earth. Under the influence of Martian wind, the Bagnold Dunes are migrating up to about one yard or meter per Earth year. The view spans from westward on the left to east-southeastward on the right. It is presented as a cylindrical perspective projection. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20281

Estimating recharge rates with analytic element models and parameter estimation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dripps, W.R.; Hunt, R.J.; Anderson, M.P.

2006-01-01

Quantifying the spatial and temporal distribution of recharge is usually a prerequisite for effective ground water flow modeling. In this study, an analytic element (AE) code (GFLOW) was used with a nonlinear parameter estimation code (UCODE) to quantify the spatial and temporal distribution of recharge using measured base flows as calibration targets. The ease and flexibility of AE model construction and evaluation make this approach well suited for recharge estimation. An AE flow model of an undeveloped watershed in northern Wisconsin was optimized to match median annual base flows at four stream gages for 1996 to 2000 to demonstrate the approach. Initial optimizations that assumed a constant distributed recharge rate provided good matches (within 5%) to most of the annual base flow estimates, but discrepancies of >12% at certain gages suggested that a single value of recharge for the entire watershed is inappropriate. Subsequent optimizations that allowed for spatially distributed recharge zones based on the distribution of vegetation types improved the fit and confirmed that vegetation can influence spatial recharge variability in this watershed. Temporally, the annual recharge values varied >2.5-fold between 1996 and 2000 during which there was an observed 1.7-fold difference in annual precipitation, underscoring the influence of nonclimatic factors on interannual recharge variability for regional flow modeling. The final recharge values compared favorably with more labor-intensive field measurements of recharge and results from studies, supporting the utility of using linked AE-parameter estimation codes for recharge estimation. Copyright ?? 2005 The Author(s).

On the origin and age of the Great Sand Dunes, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madole, R.F.; Romig, J.H.; Aleinikoff, J.N.; VanSistine, D.P.; Yacob, E.Y.

2008-01-01

Over the past 100??yr, several hypotheses have been proposed for the origin and age of the Great Sand Dunes. These hypotheses differ widely in the descriptions of dune morphometry, the immediate source of eolian sand, and when sand transport occurred. The primary purpose of this paper is to evaluate these hypotheses and, where warranted, to present new ideas about the origin and age of the Great Sand Dunes. To evaluate the previous hypotheses, we had to develop more detailed information about the surficial geology of the northern San Luis Valley. Thus, we mapped the surficial geology of an area extending several tens of kilometers north, south, and west of the Great Sand Dunes and examined subsurface stratigraphy in more than 200 wells and borings. In addition, we used relative-dating criteria and several radiocarbon and OSL ages to establish the chronology of surficial deposits, and we determined the U-Pb ages of detrital zircons to obtain information about the sources of the sand in the Great Sand Dunes. The first principal finding of this study is that the lower part of the closed basin north of the Rio Grande, referred to here as the sump, is the immediate source of the sand in the Great Sand Dunes, rather than the late Pleistocene flood plain of the Rio Grande (the most widely accepted hypothesis). A second principal finding is that the Great Sand Dunes are older than late Pleistocene. They postdate the draining of Lake Alamosa, which began ??? 440??ka, and predate the time when streams draining the west flank of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains were deflected by incipient dunes that formed near the mountain front. Geomorphic and stratigraphic evidence indicate that this deflection occurred prior to the end of the next to last glaciation (Bull Lake), i.e., prior to ??? 130??ka.

Last Glacial Maximum Development of Parna Dunes in Panhandle Oklahoma, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, W. C.; Halfen, A. F.; McGowen, S.; Carter, B.; Fine, S.; Bement, L. C.; Simms, A. R.

2012-12-01

Though dunefields are a ubiquitous feature of the North American Great Plains, those studied to date have consisted primarily of sand grains. In Beaver County of the Oklahoma panhandle, however, upland dune forms consist of sand-sized aggregates of silt and clay. These aptly named parna dunes occur in two swarms, range in height from 10-15 m, and have asymmetrical dome morphologies with approximate north-south dune orientations. Despite their morphological similarities to sand dunes of the region, their origin and evolution is unknown. Documenting parna dune formation in the Oklahoma panhandle will help improve our understanding of prehistoric landscape instability and climate change, particularly in the central Great Plains where such records are limited. Panhandle parna dunes are typified by Blue Mound, our best documented parna dune thus far. Coring has documented a basal paleosol buried at a depth equivalent to the surrounding landscape—14C ages from this soil indicate its formation about 25-21 ka. The paleosol is a hydric Mollisol with a pronounced C3 isotopic signature reflecting hydric plant communities, rather than the regionally dominated C4 prairie vegetation. Hydric soils are associated with many of the playas on the surrounding landscape today, which suggests that they may have been more prevalent during the LGM. The overlying 8-10 m of parna is low in organic C and high in calcite, with indications of up to ten major episodes of sediment flux, which are documented with magnetic, isotope, soil-stratigraphic, particle-size, and color data. Near-surface luminescence (OSL) ages from Blue Mound are similar to the 14C ages from the basal paleosol, indicating rapid dune construction, with little or no Holocene accumulation of sediment. Marine isotope stage (MIS) 3 loess records indicate that upland areas of the region were relatively stable with attendant widespread pedogenesis prior to development of the parna dunes. At the onset of the LGM, however, the

Martian Dune Ripples as Indicators of Recent Surface Wind Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, M.; Zimbelman, J. R.

2015-12-01

Sand dunes have been shown to preserve the most recent wind patterns in their ripple formations. This investigation continues the manual documentation of ripples on Martian dunes in order to assess surface wind flow. Study sites investigated must have clear HiRISE frames and be able to represent diverse locations across the surface, decided primarily by their spread of latitude and longitude values. Additionally, frames with stereo pairs are preferred because of their ability to create digital terrain models. This will assist in efforts to relate dune slopes and obstacles to ripple patterns. The search and analysis period resulted in 40 study sites with mapped ripples. Lines were drawn perpendicular to ripple crests across three adjacent ripples in order to document both ripple wavelength from line length and inferred wind direction from azimuth. It is not possible to infer a unique wind direction from ripple orientation alone and therefore these inferred directions have a 180 degree ambiguity. Initial results from all study sites support previous observations that the Martian surface has many dune types in areas with adequate sand supply. The complexity of ripple patterns varies greatly across sites as well as within individual sites. Some areas of uniform directionality for hundreds of kilometers suggest a unimodal wind regime while overlapping patterns suggest multiple dominant winds or seasonally varying winds. In most areas, form flow related to dune shape seems to have a large effect on orientation and must be considered along with the dune type. As long as the few steep slip faces on these small dunes are avoided, form flow can be considered the dominant cause of deviation from the regional wind direction. Regional results, wind roses, and comparisons to previous work will be presented for individual sites.

Sediment flux and airflow on the stoss slope of a barchan dune

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lancaster, N.; Nickling, W. G.; Neuman, C. K. McKenna; Wyatt, V. E.

1996-09-01

Measurements of sediment flux on the windward slope of an isolated barchan using an array of 30 sand traps provide new data that can constrain models of dune dynamics. The data show that at low wind incident speeds, flux increases up the dune exponentially, whereas at higher wind speeds the increase with distance approaches linearity. Wind profile measurements, conducted at the same time as the flux measurements, indicate that, although wind speed at a given height increases by 1.2 times from dune toe to brinkline, wind shear velocity derived from the profile data decreases up the dune and is in many cases below transport threshold values. This demonstrates that conventional wind profiles, derived from anemometry on dunes, do not measure the part of the boundary layer that is significant for sediment transport.

High power rechargeable magnesium/iodine battery chemistry

DOE PAGES

Tian, Huajun; Gao, Tao; Li, Xiaogang; ...

2017-01-10

Rechargeable magnesium batteries have attracted considerable attention because of their potential high energy density and low cost. However, their development has been severely hindered because of the lack of appropriate cathode materials. Here we report a rechargeable magnesium/iodine battery, in which the soluble iodine reacts with Mg 2+ to form a soluble intermediate and then an insoluble final product magnesium iodide. The liquid–solid two-phase reaction pathway circumvents solid-state Mg 2+ diffusion and ensures a large interfacial reaction area, leading to fast reaction kinetics and high reaction reversibility. As a result, the rechargeable magnesium/iodine battery shows a better rate capability (180more » mAh g –1 at 0.5 C and 140 mAh g –1 at 1 C) and a higher energy density (~400 Wh kg –1) than all other reported rechargeable magnesium batteries using intercalation cathodes. As a result, this study demonstrates that the liquid–solid two-phase reaction mechanism is promising in addressing the kinetic limitation of rechargeable magnesium batteries.« less

Global-scale modeling of groundwater recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Döll, P.; Fiedler, K.

2008-05-01

Long-term average groundwater recharge, which is equivalent to renewable groundwater resources, is the major limiting factor for the sustainable use of groundwater. Compared to surface water resources, groundwater resources are more protected from pollution, and their use is less restricted by seasonal and inter-annual flow variations. To support water management in a globalized world, it is necessary to estimate groundwater recharge at the global scale. Here, we present a best estimate of global-scale long-term average diffuse groundwater recharge (i.e. renewable groundwater resources) that has been calculated by the most recent version of the WaterGAP Global Hydrology Model WGHM (spatial resolution of 0.5° by 0.5°, daily time steps). The estimate was obtained using two state-of-the-art global data sets of gridded observed precipitation that we corrected for measurement errors, which also allowed to quantify the uncertainty due to these equally uncertain data sets. The standard WGHM groundwater recharge algorithm was modified for semi-arid and arid regions, based on independent estimates of diffuse groundwater recharge, which lead to an unbiased estimation of groundwater recharge in these regions. WGHM was tuned against observed long-term average river discharge at 1235 gauging stations by adjusting, individually for each basin, the partitioning of precipitation into evapotranspiration and total runoff. We estimate that global groundwater recharge was 12 666 km3/yr for the climate normal 1961-1990, i.e. 32% of total renewable water resources. In semi-arid and arid regions, mountainous regions, permafrost regions and in the Asian Monsoon region, groundwater recharge accounts for a lower fraction of total runoff, which makes these regions particularly vulnerable to seasonal and inter-annual precipitation variability and water pollution. Average per-capita renewable groundwater resources of countries vary between 8 m3/(capita yr) for Egypt to more than 1 million m3

Global-scale modeling of groundwater recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Döll, P.; Fiedler, K.

2007-11-01

Long-term average groundwater recharge, which is equivalent to renewable groundwater resources, is the major limiting factor for the sustainable use of groundwater. Compared to surface water resources, groundwater resources are more protected from pollution, and their use is less restricted by seasonal and inter-annual flow variations. To support water management in a globalized world, it is necessary to estimate groundwater recharge at the global scale. Here, we present a best estimate of global-scale long-term average diffuse groundwater recharge (i.e. renewable groundwater resources) that has been calculated by the most recent version of the WaterGAP Global Hydrology Model WGHM (spatial resolution of 0.5° by 0.5°, daily time steps). The estimate was obtained using two state-of-the art global data sets of gridded observed precipitation that we corrected for measurement errors, which also allowed to quantify the uncertainty due to these equally uncertain data sets. The standard WGHM groundwater recharge algorithm was modified for semi-arid and arid regions, based on independent estimates of diffuse groundwater recharge, which lead to an unbiased estimation of groundwater recharge in these regions. WGHM was tuned against observed long-term average river discharge at 1235 gauging stations by adjusting, individually for each basin, the partitioning of precipitation into evapotranspiration and total runoff. We estimate that global groundwater recharge was 12 666 km3/yr for the climate normal 1961-1990, i.e. 32% of total renewable water resources. In semi-arid and arid regions, mountainous regions, permafrost regions and in the Asian Monsoon region, groundwater recharge accounts for a lower fraction of total runoff, which makes these regions particularly vulnerable to seasonal and inter-annual precipitation variability and water pollution. Average per-capita renewable groundwater resources of countries vary between 8 m3/(capita yr) for Egypt to more than 1 million m3

Dunes and microdunes on Venus: Why were so few found in the Magellan data?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weitz, Catherine M.; Plaut, Jeffrey J.; Greeley, Ronald; Saunders, R. Steven

1994-01-01

A search through cycle 1, 2, and 3 Magellan radar data covering 98% of the surface of Venus revealed very few dunes. Only two possible dune fields and several areas that may contain microdunes smaller than the resolution of the images (75 m) were identified. The Aglaonice dune field was identified in the cycle 1 images by the specular returns characteristic of dune faces oriented perpendicular to the radar illumination. Cycle 1 and 2 data of the Fortuna-Meshkenet dune field indicate that there has been no noticeable movement of the dunes over an 8-month period. The dunes, which are oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the radar illumination, appear to be dark features on a brighter substrate. Bright and dark patches that were visible in either cycle 1 or 2 data, but not both, allowed identification of several regions in the southern part of Venus that may contain microdunes. The microdunes are associated with several parabolic crater deposits in the region and are probably similar to those formed in wind tunnel experiments under Venus-like conditions. Bragg scattering and/or subpixel relfections from the near-normal face on asymmetric microdunes may account for these bright and dark patches. Look-angle effects and the lack of sufficient sand-size particles seem to be most likely reasons so few dunes were identified in Magellan data. Insufficient wind speeds, thinness of sand cover, and difficulty in identifying isolated dunes may also be contributors to the scarcity of dunes.

The persistence of large-scale blowouts in largely vegetated coastal dune fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delgado-Fernandez, Irene; Smyth, Thomas; Jackson, Derek; Davidson-Arnott, Robin; Smith, Alexander

2016-04-01

Coastal dunes move through natural phases of stability and instability during their evolution, displaying various temporal and spatial patterns across the dune field. Recent observations, however, have shown exceptionally rapid rates of stability through increased vegetative growth. This progressive vegetation colonisation and consequent loss of bare sand on coastal dune systems has been noted worldwide. Percentage reductions in bare sand of as much as 80% within just a few decades can been seen in examples from South Africa, Canada and Brazil as well as coastal dune sites across NW Europe. Despite these dramatic trends towards dune stabilisation, it is not uncommon to find particular examples of large-scale active blowouts and parabolic dunes within largely vegetated coastal dunes. While turbulence and airflow dynamics within features such as blowouts and other dune forms has been studied in detail within recent years, there is a lack of knowledge about what maintains dune mobility at these specific points in otherwise largely stabilized dune fields. This work explores the particular example of the 'Devil's Hole' blowout, Sefton Dunes, NW England. Approximately 300 m long by 100 m wide, its basin is below the water-table which leads to frequent flooding. Sefton Dunes in general have seen a dramatic loss of bare sand since the 1940s. However, and coinciding with this period of dune stabilisation, the 'Devil's Hole' has not only remained active but also grown in size at a rate of 4.5 m year-1 along its main axis. An exploration of factors controlling the maintenance of open bare sand areas at this particular location is examined using a variety of techniques including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) airflow modelling and in situ empirical measurements of (short-term experiments) of wind turbulence and sand transport. Field measurements of wind parameters and transport processes were collected over a 2 week period during October 2015. Twenty three 3D ultrasonic

Effects of Trampling Limitation on Coastal Dune Plant Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoro, Riccardo; Jucker, Tommaso; Prisco, Irene; Carboni, Marta; Battisti, Corrado; Acosta, Alicia T. R.

2012-03-01

Sandy coastlines are sensitive ecosystems where human activities can have considerable negative impacts. In particular, trampling by beach visitors is a disturbance that affects dune vegetation both at the species and community level. In this study we assess the effects of the limitation of human trampling on dune vegetation in a coastal protected area of Central Italy. We compare plant species diversity in two recently fenced sectors with that of an unfenced area (and therefore subject to human trampling) using rarefaction curves and a diversity/dominance approach during a two year study period. Our results indicate that limiting human trampling seems to be a key factor in driving changes in the plant diversity of dune systems. In 2007 the regression lines of species abundance as a function of rank showed steep slopes and high Y-intercept values in all sectors, indicating a comparable level of stress and dominance across the entire study site. On the contrary, in 2009 the regression lines of the two fenced sectors clearly diverge from that of the open sector, showing less steep slopes. This change in the slopes of the tendency lines, evidenced by the diversity/dominance diagrams and related to an increase in species diversity, suggests the recovery of plant communities in the two fences between 2007 and 2009. In general, plant communities subject to trampling tended to be poorer in species and less structured, since only dominant and tolerant plant species persisted. Furthermore, limiting trampling appears to have produced positive changes in the dune vegetation assemblage after a period of only two years. These results are encouraging for the management of coastal dune systems. They highlight how a simple and cost-effective management strategy, based on passive recovery conservation measures (i.e., fence building), can be a quick (1-2 years) and effective method for improving and safeguarding the diversity of dune plant communities.

Modeling Recharge - can it be Done?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verburg, K.; Bond, W. J.; Smith, C. J.; Dunin, F. X.

2001-12-01

In sub-humid areas where rainfall is relatively low and sporadic, recharge (defined as water movement beyond the active root zone) is the small difference between the much larger numbers rainfall and evapotranspiration. It is very difficult to measure and often modeling is resorted to instead. But is modeling this small number any less difficult than measurement? In Australia there is considerable debate over the magnitude of recharge under different agricultural systems because of its contribution to rising saline groundwater levels following the clearing of native vegetation in the last 100 years. Hence the adequacy of measured and modeled estimates of recharge is under close scrutiny. Results will be presented for the water balance of an intensively monitored 8 year sequence of crops and pastures. Measurements included meteorological inputs, evapotranspiration measured with a pair of weighing lysimeters, and soil water content was measured with TDR and neutron moisture meter. Recharge was estimated from the percolate removed from the lysimeters as well as, when conditions were suitable, from soil water measurements and combined soil water and evapotranspiration measurements. This data was simulated using a comprehensive soil-plant-atmosphere model (APSIM). Comparison with field measurements shows that the recharge can be simulated with an accuracy similar to that with which it can be measured. However, is either sufficiently accurate for the applications for which they are required?

Rover Track in Sand Sheet Near Martian Sand Dune

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-12-10

The rippled surface of the first Martian sand dune ever studied up close fills this view of "High Dune" from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity rover. This site is part of the "Bagnold Dunes" field along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. The dunes are active, migrating up to about one yard or meter per year. The component images of this mosaic view were taken on Nov. 27, 2015, during the 1,176th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. The scene is presented with a color adjustment that approximates white balancing, to resemble how the sand would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. The annotated version includes superimposed scale bars of 30 centimeters (1 foot) in the foreground and 100 centimeters (3.3 feet) in the middle distance. Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates Curiosity's Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20169

The Story Titan Dunes Tell

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-10

An intricate, fingerprint-like pattern of dunes is seen in this dramatic radar image of Saturn moon Titan captured by NASA Cassini spacecraft on May 21, 2009 from an altitude of 965 kilometers about 600 miles.

Morphological response of coastal dunes to a group of three typhoons on Pingtan Island, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Lin; Dong, Yuxiang; Huang, Dequan

2018-06-01

Pingtan Island (Fujian, China) was severely impacted by a group of three typhoons in a sequence of Nepartak, Meranti, and Megi during the summer of 2016. Field investigations were conducted on the island before and after the typhoons using high-precision RTK GPS technology and surveying methods, and we analyzed the morphological responses of three types of coastal dunes (coastal foredunes, climbing dunes, and coastal sand sheets) to the typhoon group. The maximum height decrease among coastal foredunes was 2.89 m after the typhoon group landed; dune volume increased by 0.9%, and the windward side showed a slight height increase, whereas that of the slope crest and leeward slope were slightly lower than the values before the typhoon group landed. The maximum height decrease among climbing dunes was 1.43 m, and dune volume decreased slightly by 0.1%; the height change among climbing dunes differed in magnitude between sites. Among coastal sand sheets, the maximum height increase was 0.75 m, and dune volume increased by 1.5%; the height of frontal coastal sand sheets increased markedly as result of storm surge washover deposits, whereas the heights barely changed at the middle and trailing edges. The above results suggest that the typhoon group imposed significant morphological changes on coastal dunes. However, the features of morphological responses differed between the three types of coastal dunes studied, and also among dunes of the same type based on local characteristics. Furthermore, coastal dunes showed no cumulative effects in their responses to the typhoon group, despite the individual typhoon impacts on coastal dune morphology.

Comparisons of Unconsolidated Sediments Analyzed by APXS (MSL-Curiosity) within Gale Crater, Mars: Soils, Sands of the Barchan and Linear Dunes of the Active Bagnold Dune Field, and Ripple-field Sands.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, L. M.; O'Connell-Cooper, C.; Spray, J. G.; Gellert, R.; Boyd, N. I.; Desouza, E.

2017-12-01

The MSL-APXS has analyzed a variety of unconsolidated sediments within the Gale impact crater, including soils, sands from barchan [High, Namib dunes], and linear dunes [Nathan Bridges, Mount Desert dunes], within the active Bagnold dune field, and sands from two smaller ripple fields ("mega-ripples"). The Gale "soils" (unsorted, unconsolidated sediments, ranging from fine-grained particles (including dust) to coarser "pebbly" material [>2 mm]), are, to a large degree, similar to Martian basaltic soils quantified by APXS, at Gusev crater (MER-A_Spirit) and Meridiani Planum (MER-B_Opportunity). Some local contributions are indicated by, for example, the enriched K levels (relative to a martian average basaltic soil [ABS]) within coarser Gale soil samples, and a Cr, Mn, Fe enrichment within finer-grained samples. Sands (grain size 62 µm to 2 mm) of the Bagnold dunes, generally, exhibit elevated Mg and Ni, indicating enrichment from olivine and pyroxene, but depleted S, Cl and Zn, indicating high activity levels and low dust. Compositional differences, related both to position within a dune (i.e., crest versus off-crest sand), and type of dune (linear versus barchan), are identified. Off-crest sands have Na, Al, Si, K, P contents similar to (or slightly depleted, relative to) the ABS, enrichment in Mg, and low dust content, whilst crest sands contain very high Mg and Ni (relative to the ABS), low felsic elemental concentrations and very low dust content. Cr is significantly enriched (and, to a lesser degree, Mn, Fe, Ti) in the off-crest sands of the linear dunes. In contrast, barchan dunes off-crest sands have Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ti abundances similar to those in the Gale soils. Additionally, Ni concentrations in barchan dunes off-crest sands are enriched relative to the linear dunes. Analyses from a small, isolated "mega-ripple" reveal a composition similar to that of the Gale soils, including a high dust content. The second mega-ripple, within a larger ripple field, is

Observations Regarding Small Eolian Dunes and Large Ripples on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgett, Kenneth S.

2001-01-01

Eolian bedforms occur at the interface between a planetary surface and its atmosphere; they present a proxy record of the influence of climate, expressed in sediment transport, over that surface. High resolution images (1.5 - 12 m/pixel) from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera provide glimpses of the most recent events shaping the martian landscape. Thousands of images exhibit small transverse dunes or large eolian ripples that have crest-to-crest spacings of 10 to 60 m, heights of a few to 10 m. Bedforms of the size and patterns seen in the Mars photographs are rarely described among Earth's eolian landforms; in terms of size and morphology, most of these fall between traditional definitions of "ripples" and "dunes". Dunes are composed chiefly of materials transported by saltation, ripples are smaller forms moved along by the impact of saltating grains (traction). The largest reported eolian ripples on Earth (granule ripples, megaripples) are typically smaller than the bedforms observed on Mars; likewise, most dunes are typically larger. The small dunes and large ripples on Mars come in a variety of relative albedos, despite an early MGS impression that they are all of high albedo. Some ripples occur on the surfaces of sand dunes; these are most likely true granule ripples. However, most of these bedforms occur in troughs, pits, craters, and on deflated plains. Despite impressions early in the MGS mission, they do not occur everywhere (e.g., they are rare on the northern plains) but they do occur at a range of elevations from the highest volcanoes to the deepest basins. Where they occur on a hard substrate among larger sand dunes, the big dunes have over-ridden the smaller bedforms, indicating that the smaller features are older and perhaps indurated or very coarse-grained. At other locales, the small bedforms have been mantled by material settled from suspension, in other cases they are being exhumed and may be lithified. Still other examples are

Dune Morphodynamics on a Semi-Arid, Wave-Dominated Barrier Island: South Padre Island, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Angel, D. C.; Gibeaut, J. C.

2012-12-01

Spatial and temporal dune accretion along the barrier island of South Padre Island (SPI),Texas was examined using a combination of field measurements and lidar elevation data. Volume change rates derived from the data were compared to potential sediment transport rates derived from Hsu's (1974 & 1977) model using local wind-gauge data. A statistical model was then used to investigate controls on foredune accretion. Dune volume change was estimated from cross-shore profile measurements acquired during the summer of 2009, spring of 2010, and fall of 2010. For summer 2009 to spring 2010, dune volume change ranged from -18 to 12.5 m^3/m. The onshore potential drift for the same time period was estimated to be 6.6 m^3/m. In comparison, volume change ranged from -5.5 to 5.3 m^3/m for spring to fall 2010 with most dunes experiencing erosion. The estimated onshore drift was much higher at 22.5 m^3/m. The high drift potential associated with the spring and summer months is attributed to the predominant wind direction and the occurrence of tropical storms. Dune volume change was also observed on a longer time scale using lidar DEMs for the years 2000, 2005, and 2009. From 2000 to 2005, most natural dunes experienced accretion with a mean of 17.67 m^3/m, whereas between 2005 and 2009, the majority of dunes experienced volume loss with a mean change of -4.16 m^3/m. Overall, the mean volume change from 2000 to 2009 was 13.51 m^3/m. Onshore drift for 2000 to 2005 was estimated to be 16.44 m^3/m, which is a good approximation to the observed volume change. In contrast, onshore drift for 2000 to 2009 was estimated to be 80.4 m^3/m, which is substantially higher than the mean volume change observed during the period. The discrepancy between the modeled and observe value is partly due to dune volume loss from storm surge erosion. In addition, there was a significant increase in onshore drift potential from 2006 to 2008. Stepwise backward regression was used to find significant

Coastal dune dynamics in response to excavated foredune notches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruessink, B. G.; Arens, S. M.; Kuipers, M.; Donker, J. J. A.

2018-04-01

Dune management along developed coasts has traditionally focussed on the suppression of the geomorphic dynamics of the foredune to improve its role in sea defence. Because a stabilized foredune acts as an almost total barrier to aeolian transport from the beach, the habitat diversity in the more landward dunes has degraded. With the overarching objective to mitigate this undesirable loss in biodiversity, dune management projects nowadays increasingly intend to restore aeolian dynamics by reconnecting the beach-dune system with notches excavated through the foredune. Here, we use repeat topographic survey data to examine the geomorphic response of a coastal dune system in the Dutch National Park Zuid-Kennemerland to five notches excavated in 2012-2013 within an 850-m stretch of the 20-m high established foredune. The notches were dug in a V-shape (viewed onshore), with a width between approximately 50 and 100 m at the top, a (cross-dune) length between 100 and 200 m, and excavation depths between 9 and 12.5 m. The 1 × 1 m digital terrain models, acquired with airborne Lidar and UAV photogrammetry, illustrate that during the 3-year survey period the notches developed into a U-shape because of wall deflation, and that up to 8-m thick and 150-m long depositional lobes formed landward of the notches. Sand budget computations showed that the sand volume of the entire study area increased by about 22,750 m3/year, which, given the 850-m width of the study area, corresponds to an aeolian input from the beach of approximately 26.5 m3/m/year. Between 2006 and 2012 all wind-blown beach sand deposited on the seaward side of the foredune; since 2013, the notches have caused 75% of the sand to be deposited landward of the foredune. This highlights that the notches are highly effective conduits for aeolian transport into the back dunes. Future monitoring is required to determine for how long the notches will stimulate aeolian dynamics and if (and when) vegetation eventually

Investigation of artificial recharge of aquifers in Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lichtler, William F.; Stannard, David I.; Kouma, Edwin

1980-01-01

Progressive declines of ground-water levels in some areas of Nebraska prompted this investigation into the technical feasibility of recharging aquifers through wells, impoundments, pits, and canals. Information gained from a literature search and from preliminary tests was used to design several artificial-recharge experiments in Nebraska from 1977 to 1979. In well experiments, 0.46 billion gallons of water from an aquifer recharged by the Platte River was transported by pipeline and injected through a well into a sand and gravel aquifer near Aurora. Recharge was at about 730 gallons per minute during tests of 6- and 8-months duration. No evidence of clogging of the aquifer due to chemical reactions, air entrainment, or bacteria was detected in either test. In the 6-month test, evidence of clogging due to fine sediment in the recharge water was detected; however, analysis of this test indicated that recharge could have continued for several years before rehabilitation would have become necessary. Results of the 8-month test confirmed results of the earlier test until casing failure in the supply well and subsequent sediment deposition in the recharge well caused rapid water-level rise in the recharge well. In surface-spreading experiments, maximum infiltration rates from 24-foot-diameter ring infiltrometers near Aurora and Tryon were 0.4 and 11 feet per day, respectively. Results indicate that large-scale surface spreading is feasible only where low-permeability layers are absent in the subsurface. Infiltration rates from reuse pits ranged from 0.01 to 1.6 feet per day, indicating highly variable subsurface permeability. Flow measurements in an irrigation canal near Farwell indicate an infiltration rate of 0.37 feet per day. (USGS)

A 45-year time series of Saharan dune mobility from remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vermeesch, P.

2012-04-01

Decadal trends in the aeolian dust record of the Sahara affect the global climate system and the nutrient budget of the Atlantic Ocean. One proposed cause of these trends are changes in the frequency and intensity of dust storms, which have hitherto been hard to quantify. Because sand flux scales with the cube of wind speed, dune migration rates can be used as a proxy for storminess. Relative changes in the storminess of the Sahara can thus be monitored by tracking the migration rates of individual sand dunes over time. The Bodélé Depression of northern Chad was selected as a target area for this method, because it is the most important point-source of aeolian dust on the planet and features the largest and fastest dunes on Earth. A collection of co-registered Landsat, SPOT, and ASTER scenes, combined with declassified American spy satellite images was used to construct a 45 year record of dune migration in the Bodélé Depression. One unexpected outcome of the study was the observation of binary dune interactions in the imagery sequence, which reveals that when two barchan dunes collide, a transfer of mass occurs so that one dune appears to travel through the other unscathed, like a solitary wave. This confirms a controversial numerical model prediction and settles a decade-old debate in aeolian geomorphology. The COSI-Corr change detection method was used to measure the dune migration rates from 1984 until 1987, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. An algorithm was developed to automatically warp the resulting displacement fields back to a common point in time. Thus, individual image pixels of a dune field were tracked over time, allowing the extraction of a time series from the co-registered satellite images without further human intervention. The automated analysis was extended further back into the past by comparison of the 1984 image with declassified American spy satellite (Corona) images from 1965 and 1970. Due to the presence of

Aeolian dunes as ground truth for atmospheric modeling on Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayward, R.K.; Titus, T.N.; Michaels, T.I.; Fenton, L.K.; Colaprete, A.; Christensen, P.R.

2009-01-01

Martian aeolian dunes preserve a record of atmosphere/surface interaction on a variety of scales, serving as ground truth for both Global Climate Models (GCMs) and mesoscale climate models, such as the Mars Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (MRAMS). We hypothesize that the location of dune fields, expressed globally by geographic distribution and locally by dune centroid azimuth (DCA), may record the long-term integration of atmospheric activity across a broad area, preserving GCM-scale atmospheric trends. In contrast, individual dune morphology, as expressed in slipface orientation (SF), may be more sensitive to localized variations in circulation, preserving topographically controlled mesoscale trends. We test this hypothesis by comparing the geographic distribution, DCA, and SF of dunes with output from the Ames Mars GCM and, at a local study site, with output from MRAMS. When compared to the GCM: 1) dunes generally lie adjacent to areas with strongest winds, 2) DCA agrees fairly well with GCM modeled wind directions in smooth-floored craters, and 3) SF does not agree well with GCM modeled wind directions. When compared to MRAMS modeled winds at our study site: 1) DCA generally coincides with the part of the crater where modeled mean winds are weak, and 2) SFs are consistent with some weak, topographically influenced modeled winds. We conclude that: 1) geographic distribution may be valuable as ground truth for GCMs, 2) DCA may be useful as ground truth for both GCM and mesoscale models, and 3) SF may be useful as ground truth for mesoscale models. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

Relating sedimentary processes in the Bagnold Dunes to the development of crater basin aeolian stratification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewing, R. C.; Lapotre, M. G. A.; Lewis, K. W.; Day, M. D.; Stein, N.; Rubin, D. M.; Sullivan, R. J., Jr.; Banham, S.; Thomas, N. M.; Lamb, M. P.; Gupta, S.; Fischer, W. W.

2017-12-01

Wind-blown sand dunes are ubiquitous on the surface of Mars and are a recognized component of the martian stratigraphic record. Our current knowledge of the aeolian sedimentary processes that determine dune morphology, drive dune dynamics, and create aeolian cross-stratification are based upon orbital studies of ripple and dune morphodynamics, rover observations of stratification on Mars, Earth analogs, and experimental and theoretical studies of sand movement under martian conditions. Exploration of the Bagnold Dunes by the Curiosity Rover in Gale Crater, Mars provided the first opportunity to make in situ observations of martian dunes from the grain-to-dune scale. We used the suite of cameras on Curiosity, including Navigation Camera, Mast Camera, and Mars Hand Lens Imager. We measured grainsize and identified sedimentary processes similar to processes on terrestrial dunes, such as grainfall, grainflow, and impact ripples. Impact ripple grainsize had a median of 0.103 mm. Measurements of grainflow slopes indicate a relaxation angle of 29° and grainfall slopes indicate critical angles of at least 32°. Dissimilar to terrestrial dunes, large, meter-scale ripples form on all slopes of the dunes. The ripples form both sinuous and linear crestlines, have symmetric and asymmetric profiles, range in height between 12cm and 28cm, and host grainfall, grainflow, and impact ripples. The largest ripples are interpreted to integrate the annual wind cycle within the crater, whereas smaller large ripples and impact ripples form or reorient to shorter term wind cycling. Assessment of sedimentary processes in combination with dune type across the Bagnold Dunes shows that dune-field pattern development in response to a complex crater-basin wind regime dictates the distribution of geomorphic processes. From a stratigraphic perspective, zones of highest potential accumulation correlate with zones of wind convergence, which produce complex winds and dune field patterns thereby

Investigation of recharge dynamics and flow paths in a fractured crystalline aquifer in semi-arid India using borehole logs: implications for managed aquifer recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alazard, M.; Boisson, A.; Maréchal, J.-C.; Perrin, J.; Dewandel, B.; Schwarz, T.; Pettenati, M.; Picot-Colbeaux, G.; Kloppman, W.; Ahmed, S.

2016-02-01

The recharge flow paths in a typical weathered hard-rock aquifer in a semi-arid area of southern India were investigated in relation to structures associated with a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) scheme. Despite the large number of MAR structures, the mechanisms of recharge in their vicinity are still unclear. The study uses a percolation tank as a tool to identify the input signal of the recharge and uses multiple measurements (piezometric time series, electrical conductivity profiles in boreholes) compared against heat-pulse flowmeter measurements and geochemical data (major ions and stable isotopes) to examine recharge flow paths. The recharge process is a combination of diffuse piston flow and preferential flow paths. Direct vertical percolation appears to be very limited, in contradiction to the conceptual model generally admitted where vertical flow through saprolite is considered as the main recharge process. The horizontal component of the flow leads to a strong geochemical stratification of the water column. The complex recharge pattern, presented in a conceptual model, leads to varied impacts on groundwater quality and availability in both time and space, inducing strong implications for water management, water quality evolution, MAR monitoring and longer-term socio-economic costs.

Sedimentary processes of the Bagnold Dunes: Implications for the eolian rock record of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewing, R. C.; Lapotre, M. G. A.; Lewis, K. W.; Day, M.; Stein, N.; Rubin, D. M.; Sullivan, R.; Banham, S.; Lamb, M. P.; Bridges, N. T.; Gupta, S.; Fischer, W. W.

2017-12-01

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity visited two active wind-blown sand dunes within Gale crater, Mars, which provided the first ground-based opportunity to compare Martian and terrestrial eolian dune sedimentary processes and study a modern analog for the Martian eolian rock record. Orbital and rover images of these dunes reveal terrestrial-like and uniquely Martian processes. The presence of grainfall, grainflow, and impact ripples resembled terrestrial dunes. Impact ripples were present on all dune slopes and had a size and shape similar to their terrestrial counterpart. Grainfall and grainflow occurred on dune and large-ripple lee slopes. Lee slopes were 29° where grainflows were present and 33° where grainfall was present. These slopes are interpreted as the dynamic and static angles of repose, respectively. Grain size measured on an undisturbed impact ripple ranges between 50 μm and 350 μm with an intermediate axis mean size of 113 μm (median: 103 μm). Dissimilar to dune eolian processes on Earth, large, meter-scale ripples were present on all dune slopes. Large ripples had nearly symmetric to strongly asymmetric topographic profiles and heights ranging between 12 cm and 28 cm. The composite observations of the modern sedimentary processes highlight that the Martian eolian rock record is likely different from its terrestrial counterpart because of the large ripples, which are expected to engender a unique scale of cross stratification. More broadly, however, in the Bagnold Dune Field as on Earth, dune-field pattern dynamics and basin-scale boundary conditions will dictate the style and distribution of sedimentary processes.

Dunes and Microdunes on Venus: Why Were So Few Found in the Magellan Data?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weitz, Catherine M.; Plaut, Jeffrey J.; Greeley, Ronald; Saunders, R. Steven

1994-01-01

A search through cycle 1, 2, and 3 Magellan radar data covering 98% of the surface of Venus revealed very few dunes. Only two possible dune fields and several areas that may contain microdunes smaller than the resolution of the images (75 m) were identified. The Aglaonice dune field was identified in the cycle I images by the specular returns characteristic of dune faces oriented perpendicular to the radar illumination. Cycle 1 and 2 data of the Fortuna-Meshkenet dune field indicate that there has been no noticeable movement of the dunes over an 8-month period. The dunes, which are oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the radar illumination, appear to be dark features on a brighter substrate. Bright and dark patches that were visible in either cycle 1 or 2 data, but not both, allowed identification of several regions in the southern part of Venus that may contain microdunes. The microdunes are associated with several parabolic crater deposits in the region and are probably similar to those formed in wind tunnel experiments under Venus-like conditions. Bragg scattering and/or subpixel reflections from the near-normal face on asymmetric microdunes may account for these bright and dark patches. Look-angle effects and the lack of sufficient sand-size particles seem to be the most likely reasons so few dunes were identified in Magellan data. Insufficient wind speeds, thinness of sand cover, and difficulty in identifying isolated dunes may also be contributors to the scarcity of dunes.

Exploring elements that influence stewardship in the eastern Lake Ontario dune and wetland area

Treesearch

Diane Kuehn; James Smahol

2010-01-01

Th e Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Wetland Area (ELODWA) is a 17-mile stretch of sand dunes, wetlands, and woodlands along the eastern shore of Lake Ontario in New York State. Reductions in negative, visitor-caused impacts on the dunes (e.g., trampling of dune vegetation and sand erosion) are thought to be due in part to the extensive visitor education efforts of...

Dune recovery after storm erosion on a high-energy beach: Vougot Beach, Brittany (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suanez, Serge; Cariolet, Jean-Marie; Cancouët, Romain; Ardhuin, Fabrice; Delacourt, Christophe

2012-02-01

On 10th March 2008, the high energy storm Johanna hit the French Atlantic coast, generating severe dune erosion on Vougot Beach (Brittany, France). In this paper, the recovery of the dune of Vougot Beach is analysed through a survey of morphological changes and hydrodynamic conditions. Data collection focused on the period immediately following storm Johanna until July 2010, i.e. over two and a half years. Results showed that the dune retreated by a maximum of almost 6 m where storm surge and wave attack were the most energetic. Dune retreat led to the creation of accommodation space for the storage of sediment by widening and elevating space between the pre- and post-storm dune toe, and reducing impacts of the storm surge. Dune recovery started in the month following the storm event and is still ongoing. It is characterised by the construction of "secondary" embryo dunes, which recovered at an average rate of 4-4.5 cm per month, although average monthly volume changes varied from - 1 to 2 m 3.m - 1 . These embryo dunes accreted due to a large aeolian sand supply from the upper tidal beach to the existing foredune. These dune-construction processes were facilitated by growth of vegetation on low-profile embryo dunes promoting backshore accretion. After more than two years of survey, the sediment budget of the beach/dune system showed that more than 10,000 m 3 has been lost by the upper tidal beach. We suggest that seaward return currents generated during the storm of 10th March 2008 are responsible for offshore sediment transport. Reconstitution of the equilibrium beach profile following the storm event may therefore have generated cross-shore sediment redistribution inducing net erosion in the tidal zone.

Control parameters of the martian dune field positions at planetary scale: tests by the MCD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

allemand, pascal

2016-04-01

The surface of Mars is occupied by more than 500 dunes fields mainly located inside impact craters of the south hemisphere and near the north polar cap. The questions of the activity of martian dunes and of the localization of the martian dune fields are not completely solved. It has been demonstrated recently by image observation and image correlation that some of these dune fields are clearly active. The sand flux of one of them has been even estimated. But there is no global view of the degree of activity of each the dune fields. (2)The topography of impact craters in which dune fields are localized is an important factor of their position. But there is no consensus of the effect of global atmospheric circulation on dune field localization. These two questions are addressed using the results of Mars Climate Database 5.2 (MCD) (Millour, 2015; Forget et al., 1999). The wind fields of the MCD have been first validated against the observations made on active dune fields. Using a classical transport law, the Drift Potential (DP) and the Relative Drift Potential (RDP) have been computed for each dune fields. A good correlation exists between the position of dune fields and specific values of these two parameters. The activity of each dune field is estimated from these parameters and tested on some examples by image observations. Finally a map of sand flow has been computed at the scale of the planet. This map shows that sand and dust is trapped in specific regions. These regions correspond to the area of dune field concentration.

Annual monsoon rains recorded by Jurassic dunes.

PubMed

Loope, D B; Rowe, C M; Joeckel, R M

2001-07-05

Pangaea, the largest landmass in the Earth's history, was nearly bisected by the Equator during the late Palaeozoic and early Mesozoic eras. Modelling experiments and stratigraphic studies have suggested that the supercontinent generated a monsoonal atmospheric circulation that led to extreme seasonality, but direct evidence for annual rainfall periodicity has been lacking. In the Mesozoic era, about 190 million years ago, thick deposits of wind-blown sand accumulated in dunes of a vast, low-latitude desert at Pangaea's western margin. These deposits are now situated in the southwestern USA. Here we analyse slump masses in the annual depositional cycles within these deposits, which have been described for some outcrops of the Navajo Sandstone. Twenty-four slumps, which were generated by heavy rainfall, appear within one interval representing 36 years of dune migration. We interpret the positions of 20 of these masses to indicate slumping during summer monsoon rains, with the other four having been the result of winter storms. The slumped lee faces of these Jurassic dunes therefore represent a prehistoric record of yearly rain events.

An Efficient Wireless Recharging Mechanism for Achieving Perpetual Lifetime of Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Yu, Hongli; Chen, Guilin; Zhao, Shenghui; Chang, Chih-Yung; Chin, Yu-Ting

2016-01-01

Energy recharging has received much attention in recent years. Several recharging mechanisms were proposed for achieving perpetual lifetime of a given Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). However, most of them require a mobile recharger to visit each sensor and then perform the recharging task, which increases the length of the recharging path. Another common weakness of these works is the requirement for the mobile recharger to stop at the location of each sensor. As a result, it is impossible for recharger to move with a constant speed, leading to inefficient movement. To improve the recharging efficiency, this paper takes “recharging while moving” into consideration when constructing the recharging path. We propose a Recharging Path Construction (RPC) mechanism, which enables the mobile recharger to recharge all sensors using a constant speed, aiming to minimize the length of recharging path and improve the recharging efficiency while achieving the requirement of perpetual network lifetime of a given WSN. Performance studies reveal that the proposed RPC outperforms existing proposals in terms of path length and energy utilization index, as well as visiting cycle. PMID:28025567

Galle Cr. Dunes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Context image for PIA03637 Galle Cr. Dunes

These dunes are located on the floor of Galle Crater.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 51.5S, Longitude 329.0E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Relationship between vegetation dynamics and dune mobility in an arid transgressive coastal system, Maspalomas, Canary Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández-Cordero, Antonio I.; Hernández-Calvento, Luis; Espino, Emma Pérez-Chacón

2015-06-01

This paper explores the relationship between vegetation dynamics and dune mobility in an arid transgressive coastal dune system, specifically the dune field of Maspalomas (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands). The aim is to understand the strategies of colonization and survival that plant communities have developed in slacks that face dune advance. The relationship between plant colonization and dune migration was performed by following Tamarix canariensis and Traganum moquinii plants for several years. Morphological data about each individual as well as the distance of each plant to the dune were measured. A study of the colonization patterns developed by T. moquinii, T. canariensis, Cyperus laevigatus and Launaea arborescens communities was performed by analyzing the evolution of consolidated plant patches and adult plants in relation to the dune advance. This was achieved using digital orthophotos and spatial analysis from geographic information systems. Initiation of plant colonization over transgressive dunes occurs on both wet and dry slacks. The results show that both plant colonization and development of adult plants are largely related to dune mobility. Thus, survival of T. moquinii and T. canariensis plants under dune migration conditions is related to both distance to the dune front and plant height at the moment of burial. Distance from the dune front and plant height increases chance of survival. The dynamics of adult plants is also related to dune displacement rates. Thus, each community has different thresholds of resistance to mobility rates. The T. canariensis community withstands average rates higher than 3 m/year. Its arboreal structure allows this species to grow high enough to resist the advance of the dunes and burial. For the T. moquinii community, the population decreases gradually to eventually disappear when dune mobility rates exceed 4 m/year. The C. laevigatus community develops at dune mobility rates lower than 3 m/year, decreasing its surface

Erosion of Coastal Foredunes: A Review on the Effect of Dune Vegetation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-01

intensity, sustainable nature-based coastal protection measures are of growing interest. One of these considered features is coastal dunes, which... protection by sand banks, beaches, and dunes. Coastal Engineering 87:136–146. Hesp, P. 1991. Ecological processes and plant adaptations on coastal dunes...ERDC/CHL CHETN-I-94 February 2017 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Erosion of Coastal Foredunes: A Review on the Effect

75 FR 77801 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Status for Dunes Sagebrush Lizard

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-14

... December 30, 1982, we published our notice of review classifying the sand dune lizard (dunes sagebrush... listing actions for the southern Idaho ground squirrel, sand dune lizard, or Tahoe yellow cress. The court... by the common name of sand dune lizard (e.g., Degenhardt et al. 1996, p. 159); however, the currently...

Editorial Introduction: Fourth Planetary Dunes Workshop Special Issue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chojnacki, Matthew; Telfer, Matt W.

2017-06-01

The Fourth International Planetary Dunes Workshop: Integrating Models, Remote Sensing, and Field Data was held May 19-22, 2015 in Boise, Idaho (see Final Announcement). More than 60 researchers and students participated in two and a half days of presentations and lively discussion, plus a full day field trip to Bruneau Dunes State Park. The workshop focused on the many landforms and deposits created by the dynamic interactions between granular material and airflow (aeolian processes). These processes are known to occur on several planetary bodies, including Earth, Mars, Titan, Venus, and possibly, cometary surfaces. The overarching purpose of this workshop was to provide a forum for discussion and the exchange of new ideas and approaches to gaining new insights into planetary aeolian processes. Meeting programs, abstracts, and E-Posters are all available at the workshop website (http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/dunes2015/)

Cryogenic Transport of High-Pressure-System Recharge Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ungar, Eugene K,; Ruemmele, Warren P.; Bohannon, Carl

2010-01-01

A method of relatively safe, compact, efficient recharging of a high-pressure room-temperature gas supply has been proposed. In this method, the gas would be liquefied at the source for transport as a cryogenic fluid at or slightly above atmospheric pressure. Upon reaching the destination, a simple heating/expansion process would be used to (1) convert the transported cryogenic fluid to the room-temperature, high-pressure gaseous form in which it is intended to be utilized and (2) transfer the resulting gas to the storage tank of the system to be recharged. In conventional practice for recharging high-pressure-gas systems, gases are transported at room temperature in high-pressure tanks. For recharging a given system to a specified pressure, a transport tank must contain the recharge gas at a much higher pressure. At the destination, the transport tank is connected to the system storage tank to be recharged, and the pressures in the transport tank and the system storage tank are allowed to equalize. One major disadvantage of the conventional approach is that the high transport pressure poses a hazard. Another disadvantage is the waste of a significant amount of recharge gas. Because the transport tank is disconnected from the system storage tank when it is at the specified system recharge pressure, the transport tank still contains a significant amount of recharge gas (typically on the order of half of the amount transported) that cannot be used. In the proposed method, the cryogenic fluid would be transported in a suitably thermally insulated tank that would be capable of withstanding the recharge pressure of the destination tank. The tank would be equipped with quick-disconnect fluid-transfer fittings and with a low-power electric heater (which would not be used during transport). In preparation for transport, a relief valve would be attached via one of the quick-disconnect fittings (see figure). During transport, the interior of the tank would be kept at a near

Sedimentary processes of the Bagnold Dunes: Implications for the eolian rock record of Mars.

PubMed

Ewing, R C; Lapotre, M G A; Lewis, K W; Day, M; Stein, N; Rubin, D M; Sullivan, R; Banham, S; Lamb, M P; Bridges, N T; Gupta, S; Fischer, W W

2017-12-01

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity visited two active wind-blown sand dunes within Gale crater, Mars, which provided the first ground-based opportunity to compare Martian and terrestrial eolian dune sedimentary processes and study a modern analog for the Martian eolian rock record. Orbital and rover images of these dunes reveal terrestrial-like and uniquely Martian processes. The presence of grainfall, grainflow, and impact ripples resembled terrestrial dunes. Impact ripples were present on all dune slopes and had a size and shape similar to their terrestrial counterpart. Grainfall and grainflow occurred on dune and large-ripple lee slopes. Lee slopes were ~29° where grainflows were present and ~33° where grainfall was present. These slopes are interpreted as the dynamic and static angles of repose, respectively. Grain size measured on an undisturbed impact ripple ranges between 50 μm and 350 μm with an intermediate axis mean size of 113 μm (median: 103 μm). Dissimilar to dune eolian processes on Earth, large, meter-scale ripples were present on all dune slopes. Large ripples had nearly symmetric to strongly asymmetric topographic profiles and heights ranging between 12 cm and 28 cm. The composite observations of the modern sedimentary processes highlight that the Martian eolian rock record is likely different from its terrestrial counterpart because of the large ripples, which are expected to engender a unique scale of cross stratification. More broadly, however, in the Bagnold Dune Field as on Earth, dune-field pattern dynamics and basin-scale boundary conditions will dictate the style and distribution of sedimentary processes.

Dune-slope activity due to frost and wind throughout the north polar erg, Mars

PubMed Central

DINIEGA, SERINA; HANSEN, CANDICE J.; ALLEN, AMANDA; GRIGSBY, NATHAN; LI, ZHEYU; PEREZ, TYLER; CHOJNACKI, MATTHEW

2018-01-01

Repeat, high-resolution imaging of dunes within the Martian north polar erg have shown that these dune slopes are very active, with alcoves forming along the dune brink each Mars year. In some areas, a few hundred cubic metres of downslope sand movement have been observed, sometimes moving the dune brink ‘backwards’. Based on morphological and activity-timing similarities of these north polar features to southern dune gullies, identifying the processes forming these features is likely to have relevance for understanding the general evolution/modification of dune gullies. To determine alcove-formation model constraints, we have surveyed seven dune fields, each over 1–4 Mars winters. Consistent with earlier reports, we found that alcove-formation activity occurs during the autumn–winter seasons, before or while the stable seasonal frost layer is deposited. We propose a new model in which alcove formation occurs during the autumn, and springtime sublimation activity then enhances the feature. Summertime winds blow sand into the new alcoves, erasing small alcoves over a few Mars years. Based on the observed rate of alcove erasure, we estimated the effective aeolian sand transport flux. From this, we proposed that alcove formation may account for 2–20% of the total sand movement within these dune fields. PMID:29731538

Dune-slope activity due to frost and wind throughout the north polar erg, Mars.

PubMed

Diniega, Serina; Hansen, Candice J; Allen, Amanda; Grigsby, Nathan; Li, Zheyu; Perez, Tyler; Chojnacki, Matthew

2017-01-01

Repeat, high-resolution imaging of dunes within the Martian north polar erg have shown that these dune slopes are very active, with alcoves forming along the dune brink each Mars year. In some areas, a few hundred cubic metres of downslope sand movement have been observed, sometimes moving the dune brink 'backwards'. Based on morphological and activity-timing similarities of these north polar features to southern dune gullies, identifying the processes forming these features is likely to have relevance for understanding the general evolution/modification of dune gullies. To determine alcove-formation model constraints, we have surveyed seven dune fields, each over 1-4 Mars winters. Consistent with earlier reports, we found that alcove-formation activity occurs during the autumn-winter seasons, before or while the stable seasonal frost layer is deposited. We propose a new model in which alcove formation occurs during the autumn, and springtime sublimation activity then enhances the feature. Summertime winds blow sand into the new alcoves, erasing small alcoves over a few Mars years. Based on the observed rate of alcove erasure, we estimated the effective aeolian sand transport flux. From this, we proposed that alcove formation may account for 2-20% of the total sand movement within these dune fields.

The investigation of active Martian dune fields using very high resolution photogrammetric measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jungrack; Kim, Younghwi; Park, Minseong

2016-10-01

At the present time, arguments continue regarding the migration speeds of Martian dune fields and their correlation with atmospheric circulation. However, precisely measuring the spatial translation of Martian dunes has succeeded only a very few times—for example, in the Nili Patera study (Bridges et al. 2012) using change-detection algorithms and orbital imagery. Therefore, in this study, we developed a generic procedure to precisely measure the migration of dune fields with recently introduced 25-cm resolution orbital imagery specifically using a high-accuracy photogrammetric processor. The processor was designed to trace estimated dune migration, albeit slight, over the Martian surface by 1) the introduction of very high resolution ortho images and stereo analysis based on hierarchical geodetic control for better initial point settings; 2) positioning error removal throughout the sensor model refinement with a non-rigorous bundle block adjustment, which makes possible the co-alignment of all images in a time series; and 3) improved sub-pixel co-registration algorithms using optical flow with a refinement stage conducted on a pyramidal grid processor and a blunder classifier. Moreover, volumetric changes of Martian dunes were additionally traced by means of stereo analysis and photoclinometry. The established algorithms have been tested using high-resolution HIRISE time-series images over several Martian dune fields. Dune migrations were iteratively processed both spatially and volumetrically, and the results were integrated to be compared to the Martian climate model. Migrations over well-known crater dune fields appeared to be almost static for the considerable temporal periods and were weakly correlated with wind directions estimated by the Mars Climate Database (Millour et al. 2015). As a result, a number of measurements over dune fields in the Mars Global Dune Database (Hayward et al. 2014) covering polar areas and mid-latitude will be demonstrated

Seasonal variation in natural recharge of coastal aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mollema, Pauline N.; Antonellini, Marco

2013-06-01

Many coastal zones around the world have irregular precipitation throughout the year. This results in discontinuous natural recharge of coastal aquifers, which affects the size of freshwater lenses present in sandy deposits. Temperature data for the period 1960-1990 from LocClim (local climate estimator) and those obtained from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) SRES A1b scenario for 2070-2100, have been used to calculate the potential evapotranspiration with the Thornthwaite method. Potential recharge (difference between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration) was defined at 12 locations: Ameland (The Netherlands), Auckland and Wellington (New Zealand); Hong Kong (China); Ravenna (Italy), Mekong (Vietnam), Mumbai (India), New Jersey (USA), Nile Delta (Egypt), Kobe and Tokyo (Japan), and Singapore. The influence of variable/discontinuous recharge on the size of freshwater lenses was simulated with the SEAWAT model. The discrepancy between models with continuous and with discontinuous recharge is relatively small in areas where the total annual recharge is low (258-616 mm/year); but in places with Monsoon-dominated climate (e.g. Mumbai, with recharge up to 1,686 mm/year), the difference in freshwater-lens thickness between the discontinuous and the continuous model is larger (up to 5 m) and thus important to consider in numerical models that estimate freshwater availability.

Topographically-controlled site conditions drive vegetation pattern on inland dunes in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sewerniak, Piotr; Jankowski, Michał

2017-07-01

The inland dunes of Central Europe are commonly overplanted by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) monocultures in which the primary occurrence of the natural vegetation pattern is obliterated. We hypothesize that on naturally revegetated inland dunes the pattern is clear and driven by topographically-controlled site conditions. To test this hypothesis, we addressed the following research questions: (1) Does topography drive vegetation patterns on inland dunes and if so, what are main differences between vegetation in varying relief positions? (2) To what extent does topography involve the variability of microclimates and of soil properties, and how does the topographically-induced differentiation of these site conditions control vegetation patterns? We conducted interdisciplinary studies (applying floristic, pedological and microclimatic research techniques) on a naturally revegetated inland dune area situated on a military artillery training ground near Toruń, northern Poland. We investigated vegetation patterns with reference to three topographical position variants (north-facing slopes, south-facing slopes, and intra-dune depressions). We found distinct differences in vegetation characteristics covering the aforementioned topographical positions. This primarily concerned species composition of ground vegetation: Calluna vulgaris was dominant species on north-facing slopes, Corynephorus canescens on south-facing slopes, while Calamagrostis epigejos in intra-dune depressions. In comparison to dune slopes, the depressions were characterized by much higher biodiversity of vascular plant species. This followed the most favorable soil conditions for the existence of plants (higher moisture and nutrient pools) occurring in low topographical positions. However, tree succession was most advanced not in depressions, where the competitive impact of tall grasses on seedlings was recognized, but on north-facing slopes. Based on our results, we formulated some suggestions, which

Ground-water recharge in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grubbs, J.W.

1995-01-01

Ground water is a major component of Florida's water resources, accounting for 90 percent of all public-supply and self-supplied domestic water withdrawals, and 58 percent of self-supplied commercial-industrial and agricultural withdrawals of freshwater (Marella, 1992). Ground-water is also an important source of water for streams, lakes, and wetlands in Florida. Because of their importance, a good understanding of these resources is essential for their sound development, use, and protection. One area in which our understanding is lacking is in characterizing the rate at which ground water in aquifers is recharged, and how recharge rates vary geographically. Ground-water recharge (recharge) is the replenishment of ground water by downward infiltration of water from rainfall, streams, and other sources (American Society of Civil Engineers, 1987, p. 222). The recharge rates in many areas of Florida are unknown, of insufficient accuracy, or mapped at scales that are too coarse to be useful. Improved maps of recharge rates will result in improved capabilities for managing Florida's ground-water resources. In 1989, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, began a study to delineate high-rate recharge areas in several regions of Florida (Vecchioli and others, 1990). This study resulted in recharge maps that delineated areas of high (greater than 10 inches per year) and low (0 to 10 inches per year) recharge in three counties--Okaloosa, Pasco, and Volusia Counties--at a scale of 1:100,000. This report describes the results of a similar recharge mapping study for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties (fig. 1), in which areas of high- and low-rates of recharge to the sand-and-gravel aquifer and Upper Floridan aquifer are delineated. The study was conducted in 1992 and 1993 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Can we calibrate simultaneously groundwater recharge and aquifer hydrodynamic parameters ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassane Maina, Fadji; Ackerer, Philippe; Bildstein, Olivier

2017-04-01

By groundwater model calibration, we consider here fitting the measured piezometric heads by estimating the hydrodynamic parameters (storage term and hydraulic conductivity) and the recharge. It is traditionally recommended to avoid simultaneous calibration of groundwater recharge and flow parameters because of correlation between recharge and the flow parameters. From a physical point of view, little recharge associated with low hydraulic conductivity can provide very similar piezometric changes than higher recharge and higher hydraulic conductivity. If this correlation is true under steady state conditions, we assume that this correlation is much weaker under transient conditions because recharge varies in time and the parameters do not. Moreover, the recharge is negligible during summer time for many climatic conditions due to reduced precipitation, increased evaporation and transpiration by vegetation cover. We analyze our hypothesis through global sensitivity analysis (GSA) in conjunction with the polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) methodology. We perform GSA by calculating the Sobol indices, which provide a variance-based 'measure' of the effects of uncertain parameters (storage and hydraulic conductivity) and recharge on the piezometric heads computed by the flow model. The choice of PCE has the following two benefits: (i) it provides the global sensitivity indices in a straightforward manner, and (ii) PCE can serve as a surrogate model for the calibration of parameters. The coefficients of the PCE are computed by probabilistic collocation. We perform the GSA on simplified real conditions coming from an already built groundwater model dedicated to a subdomain of the Upper-Rhine aquifer (geometry, boundary conditions, climatic data). GSA shows that the simultaneous calibration of recharge and flow parameters is possible if the calibration is performed over at least one year. It provides also the valuable information of the sensitivity versus time, depending on

Groundwater recharge from point to catchment scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leterme, Bertrand; Di Ciacca, Antoine; Laloy, Eric; Jacques, Diederik

2016-04-01

Accurate estimation of groundwater recharge is a challenging task as only a few devices (if any) can measure it directly. In this study, we discuss how groundwater recharge can be calculated at different temporal and spatial scales in the Kleine Nete catchment (Belgium). A small monitoring network is being installed, that is aimed to monitor the changes in dominant processes and to address data availability as one goes from the point to the catchment scale. At the point scale, groundwater recharge is estimated using inversion of soil moisture and/or water potential data and stable isotope concentrations (Koeniger et al. 2015). At the plot scale, it is proposed to monitor the discharge of a small drainage ditch in order to calculate the field groundwater recharge. Electrical conductivity measurements are necessary to separate shallow from deeper groundwater contribution to the ditch discharge (see Di Ciacca et al. poster in session HS8.3.4). At this scale, two or three-dimensional process-based vadose zone models will be used to model subsurface flow. At the catchment scale though, using a mechanistic, process-based model to estimate groundwater recharge is debatable (because of, e.g., the presence of numerous drainage ditches, mixed land use pixels, etc.). We therefore investigate to which extent various types of surrogate models can be used to make the necessary upscaling from the plot scale to the scale of the whole Kleine Nete catchment. Ref. Koeniger P, Gaj M, Beyer M, Himmelsbach T (2015) Review on soil water isotope based groundwater recharge estimations. Hydrological Processes, DOI: 10.1002/hyp.10775

Wegener Crater Dunes - False Color

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-06-23

The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows some of the dunes on the floor of Wegener Crater.

Modeling the effect of dune sorting on the river long profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blom, A.

2012-12-01

River dunes, which occur in low slope sand bed and sand-gravel bed rivers, generally show a downward coarsening pattern due to grain flows down their avalanche lee faces. These grain flows cause coarse particles to preferentially deposit at lower elevations of the lee face, while fines show a preference for its upper elevations. Before considering the effect of this dune sorting mechanism on the river long profile, let us first have a look at some general trends along the river profile. Tributaries increasing the river's water discharge in streamwise direction also cause a streamwise increase in flow depth. As under subcritical conditions mean dune height generally increases with increasing flow depth, the dune height shows a streamwise increase, as well. This means that also the standard deviation of bedform height increases in streamwise direction, as in earlier work it was found that the standard deviation of bedform height linearly increases with an increasing mean value of bedform height. As a result of this streamwise increase in standard deviation of dune height, the above-mentioned dune sorting then results in a loss of coarse particles to the lower elevations of the bed that are less and even rarely exposed to the flow. This loss of coarse particles to lower elevations thus increases the rate of fining in streamwise direction. As finer material is more easily transported downstream than coarser material, a smaller bed slope is required to transport the same amount of sediment downstream. This means that dune sorting adds to river profile concavity, compared to the combined effect of abrasion, selective transport and tributaries. A Hirano-type mass conservation model is presented that deals with dune sorting. The model includes two active layers: a bedform layer representing the sediment in the bedforms and a coarse layer representing the coarse and less mobile sediment underneath migrating bedforms. The exposure of the coarse layer is governed by the rate

The morphodynamics and internal structure of intertidal fine-gravel dunes: Hills Flats, Severn Estuary, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carling, P. A.; Radecki-Pawlik, A.; Williams, J. J.; Rumble, B.; Meshkova, L.; Bell, P.; Breakspear, R.

2006-01-01

In the macrotidal Severn estuary, UK, the dynamics of intertidal fine-gravel dunes were investigated. These dunes are migrating across a bedrock platform. Systematic observations were made of hydraulic climate, geometry, migration rates and internal sedimentary structures of the dunes. During spring tides, the ebb flow is dominant, dunes grow in height and have ebb orientated geometry with bedrock floors in the troughs. During neap tides, a weak flood flow may dominate. Dunes then are flood orientated or symmetrical. Neap dune heights decrease and the eroded sediment is stored in the dune troughs where the bedrock becomes blanketed by muddy gravel. During spring tides, instantaneous bed shear stresses reach 8 N m - 2 , sufficient to disrupt a 9 mm-gravel armour layer. However, a sustained bed shear stress of 4 N m - 2 is required to initiate dune migration at which time the critical depth-mean velocity is 1 m s - 1 . Ebb and flood inequalities in the bed shear stress explain the changes in dune asymmetry and internal structures. During flood tides, the crests of the dunes reverse such that very mobile sedimentary 'caps' overlie a more stable dune 'core'. Because ebb tides dominate, internal structures of the caps often are characterised by ebb orientated steep open-work foresets developed by strong tidal currents and some lower angle crossbeds deposited as weaker currents degrade foresets. The foresets forming the caps may be grouped into cosets (tidal bundles) and are separated from mud-infused cores of crossbeds that lie below, by reactivation and erosion surfaces blanketed by discontinuous mud drapes. The cores often exhibit distinctive muddy toe sets that define the spacing of tidal cosets.

Two Sizes of Ripples on Surface of Martian Sand Dune

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-06-30

Two sizes of wind-sculpted ripples are evident in this view of the top surface of a Martian sand dune. Sand dunes and the smaller type of ripples also exist on Earth. The larger ripples -- roughly 10 feet (3 meters) apart -- are a type not seen on Earth nor previously recognized as a distinct type on Mars. The Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover took the multiple component images of this scene on Dec. 13, 2015, during the 1,192nd Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. That month, Curiosity was conducting the first close-up investigation ever made of active sand dunes anywhere other than Earth. The larger ripples have distinctive sinuous crest lines, compared to the smaller ripples. The location is part of "Namib Dune" in the Bagnold Dune Field, which forms a dark band along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. The component images were taken in early morning at this site, with the camera looking in the direction of the sun. This mosaic combining the images has been processed to brighten it and make the ripples more visible. The sand is very dark, both from the morning shadows and from the intrinsic darkness of the minerals that dominate its composition. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20755

Tsunami inundation, sediment transport, and subsequent deposits on topography with a dune

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshii, T.; Tanaka, S.; Matsuyama, M.

2017-12-01

The processes of tsunami inundation, sediment transport, and subsequent deposits on topography with a dune were investigated as part of Tsunami Sediment Transport Large-scale experiments (TSTLE) project. The inundation process on topography with a dune was categorized into first and second phase flows. The first phase flow was governed by the wave speed at the shoreline and the land slope, whereas the second phase flow was governed by the difference in water level at the dune. The deposits caused by the first phase flow (near the inundation limit) were constant regardless of the presence of the dune. Thus, there was no direct relationship between the substantial erosion and deposition near the dune caused by the second phase flow and the inundation limit determined by the initial phase flow. It is impossible to measure hydraulic parameters beyond these governing parameters from the deposits without assumption of waveform. Therefore, if the inundation limit is determined by the initial phase flow, the only way to reconstruct the inundation limit (height) is to investigate the deposits near the limit. The nearshore deposit, which could be sufficiently thick to observe sedimentary structures, would enable us to estimate the wave level in front of the dune.

Parabolic dune development modes according to shape at the southern fringes of the Hobq Desert, Inner Mongolia, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Chao; Hasi, Eerdun; Zhang, Ping; Tao, Binbin; Liu, Dan; Zhou, Yanguang

2017-10-01

Since the 1970s, parabolic dunes at the southern fringe of the Hobq Desert, Inner Mongolia, China have exhibited many different shapes (V-shaped, U-shaped, and palmate) each with a unique mode of development. In the study area, parabolic dunes are mainly distributed in Regions A, B, and C with an intermittent river running from the south to the north. We used high-resolution remote-sensing images from 1970 to 2014 and RTK-GPS measurements to study the development modes of different dune shapes; the modes are characterized by the relationship between the intermittent river and dunes, formation of the incipient dune patterns, the predominant source supply of dunes, and the primary formation of different shapes (V-shaped, U-shaped, and palmate). Most parabolic dunes in Region A are V-shaped and closer to the bank of the river. The original barchans in this region exhibit "disconnected arms" behavior. With the sand blown out of the riverbed through gullies, the nebkhas on the disconnected arms acquire the external sand source through the "fertile island effect", thereby developing into triangular sand patches and further developing into V-shaped parabolic dunes. Most parabolic dunes in Regions B and C are palmate. The residual dunes cut by the re-channelization of river from transverse dune fields on the west bank are the main sand source of Region B. The parabolic dunes in Region C are the original barchans having then been transformed. The stoss slopes of V-shaped parabolic dunes along the riverbank are gradual and the dunes are flat in shape. The dune crest of V-shaped parabolic dune is the deposition area, which forms the "arc-shaped sand ridge". Their two arms are non-parallel; the lateral airflow of the arms jointly transport sand to the middle part of dunes, resulting in a narrower triangle that gradually becomes V-shaped. Palmate parabolic dunes have a steeper stoss slope and height. The dune crest of the palmate parabolic dune is the erosion area, which forms

Demography and monitoring of Welsh's milkweed (Asclepias welshii) at Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Treesearch

Brent C. Palmer; L. Armstrong

2001-01-01

Results are presented of a 12-year monitoring program on the Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Sand Hills populations of the threatened Welsh's milkweed, Asclepias welshii N & P Holmgren. The species is an early sera1 member of the dune flora, colonizing blowouts and advancing with shifting dunes. When an area stabilizes and other vegetation encroaches, A. welshii is...

Geologic map of Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madole, Richard F.; VanSistine, D. Paco; Romig, Joseph H.

2016-10-20

Geologic mapping was begun after a range fire swept the area of what is now the Great Sand Dunes National Park in April 2000. The park spans an area of 437 square kilometers (or about 169 square miles), of which 98 percent is blanketed by sediment of Quaternary age, the Holocene and Pleistocene Epochs; hence, this geologic map of the Great Sand Dunes National Park is essentially a surficial geologic map. These surficial deposits are diverse and include sediment of eolian (windblown), alluvial (stream and sheetwash), palustrine (wetlands and marshes), lacustrine (lake), and mass-wasting (landslides) origin. Sediment of middle and late Holocene age, from about 8,000 years ago to the present, covers about 80 percent of the park.Fluctuations in groundwater level during Holocene time caused wetlands on the nearby lowland that bounds the park on the west to alternately expand and contract. These fluctuations controlled the stability or instability of eolian sand deposits on the downwind (eastern) side of the lowland. When groundwater level rose, playas became lakes, and wet or marshy areas formed in many places. When the water table rose, spring-fed streams filled their channels and valley floors with sediment. Conversely, when groundwater level fell, spring-fed streams incised their valley floors, and lakes, ponds, and marshes dried up and became sources of windblown sand.Discharge in streams draining the west flank of the Sangre de Cristo Range is controlled primarily by snowmelt and flow is perennial until it reaches the mountain front, beyond which streams begin losing water at a high rate as the water soaks into the creek beds. Even streams originating in the larger drainage basins, such as Sand and Medano Creeks, generally do not extend much more than 4 km (about 2.5 miles) beyond where they exit the mountains.The Great Sand Dunes contain the tallest dunes (maximum height about 750 feet, or 230 m) in North America. These dunes cover an area of 72 square kilometers

Matara Crater Dunes - False Color

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-20

The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. Data from different filters can be combined in many ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the sand sheet with surface dune forms on the floor of Matara Crater.

Emulation of recharge and evapotranspiration processes in shallow groundwater systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doble, Rebecca C.; Pickett, Trevor; Crosbie, Russell S.; Morgan, Leanne K.; Turnadge, Chris; Davies, Phil J.

2017-12-01

In shallow groundwater systems, recharge and evapotranspiration are highly sensitive to changes in the depth to water table. To effectively model these fluxes, complex functions that include soil and vegetation properties are often required. Model emulation (surrogate modelling or meta-modelling) can provide a means of incorporating detailed conceptualisation of recharge and evapotranspiration processes, while maintaining the numerical tractability and computational performance required for regional scale groundwater models and uncertainty analysis. A method for emulating recharge and evapotranspiration processes in groundwater flow models was developed, and applied to the South East region of South Australia and western Victoria, which is characterised by shallow groundwater, wetlands and coastal lakes. The soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer (SVAT) model WAVES was used to generate relationships between net recharge (diffuse recharge minus evapotranspiration from groundwater) and depth to water table for different combinations of climate, soil and land cover types. These relationships, which mimicked previously described soil, vegetation and groundwater behaviour, were combined into a net recharge lookup table. The segmented evapotranspiration package in MODFLOW was adapted to select values of net recharge from the lookup table depending on groundwater depth, and the climate, soil and land use characteristics of each cell. The model was found to be numerically robust in steady state testing, had no major increase in run time, and would be more efficient than tightly-coupled modelling approaches. It made reasonable predictions of net recharge and groundwater head compared with remotely sensed estimates of net recharge and a standard MODFLOW comparison model. In particular, the method was better able to predict net recharge and groundwater head in areas with steep hydraulic gradients.

Discrete-storm water-table fluctuation method to estimate episodic recharge.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nimmo, John R.; Horowittz, Charles; Mitchell, Lara

2015-01-01

We have developed a method to identify and quantify recharge episodes, along with their associated infiltration-related inputs, by a consistent, systematic procedure. Our algorithm partitions a time series of water levels into discrete recharge episodes and intervals of no episodic recharge. It correlates each recharge episode with a specific interval of rainfall, so storm characteristics such as intensity and duration can be associated with the amount of recharge that results. To be useful in humid climates, the algorithm evaluates the separability of events, so that those whose recharge cannot be associated with a single storm can be appropriately lumped together. Elements of this method that are subject to subjectivity in the application of hydrologic judgment are values of lag time, fluctuation tolerance, and master recession parameters. Because these are determined once for a given site, they do not contribute subjective influences affecting episode-to-episode comparisons. By centralizing the elements requiring scientific judgment, our method facilitates such comparisons by keeping the most subjective elements openly apparent, making it easy to maintain consistency. If applied to a period of data long enough to include recharge episodes with broadly diverse characteristics, the method has value for predicting how climatic alterations in the distribution of storm intensities and seasonal duration may affect recharge.

Geochemical evidence for a complex origin for the Kelso dunes, Mojave National Preserve, California USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, Daniel; Lancaster, Nicholas; Skipp, Gary L.

2017-01-01

The Kelso Dune field in southern California is intriguing because although it is of limited areal extent (~ 100 km2), it has a wide variety of dune forms and contains many active dunes (~ 40 km2), which is unusual in the Mojave Desert. Studies over the past eight decades have concluded that the dunes are derived primarily from a single source, Mojave River alluvium, under a dominant, westerly-to-northwesterly wind regime. The majority of these studies did not, however, present data to support the Mojave River as the only source. We conducted mineralogical and geochemical studies of most of the 14 geomorphically defined dune groups of the Kelso Dune field as well as potential sand sources, alluvial sediments from the surrounding mountain ranges. Results indicate that sands in the nine western dune groups have K/Rb and K/Ba (primarily from K-feldspar) compositions that are indistinguishable from Mojave River alluvium (westerly/northwesterly winds) and Budweiser Wash alluvium (southwesterly winds), permitting an interpretation of two sources. In contrast, sands from the five eastern dune groups have K/Rb and K/Ba values that indicate significant inputs from alluvial fan deposits of the Providence Mountains. This requires either rare winds from the east or southeast or, more likely, aeolian reworking of distal Providence Mountain fan sediments by winds from the west, at a rate greater than input from the Mojave River or other western sources. The results indicate that even a small dune field can have a complex origin, either from seasonally varying winds or complex alluvial-fan-dune interaction. Application of K/Rb and K/Ba in K-feldspar as a provenance indicator could be used in many of the world's ergs or sand seas, where dune origins are still not well understood or are controversial. Four examples are given from Africa and the Middle East where such an approach could yield useful new information about dune sand provenance.

Summary of the Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop: remote sensing and image analysis of planetary dunes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fenton, Lori K.; Hayward, Rosalyn K.; Horgan, Briony H.N.; Rubin, David M.; Titus, Timothy N.; Bishop, Mark A.; Burr, Devon M.; Chojnacki, Matthew; Dinwiddie, Cynthia L.; Kerber, Laura; Gall, Alice Le; Michaels, Timothy I.; Neakrase, Lynn D.V.; Newman, Claire E.; Tirsch, Daniela; Yizhaq, Hezi; Zimbelman, James R.

2013-01-01

The Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop took place in Flagstaff, AZ, USA during June 12–15, 2012. This meeting brought together a diverse group of researchers to discuss recent advances in terrestrial and planetary research on aeolian bedforms. The workshop included two and a half days of oral and poster presentations, as well as one formal (and one informal) full-day field trip. Similar to its predecessors, the presented work provided new insight on the morphology, dynamics, composition, and origin of aeolian bedforms on Venus, Earth, Mars, and Titan, with some intriguing speculation about potential aeolian processes on Triton (a satellite of Neptune) and Pluto. Major advancements since the previous International Planetary Dunes Workshop include the introduction of several new data analysis and numerical tools and utilization of low-cost field instruments (most notably the time-lapse camera). Most presentations represented advancement towards research priorities identified in both of the prior two workshops, although some previously recommended research approaches were not discussed. In addition, this workshop provided a forum for participants to discuss the uncertain future of the Planetary Aeolian Laboratory; subsequent actions taken as a result of the decisions made during the workshop may lead to an expansion of funding opportunities to use the facilities, as well as other improvements. The interactions during this workshop contributed to the success of the Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop, further developing our understanding of aeolian processes on the aeolian worlds of the Solar System.

Field measurements of mean and turbulent airflow over a barchan sand dune

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weaver, Corinne M.; Wiggs, Giles F. S.

2011-05-01

Advances in our knowledge of the aeolian processes governing sand dune dynamics have been restricted by a reliance on measures of time-averaged airflow, such as shear velocity ( u*). It has become clear that such measures are incapable of explaining the complete dynamics of sediment transport across dune surfaces. Past evidence from wind tunnel and modelling studies has suggested that in some regions on a dune's surface the sediment transport might be better explained through investigations of the turbulent nature of the airflow. However, to date there have been no field studies providing data on the turbulent characteristics of the airflow around dunes with which to support or refute such hypotheses. The field investigation presented here provides mean and turbulent airflow measurements across the centre-line of a barchan sand dune in Namibia. Data were collected using arrays of sonic anemometers and were compared with sand flux data measured using wedge-shaped traps. Results support previously published data derived from wind tunnels and numerical models. The decline in mean wind velocity at the upwind toe of the dune is shown to coincide with a rise in turbulence, whilst mean velocity acceleration on the upper slope corresponds with a general decline in measured turbulence. Analysis of the components of Reynold shear stress ( -u'¯w'¯) and normal stresses ( u¯ and w2 ¯) supports the notion that the development of flow turbulence along the dune centre-line is likely to be associated with the interplay between streamline curvature and mean flow deceleration/acceleration. It is suggested that, due to the nature of its calculation, turbulence intensity is a measure of less practical use than direct assessments of the individual components of Reynolds stress, particularly the instantaneous horizontal streamwise component ( u2 ¯) and shear stress ( -uw¯). Whilst, increases in Reynolds shear stress and the horizontal streamwise component of stress in the toe

Controls on coastal dune morphology, shoreline erosion and barrier island response to extreme storms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houser, C.; Hapke, C.; Hamilton, S.

2008-01-01

The response of a barrier island to an extreme storm depends in part on the surge elevation relative to the height and extent of the foredunes which can exhibit considerable variability alongshore. While it is recognized that alongshore variations in dune height and width direct barrier island response to storm surge, the underlying causes of the alongshore variation remain poorly understood. This study examines the alongshore variation in dune morphology along a 11 km stretch of Santa Rosa Island in northwest Florida and relates the variation in morphology to the response of the island during Hurricane Ivan and historic and storm-related rates of shoreline erosion. The morphology of the foredune and backbarrier dunes was characterized before and after Hurricane Ivan using Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis and related through Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA). The height and extent of the foredune, and the presence and relative location of the backbarrier dunes, varied alongshore at discrete length scales (of ~ 750, 1450 and 4550 m) that are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Cospectral analysis suggests that the variation in dune morphology is correlated with transverse ridges on the inner-shelf, the backbarrier cuspate headlands, and the historical and storm-related trends in shoreline change. Sections of the coast with little to no dune development before Hurricane Ivan were observed in the narrowest portions of the island (between headlands), west of the transverse ridges. Overwash penetration tended to be larger in these areas and island breaching was common, leaving the surface close to the watertable and covered by a lag of shell and gravel. In contrast, large foredunes and the backbarrier dunes were observed at the widest sections of the island (the cuspate headlands) and at crest of the transverse ridges. Due to the large dunes and the presence of the backbarrier dunes, these areas experienced less overwash penetration

View of chains of star sand dunes in eastern Algeria from Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-12-31

SL4-138-3820 (31 Dec. 1973) --- An north-looking oblique view of chains of star sand dunes in eastern Algeria as seen from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. This picture was taken by one of the Skylab 4 crewmen with a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad camera. The low sun angle of about 25 degrees above horizontal enhances the detail in this picture. The coordinates of the center of the photograph are approximately 29.5 degrees north latitude and 5.0 degrees east longitude in the Grand Erg Oriental. The field of view at the base of the photograph is approximately 200 kilometers (125 miles). The individual dunes are roughly star-shaped rather than simple crescents which are common in dune fields. In this region the stars are aligned along ridges. The causes of these and a wide variety of other dune forms are little understood. Descriptions and photographs from Skylab 4 will be used by the U.S. Geological Survey in their world-wide study of dunes. Photo credit: NASA

Artificial recharge of groundwater and its role in water management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimrey, J.O.

1989-01-01

This paper summarizes and discusses the various aspects and methods of artificial recharge with particular emphasis on its uses and potential role in water management in the Arabian Gulf region. Artificial recharge occurs when man's activities cause more water to enter an aquifer, either under pumping or non-pumping conditions, than otherwise would enter the aquifer. Use of artificial recharge can be a practical means of dealing with problems of overdraft of groundwater. Methods of artificial recharge may be grouped under two broad types: (a) water spreading techniques, and (b) well-injection techniques. Successful use of artificial recharge requires a thorough knowledge of the physical and chemical characteristics of the aquifier system, and extensive onsite experimentation and tailoring of the artificial-recharge technique to fit the local or areal conditions. In general, water spreading techniques are less expensive than well injection and large quantities of water can be handled. Water spreading can also result in significant improvement in quality of recharge waters during infiltration and movement through the unsaturated zone and the receiving aquifer. In comparison, well-injection techniques are often used for emplacement of fresh recharge water into saline aquifer zones to form a manageable lens of fresher water, which may later be partially withdrawn for use or continue to be maintained as a barrier against salt-water encroachment. A major advantage in use of groundwater is its availability, on demand to wells, from a natural storage reservoir that is relatively safe from pollution and from damage by sabotage or other hostile action. However, fresh groundwater occurs only in limited quantities in most of the Arabian Gulf region; also, it is heavily overdrafted in many areas, and receives very little natural recharge. Good use could be made of artificial recharge by well injection in replenishing and managing aquifers in strategic locations if sources of

Design of the protoDUNE raw data management infrastructure

DOE PAGES

Fuess, S.; Illingworth, R.; Mengel, M.; ...

2017-10-01

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will employ a set of Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPC) with a total mass of 40 kt as the main components of its Far Detector. In order to validate this technology and characterize the detector performance at full scale, an ambitious experimental program (called “protoDUNE”) has been initiated which includes a test of the large-scale prototypes for the single-phase and dual-phase LArTPC technologies, which will run in a beam at CERN. The total raw data volume that is slated to be collected during the scheduled 3-month beam run is estimated to be inmore » excess of 2.5 PB for each detector. This data volume will require that the protoDUNE experiment carefully design the DAQ, data handling and data quality monitoring systems to be capable of dealing with challenges inherent with peta-scale data management while simultaneously fulfilling the requirements of disseminating the data to a worldwide collaboration and DUNE associated computing sites. Here in this paper, we present our approach to solving these problems by leveraging the design, expertise and components created for the LHC and Intensity Frontier experiments into a unified architecture that is capable of meeting the needs of protoDUNE.« less

Design of the protoDUNE raw data management infrastructure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fuess, S.; Illingworth, R.; Mengel, M.

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will employ a set of Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPC) with a total mass of 40 kt as the main components of its Far Detector. In order to validate this technology and characterize the detector performance at full scale, an ambitious experimental program (called “protoDUNE”) has been initiated which includes a test of the large-scale prototypes for the single-phase and dual-phase LArTPC technologies, which will run in a beam at CERN. The total raw data volume that is slated to be collected during the scheduled 3-month beam run is estimated to be inmore » excess of 2.5 PB for each detector. This data volume will require that the protoDUNE experiment carefully design the DAQ, data handling and data quality monitoring systems to be capable of dealing with challenges inherent with peta-scale data management while simultaneously fulfilling the requirements of disseminating the data to a worldwide collaboration and DUNE associated computing sites. Here in this paper, we present our approach to solving these problems by leveraging the design, expertise and components created for the LHC and Intensity Frontier experiments into a unified architecture that is capable of meeting the needs of protoDUNE.« less

Groundwater recharge with reclaimed municipal wastewater: health and regulatory considerations.

PubMed

Asano, Takashi; Cotruvo, Joseph A

2004-04-01

Groundwater recharge with reclaimed municipal wastewater presents a wide spectrum of technical and health challenges that must be carefully evaluated prior to undertaking a project. This review will provide a discussion of groundwater recharge and its management with special reference to health and regulatory aspects of groundwater recharge with reclaimed municipal wastewater. At present, some uncertainties with respect to health risk considerations have limited expanding use of reclaimed municipal wastewater for groundwater recharge, especially when a large portion of the groundwater contains reclaimed wastewater that may affect the domestic water supply. The proposed State of California criteria for groundwater recharge are discussed as an illustration of a cautious approach. In addition, a summary is provided of the methodology used in developing the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality to illustrate how numerical guideline values are generated for contaminants that may be applicable to groundwater recharge.

Sedimentary processes of the Bagnold Dunes: Implications for the eolian rock record of Mars

PubMed Central

Lapotre, M. G. A.; Lewis, K. W.; Day, M.; Stein, N.; Rubin, D. M.; Sullivan, R.; Banham, S.; Lamb, M. P.; Bridges, N. T.; Gupta, S.; Fischer, W. W.

2017-01-01

Abstract The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity visited two active wind‐blown sand dunes within Gale crater, Mars, which provided the first ground‐based opportunity to compare Martian and terrestrial eolian dune sedimentary processes and study a modern analog for the Martian eolian rock record. Orbital and rover images of these dunes reveal terrestrial‐like and uniquely Martian processes. The presence of grainfall, grainflow, and impact ripples resembled terrestrial dunes. Impact ripples were present on all dune slopes and had a size and shape similar to their terrestrial counterpart. Grainfall and grainflow occurred on dune and large‐ripple lee slopes. Lee slopes were ~29° where grainflows were present and ~33° where grainfall was present. These slopes are interpreted as the dynamic and static angles of repose, respectively. Grain size measured on an undisturbed impact ripple ranges between 50 μm and 350 μm with an intermediate axis mean size of 113 μm (median: 103 μm). Dissimilar to dune eolian processes on Earth, large, meter‐scale ripples were present on all dune slopes. Large ripples had nearly symmetric to strongly asymmetric topographic profiles and heights ranging between 12 cm and 28 cm. The composite observations of the modern sedimentary processes highlight that the Martian eolian rock record is likely different from its terrestrial counterpart because of the large ripples, which are expected to engender a unique scale of cross stratification. More broadly, however, in the Bagnold Dune Field as on Earth, dune‐field pattern dynamics and basin‐scale boundary conditions will dictate the style and distribution of sedimentary processes. PMID:29497590

How Might Recharge Change Under Projected Climate Change in Western US?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niraula, R.; Meixner, T.; Rodell, M.; Ajami, H.; Gochis, D. J.; Castro, C. L.

2015-12-01

Although ground water is a major source of water in the western US, little research has been done on the impacts of climate change on western groundwater storage and recharge. Here we assess the impact of projected changes in precipitation and temperature on groundwater recharge across the western US by dividing the domain into five major regions (viz. Northern Rockies and Plains, South, Southwest, Northwest and West). Hydrologic outputs from the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model based on Bias-Correction and Spatial Disaggregation (BCSD) Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) climate projections from 11 Global Circulation Models (GCMs) for Representative Concentration pathway 6.0 (RCP 6.0) scenarios were selected for projecting changes in recharge. Projections are made for near future (2020-2050) and far future (2070-2100) relative to the historical period (1970-2000). Averaged over the domain, half of the GCMs caused VIC to increase recharge across the region while the remaining half resulted in decreased recharge for both the near (-10.1% to 5.8%) and far (-9.7% to 17%) future. A majority (9 out of 11 GCMs) of the VIC simulations projected increased recharge in the Northern Rockies and Plains for both the near and far future. A majority of the simulations agreed on reduced recharge in other regions for the near future. For the far future, a majority of the simulations agreed on decreased recharge in the South (9 out of 11 GCMs) and Southwest (7 out of 11 GCMs) regions. The change is projected to be largest for the South region which could see recharged reduced by as much as 50%. Changes in recharge in the Northwest region are predicted to be small (within 10% of historical recharge). Despite the large variability in projected recharge across the GCMs, recharge projections from this study will help water managers with long term water management planning.

Laboratory studies of dune sand for the use of construction industry in Sri Lanka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Silva Jayawardena, Upali; Wijesuriya, Roshan; Abayaweera, Gayan; Viduranga, Tharaka

2015-04-01

With the increase of the annual sand demand for the construction industry the excessive excavation of river sand is becoming a serious environmental problem in Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the possibility for an alternative to stop or at least to minimize river sand mining activities. Dune sand is one of the available alternative materials to be considered instead of river sand in the country. Large quantities of sand dunes occur mainly along the NW and SE coastal belt which belong to very low rainfall Dry Zone coasts. The height of dune deposits, vary from 1m to about 30 meters above sea level. The objective of this paper is to indicate some studies and facts on the dune sand deposits of Sri Lanka. Laboratory studies were carried out for visual observations and physical properties at the initial stage and then a number of tests were carried out according to ASTM standards to obtain the compressive strength of concrete cylinders and mortar cubes mixing dune sand and river sand in different percentages keeping a constant water cement ratio. Next the water cement ratio was changed for constant dune sand and river sand proportion. Microscopic analysis shows that the dune sand consist of 95 % of quartz and 5 % of garnet, feldspar, illmenite and other heavy minerals with clay, fine dust, fine shell fragments and organic matters. Grains are sub-rounded to angular and tabular shapes. The grain sizes vary from fine to medium size of sand with silt. The degree of sorting and particle size observed with dune sands are more suited with the requirement of fine aggregates in the construction industry. The test result indicates that dune sand could be effectively used in construction work without sieving and it is ideal for wall plastering due to its'-uniformity. It could also be effectively used in concrete and in mortars mixing with river sand. The best mixing ratio is 75% dune sand and 25% river sand as the fine aggregate of concrete. For mortar the mixing

Dunes - False Color

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-12-01

The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. Data from different filters can be combined in many ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows sand dunes and sand materials in depressions near the south pole. The dark blue tone shows the location of sand transport from one depression to another. Orbit Number: 16870 Latitude: -75.1264 Longitude: 348.882 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2005-10-03 09:18 http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20105

Effects of environmental change on groundwater recharge in the Desert Southwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Fred M.; Walvoord, Michelle Ann; Small, Eric E.; Hogan, James F.; Phillips, Fred M.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

2004-01-01

Climate and other environmental conditions have varied in the past, and will almost certainly vary significantly in the near future. The response of groundwater recharge to changes in environmental conditions is thus a matter of active concem for water-resources management. The major mechanisms for this response of recharge are three-fold. First, changes in vegetation communities can shift the water balance at the base of the root zone, increasing or decreasing the amount of recharge. Second, variations in the amount of runoff can affect channel recharge. Finally, shifts in the seasonality of precipitation can strongly affect the fraction that is evapotranspired back into the atmosphere and thus affect the amount that becomes recharge. Increases in recharge (defined as the water flux across the water table) may in some cases significantly increase fluxes through regional aquifers, but in other cases, depending on the hydrogeology, may only result in increased streamflow or evapotranspiration within the recharge area. Basins with relatively low maximum elevations, deep water tables, thin soils, and highly permeable recharge areas experience the largest recharge response to increases in precipitation. The relatively well-known paleoenvironmental history of the American Southwest can be compared with various lines of evidence for changes in recharge. These lines of evidence include timing of speleothem formation, chloride profiles in thick vadose zones, changes in water table shown by subsurface calcite precipitation, and expanded groundwater discharge areas. This evidence indicates that the wettest periods of the past 25 ka, which were generally between 20 and 13 ka, were also periods of enhanced vadose zone fluxes and aquifer discharge. Climate-driven changes in recharge appear to have been substantially mediated through changes in vegetation. This evidence for strong recharge response to past environmental changes indicates that expected future climate and

California GAMA Special Study: Importance of River Water Recharge to Selected Groundwater Basins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Visser, Ate; Moran, Jean E.; Singleton, Michael J.

River recharge represents 63%, 86% and 46% of modern groundwater in the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley, and San Joaquin Valley, respectively. In pre-modern groundwater, river recharge represents a lower fraction: 36%, 46%, and 24% respectively. The importance of river water recharge in the San Joaquin valley has nearly doubled and is likely the result of a total increase of recharge of 40%, caused by river water irrigation return flows. This emphasizes the importance of recharge of river water via irrigation for renewal of groundwater resources. Mountain front recharge and local precipitation contribute to recharge of desert groundwater basins in partmore » as the result of geological features focusing scarce precipitation promoting infiltration. River water recharges groundwater systems under lower temperatures and with larger water table fluctuations than local precipitation recharge. Surface storage is limited in time and volume, as evidenced by cold river recharge temperatures resulting from fast recharge, compared to the large capacity for subsurface storage. Groundwater banking of seasonal surface water flows therefore appears to be a natural and promising method for increasing the resilience of water supply systems. The distinct isotopic and noble gas signatures of river water recharge, compared to local precipitation recharge, reflecting the source and mechanism of recharge, are valuable constraints for numerical flow models.« less

A water-budget model and estimates of groundwater recharge for Guam

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Adam G.

2012-01-01

On Guam, demand for groundwater tripled from the early 1970s to 2010. The demand for groundwater is anticipated to further increase in the near future because of population growth and a proposed military relocation to Guam. Uncertainty regarding the availability of groundwater resources to support the increased demand has prompted an investigation of groundwater recharge on Guam using the most current data and accepted methods. For this investigation, a daily water-budget model was developed and used to estimate mean recharge for various land-cover and rainfall conditions. Recharge was also estimated for part of the island using the chloride mass-balance method. Using the daily water-budget model, estimated mean annual recharge on Guam is 394.1 million gallons per day, which is 39 percent of mean annual rainfall (999.0 million gallons per day). Although minor in comparison to rainfall on the island, water inflows from water-main leakage, septic-system leachate, and stormwater runoff may be several times greater than rainfall at areas that receive these inflows. Recharge is highest in areas that are underlain by limestone, where recharge is typically between 40 and 60 percent of total water inflow. Recharge is relatively high in areas that receive stormwater runoff from storm-drain systems, but is relatively low in urbanized areas where stormwater runoff is routed to the ocean or to other areas. In most of the volcanic uplands in southern Guam where runoff is substantial, recharge is less than 30 percent of total water inflow. The water-budget model in this study differs from all previous water-budget investigations on Guam by directly accounting for canopy evaporation in forested areas, quantifying the evapotranspiration rate of each land-cover type, and accounting for evaporation from impervious areas. For the northern groundwater subbasins defined in Camp, Dresser & McKee Inc. (1982), mean annual baseline recharge computed in this study is 159.1 million gallons

Discrete-storm water-table fluctuation method to estimate episodic recharge.

PubMed

Nimmo, John R; Horowitz, Charles; Mitchell, Lara

2015-01-01

We have developed a method to identify and quantify recharge episodes, along with their associated infiltration-related inputs, by a consistent, systematic procedure. Our algorithm partitions a time series of water levels into discrete recharge episodes and intervals of no episodic recharge. It correlates each recharge episode with a specific interval of rainfall, so storm characteristics such as intensity and duration can be associated with the amount of recharge that results. To be useful in humid climates, the algorithm evaluates the separability of events, so that those whose recharge cannot be associated with a single storm can be appropriately lumped together. Elements of this method that are subject to subjectivity in the application of hydrologic judgment are values of lag time, fluctuation tolerance, and master recession parameters. Because these are determined once for a given site, they do not contribute subjective influences affecting episode-to-episode comparisons. By centralizing the elements requiring scientific judgment, our method facilitates such comparisons by keeping the most subjective elements openly apparent, making it easy to maintain consistency. If applied to a period of data long enough to include recharge episodes with broadly diverse characteristics, the method has value for predicting how climatic alterations in the distribution of storm intensities and seasonal duration may affect recharge. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Megadroughts and late Holocene dune activation at the eastern margin of the Great Plains, north-central Kansas, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, P. R.; Arbogast, A. F.; Johnson, W. C.; Joeckel, R. M.; Young, A. R.

2010-01-01

Optical and radiocarbon dating indicates that alluvium underlying dunes near Abilene was deposited at or before ˜45 ka, and that the overlying dunes were active at ˜1.1-0.5 ka. Geochemical data indicate that the Abilene dune sand is immature and was derived from the underlying Pleistocene alluvium, and not from Holocene age Smoky Hill River deposits. These findings suggest that dune activation was a response to increased aridity and local reduction in vegetation cover as opposed to changes in sediment availability from nearby rivers. The time interval of dune activation at Abilene overlaps Medieval Warm Period megadroughts, similar to the larger and more westerly dune fields on the Great Plains, including the Nebraska Sand Hills and the Great Bend Sand Prairie. The activation of smaller dune fields such as the Abilene dunes near the more humid eastern margin of the Great Plains shows the geographic extent and severity of paleodrought events. Unlike the Duncan dunes, another plains-marginal dune field, however, the Abilene dunes show no evidence for multiple drought events during the Holocene. This difference in dune activity, if it is not a result of sampling or preservation bias, indicates variations in the extent and severity of older drought events at the eastern margin of the Great Plains.

Quantification of Dune Response over the Course of a 6-Day Nor'Easter, Outer Banks, NC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodie, K. L.; Spore, N.; Swann, C.

2014-12-01

The amount and type of foredune morphologic change during a storm event primarily scales with the level of inundation during that event. Specifically, external hydrodynamic forcing (total water level) can be compared with antecedent beach and foredune morphology to predict an impact regime that relates to the type of expected morphologic evolution of the system. For example, when total water levels are above the dune toe, but below the dune crest, the impact regime is classified as "collision" and the expected morphology response is slumping or scarping of the dune face. While the amount of dune retreat scales largely with the duration of wave attack to the dune face, characteristics of the dune other than its crest or toe elevation may also enhance or impede rates of morphologic change. The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy provided a unique opportunity to observe alongshore variations in dune response to a 6-day Nor'Easter (Hs >4 m in 6 m depth), as a variety of dunes were constructed (or not) by individual home owners in preparation for the winter storm season. Daily terrestrial lidar scans were conducted along 20 km of coastline in Duck, NC using Coastal Lidar And Radar Imaging System (CLARIS) during the first dune collision event following Sandy. Foredunes were grouped by their pre-storm form (e.g. vegetated, pushed, scarped, etc) using automated feature extraction tools based on surface curvature and slope, and daily rates of morphologic volume change were calculated. The highest dune retreat rates were focused along a 1.5 km region where cross-shore erosion of recently pushed, un-vegetated dunes reached 2 m/day. Variations in dune response were analyzed in relation to their pre-storm morphology, with care taken to normalize for alongshore variations in hydrodynamic forcing. Ongoing research is focused on identifying specific metrics that can be easily extracted from topographic DEMs to aid in dune retreat predictions.

John B. Goodenough, Cathode Materials, and Rechargeable Lithium-ion

Science.gov Websites

cathode materials for the lithium-ion rechargeable battery that is ubiquitous in today’s portable conductors has enabled realization of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery used in cellular telephones and Goodenough, the rechargeable lithium ion battery, and related research is available in electronic documents

Investigation of water quality in the Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve, Saguache County, Colorado, February 1999 through September 2000: Qualifying for outstanding waters designation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferguson, Sheryl A.

2003-01-01

Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve is located on the eastern side of the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado. The monument covers 60.4 square miles in Saguache and Alamosa Counties and lies at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where a unique combination of climate, topography, and hydrology has created and maintained the Nation?s tallest inland sand dunes. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which rise to more than 14,000 feet to the north and east of the dunes, are the source of several streams that flow around the dunes and eventually recharge the aquifer beneath the valley. Sand Creek and Medano Creeks are the largest of the streams in the monument that originate in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains; several ephemeral streams flow into Sand Creek and Medano Creek. Maintaining the high surface-water quality in the Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve is identified as a critical issue by the National Park Service. Additionally, the National Park Service has indicated a desire to pursue an Outstanding Waters Designation, which offers the highest level of water-quality protection available under the Clean Water Act and Colorado regulations. This designation is designed to prevent any degradation from existing conditions (Chatman and others, 1997). Assessment is needed to evaluate whether the water quality of the streams in the monument meets the requirements for an Outstanding Waters Designation. Historically, prospecting and mining activities have occurred in the watersheds of Sand and Medano Creeks; currently, however, there is no mining activity in those watersheds. In addition, the camping and recreation that occur upstream from the monument on national preserve lands and water activities that occur in Medano Creek during the summer are a potential source of human-waste contamination. Figure 1. Location of study area, sampling sites, and indication of sites that meet or exceed instream standards. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS

Observations regarding the movement of barchan sand dunes in the Nazca to Tanaca area of southern Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker Gay, S.

1999-03-01

Significant studies of sand dunes and sand movement made in coastal southern Peru in 1959-1961 [Gay, S.P., 1962. Origen, distribución y movimiento de las arenas eólicas en el área de Yauca a Palpa. Boletin de la Sociedad Geologica del Perú 37, 37-58] have never been published in the English language and consequently have never been referred to in the standard literature. These studies contain valuable information, not developed by later workers in this field, that may be of broad general interest. For example, using airphotos of barchan dunes and plotting the rates of movement vs. dune widths, the author quantified the deduction of Bagnold [Bagnold, R.A., 1941. The Physics of Blown Sand and Desert Dunes. Methuen, London.] that the speed of barchan movement is inversely proportional to barchan size (as characterized by height or width). This led to the conclusion that all barchans in a given dune field, regardless of size, sweep out approximately equal areas in equal times. Another conclusion was that collisions between smaller, overtaking dunes and larger dunes in front of them do not result in destruction or absorption of the smaller dunes if the collision is a `sideswipe'. The dunes simply merge into a compound dune for a time, and the smaller dune then moves on intact, i.e., passes, the larger dune, whilst retaining its approximate original size and shape. Another result of the 1959-1961 studies was a map that documents the Pacific coast beaches as the source of the sand ( Fig. 1), which is then blown inland through extensive dune fields of barchans and other dune forms in great clockwise-sweeping paths, to its final resting place in huge sand masses, sometimes called `sand seas' [Lancaster, N., 1995. Geomorphology of Desert Dunes. Routledge, London], at higher elevations 20 to 60 km from the coast. A minor, but nevertheless interesting, discovery was a small heavy mineral dune located directly in the lee of a large barchan, evidently formed by the winnowing

Numerical study of turbulent flow over stages of interacting barchan dunes: sediment scour and vorticity dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chao; Anderson, William

2017-11-01

Large-eddy simulation (LES) results of unidirectional turbulent flow over interacting barchan dunes are presented. A series of interacting barchan dune topographies have been considered wherein a small dune is positioned at locations upflow of a relatively larger dune, and at a slight spanwise offset. The smaller dune is geometrically similar, but one-eighth the volume of the larger dune, thus replicating instantaneous realizations during actual dune interactions. We report that flow channeling in the interdune space induces a mean flow heterogeneity - termed ``wake veering'' - in which the location of maximum momentum deficit in the dune wake is spanwise-displaced. The probability density functions of streamwise velocity fluctuation in the interdune space showed wide variability, and were used to select low-frequency, high-magnitude thresholds for conditional sampling. Conditionally- and Reynolds-averaged iso-contours of Q-criterion and differential helicity revealed a persistent roller in interdune space, which strengthened asymmetric sediment erosion via scouring. We assess terms in the Reynolds-averaged streamwise vorticity transport, and show that the roller is primarily sustained by stretching. Finally, we present results of joint time-frequency analysis using wavelet decomposition, which shows that the dune geometry imparts a distinct influence on the local flow.

Charge Characteristics of Rechargeable Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maheswaranathan, Ponn; Kelly, Cormac

2014-03-01

Rechargeable batteries play important role in technologies today and they are critical for the future. They are used in many electronic devices and their capabilities need to keep up with the accelerated pace of technology. Efficient energy capture and storage is necessary for the future rechargeable batteries. Charging and discharging characteristics of three popular commercially available re-chargeable batteries (NiCd, NiMH, and Li Ion) are investigated and compared with regular alkaline batteries. Pasco's 850 interface and their voltage & current sensors are used to monitor the current through and the potential difference across the battery. The discharge current and voltage stayed fairly constant until the end, with a slightly larger drop in voltage than current, which is more pronounced in the alkaline batteries. After 25 charge/discharge cycling there is no appreciable loss of charge capacities in the Li Ion battery. Energy densities, cycle characteristics, and memory effects will also be presented. Sponsored by the South Carolina Governor's school for Science and Mathematics under the Summer Program for Research Interns program.

RIGED-RA project - Restoration and management of Coastal Dunes in the Northern Adriatic Coast, Ravenna Area - Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giambastiani, Beatrice M. S.; Greggio, Nicolas; Sistilli, Flavia; Fabbri, Stefano; Scarelli, Frederico; Candiago, Sebastian; Anfossi, Giulia; Lipparini, Carlo A.; Cantelli, Luigi; Antonellini, Marco; Gabbianelli, Giovanni

2016-10-01

Coastal dunes play an important role in protecting the coastline. Unfortunately, in the last decades dunes have been removed or damaged by human activities. In the Emilia- Romagna region significant residual dune systems are found only along Ravenna and Ferrara coasts. In this context, the RIGED-RA project “Restoration and management of coastal dunes along the Ravenna coast” (2013-2016) has been launched with the aims to identify dynamics, erosion and vulnerability of Northern Adriatic coast and associated residual dunes, and to define intervention strategies for dune protection and restoration. The methodology is based on a multidisciplinary approach that integrates the expertise of several researchers and investigates all aspects (biotic and abiotic), which drive the dune-beach system. All datasets were integrated to identify test sites for applying dune restoration. The intervention finished in April 2016; evolution and restoration efficiency will be assessed.

Comparing potential recharge estimates from three Land Surface Models across the Western US

PubMed Central

NIRAULA, REWATI; MEIXNER, THOMAS; AJAMI, HOORI; RODELL, MATTHEW; GOCHIS, DAVID; CASTRO, CHRISTOPHER L.

2018-01-01

Groundwater is a major source of water in the western US. However, there are limited recharge estimates available in this region due to the complexity of recharge processes and the challenge of direct observations. Land surface Models (LSMs) could be a valuable tool for estimating current recharge and projecting changes due to future climate change. In this study, simulations of three LSMs (Noah, Mosaic and VIC) obtained from the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2) are used to estimate potential recharge in the western US. Modeled recharge was compared with published recharge estimates for several aquifers in the region. Annual recharge to precipitation ratios across the study basins varied from 0.01–15% for Mosaic, 3.2–42% for Noah, and 6.7–31.8% for VIC simulations. Mosaic consistently underestimates recharge across all basins. Noah captures recharge reasonably well in wetter basins, but overestimates it in drier basins. VIC slightly overestimates recharge in drier basins and slightly underestimates it for wetter basins. While the average annual recharge values vary among the models, the models were consistent in identifying high and low recharge areas in the region. Models agree in seasonality of recharge occurring dominantly during the spring across the region. Overall, our results highlight that LSMs have the potential to capture the spatial and temporal patterns as well as seasonality of recharge at large scales. Therefore, LSMs (specifically VIC and Noah) can be used as a tool for estimating future recharge rates in data limited regions. PMID:29618845

Modeling Vegetation Growth Impact on Groundwater Recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anurag, H.; Ng, G. H. C.; Tipping, R.

2017-12-01

Vegetation growth is affected by variability in climate and land-cover / land-use over a range of temporal and spatial scales. Vegetation also modifies water budget through interception and evapotranspiration and thus has a significant impact on groundwater recharge. Most groundwater recharge assessments represent vegetation using specified, static parameter, such as for leaf-area-index, but this neglects the effect of vegetation dynamics on recharge estimates. Our study addresses this gap by including vegetation growth in model simulations of recharge. We use NCAR's Community Land Model v4.5 with its BGC module (BGC is the new CLM4.5 biogeochemistry). It integrates prognostic vegetation growth with land-surface and subsurface hydrological processes and can thus capture the effect of vegetation on groundwater. A challenge, however, is the need to resolve uncertainties in model inputs ranging from vegetation growth parameters all the way down to the water table. We have compiled diverse data spanning meteorological inputs to subsurface geology and use these to implement ensemble model simulations to evaluate the possible effects of dynamic vegetation growth (versus specified, static vegetation parameterizations) on estimating groundwater recharge. We present preliminary results for select data-intensive test locations throughout the state of Minnesota (USA), which has a sharp east-west precipitation gradient that makes it an apt testbed for examining ecohydrologic relationships across different temperate climatic settings and ecosystems. Using the ensemble simulations, we examine the effect of seasonal to interannual variability of vegetation growth on recharge and water table depths, which has implications for predicting the combined impact of climate, vegetation, and geology on groundwater resources. Future work will include distributed model simulations over the entire state, as well as conditioning uncertain vegetation and subsurface parameters on remote sensing

Impacts of vegetation change on groundwater recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, W. J.; Verburg, K.; Smith, C. J.

2003-12-01

Vegetation change is the accepted cause of increasing river salt concentrations and the salinisation of millions of hectares of farm land in Australia. Replacement of perennial native vegetation by annual crops and pastures following European settlement has altered the water balance causing increased groundwater recharge and mobilising the naturally saline groundwater. The Redesigning Agriculture for Australian Landscapes Program, of which the work described here is a part, was established to develop agricultural practices that are more attuned to the delicate water balance described above. Results of field measurements will be presented that contrast the water balance characteristics of native vegetation with those of conventional agricultural plants, and indicate the functional characteristics required of new agricultural practices to reduce recharge. New agricultural practices may comprise different management of current crops and pastures, or may involve introducing totally new species. In either case, long-term testing is required to examine their impact on recharge over a long enough climate record to encompass the natural variability of rainfall that is characteristic of most Australian farming regions. Field experimentation therefore needs to be complemented and extended by computer simulation. This requires a modelling approach that is more robust than conventional crop modelling because (a) it needs to be sensitive enough to predict small changes in the residual recharge term, (b) it needs to be able to simulate a variety of vegetation in different sequences, (c) it needs to be able to simulate continuously for several decades of input data, and (d) it therefore needs to be able to simulate the period between crops, which often has a critical impact on recharge. The APSIM simulation framework will be used to illustrate these issues and to explore the effect of different vegetation combinations on recharge.

The importance of dunes on a variety of planetary surfaces

USGS Publications Warehouse

Titus, Timothy N.; Zimbelman, James R.; Radebaugh, Jani

2015-01-01

Scientists observe aeolian bed forms, or dune-like structures, throughout the solar system in a range of locations, from bodies with only transient atmospheres, such as comets, to places with thick atmospheres, such as Venus and the Earth’s ocean floor. Determining the source of sand and the different dune formations that result are thus important to understanding solar system and planetary evolution.

76 FR 10915 - Minor Boundary Revision at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-28

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Minor Boundary Revision at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notification of boundary revision. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 460l- 9(c)(1), the boundary of Indiana Dunes National...

Managed Aquifer Recharge in Italy: present and prospects.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossetto, Rudy

2015-04-01

On October the 3rd 2014, a one-day Workshop on Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) experiences in Italy took place at the GEOFLUID fair in Piacenza. It was organized within the framework of the EIP AG 128 - MAR Solutions - Managed Aquifer Recharge Strategies and Actions and the EU FPVII MARSOL. The event aimed at showcasing present experiences on MAR in Italy while at the same time starting a network among all the Institutions involved. In this contribution, we discuss the state of MAR application in Italy and summarize the outcomes of that event. In Italy aquifer recharge is traditionally applied unintentionally, by increasing riverbank filtration or because of excess irrigation. A certain interest for artificial recharge of aquifers arose at the end of the '70s and the beginning of the '80s and tests have been carried out in Tuscany, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. During the last years some projects on aquifer recharge were co-financed by the European Commission mainly through the LIFE program. Nearly all of them use the terminology of artificial recharge instead of MAR. They are: - TRUST (Tool for regional - scale assessment of groundwater storage improvement in adaptation to climate change, LIFE07 ENV/IT/000475; Marsala 2014); - AQUOR (Implementation of a water saving and artificial recharging participated strategy for the quantitative groundwater layer rebalance of the upper Vicenza's plain - LIFE 2010 ENV/IT/380; Mezzalira et al. 2014); - WARBO (Water re-born - artificial recharge: innovative technologies for the sustainable management of water resources, LIFE10 ENV/IT/000394; 2014). While the TRUST project dealt in general with aquifer recharge, AQUOR and WARBO focused essentially on small scale demonstration plants. Within the EU FPVII-ENV-2013 MARSOL project (Demonstrating Managed Aquifer Recharge as a Solution to Water Scarcity and Drought; 2014), a dedicated monitoring and decision support system is under development to manage recharge at a large scale

Advances of aqueous rechargeable lithium-ion battery: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alias, Nurhaswani; Mohamad, Ahmad Azmin

2015-01-01

The electrochemical characteristic of the aqueous rechargeable lithium-ion battery has been widely investigated in efforts to design a green and safe technology that can provide a highly specific capacity, high efficiency and long life for high power applications such as the smart grid and electric vehicle. It is believed that the advantages of this battery will overcome the limitations of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery with organic electrolytes that comprise safety and create high fabrication cost issues. This review focuses on the opportunities of the aqueous rechargeable lithium-ion battery compared to the conventional rechargeable lithium-ion battery with organic-based electrolytes. Previously reported studies are briefly summarised, together with the presentation of new findings based on the conductivity, morphology, electrochemical performance and cycling stability results. The factors that influence the electrochemical performance, the challenges and potential of the aqueous rechargeable lithium-ion battery are highlighted in order to understand and maintained the excellent battery performance.

Defrosting Polar Dunes--Dark Spots and Wind Streaks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The first time that the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)team saw dark spots on defrosting dune surfaces was in August and September of 1998. At that time, it was the north polar seasonal frost cap that was subliming away (more recent images from 1999 have shown the south polar frosts). This picture (above) shows a small portion of the giant dune field that surrounds the north polar region, as it appeared on August 23, 1998. At the time, it was early northern spring and the dunes were still covered with winter frost.

Dark spots had appeared on the north polar dunes, and many of them exhibited a radial or semi-radial pattern of dark streaks and streamers. At first, there was speculation that the streaks indicated that the defrosting process might somehow involve explosions! The dark spots seemed to resemble small craters with dark, radial ejecta. It seemed possible that frozen carbon dioxide trapped beneath water ice might somehow heat up, turn to gas, expand, and then 'explode' in either a small blast or at least a 'puff' of air similar to that which comes from the blowhole of a surfacing whale or seal.

The image shown here changed the earlier impression. The dark spots and streaks do not result from explosions. The spots--though not well understood--represent the earliest stages of defrosting on the sand dunes. The streaks, instead of being caused by small explosions, are instead the result of wind. In this picture, the fine, dark streaks show essentially identical orientations from spot to spot (e.g., compare the spots seen in boxes (a) and (b)). Each ray of dark material must result from wind blowing from a particular direction--for example, all of the spots in this picture exhibit a ray that points toward the upper left corner of the image, and each of these rays indicates the same wind regime. Each spot also has a ray pointing toward the lower right and top/upper-right. These, too, must indicate periods when the wind was strong

Statistical Method for Identification of Potential Groundwater Recharge Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Pallavi; Singh, V. S.

2010-05-01

The effective development of groundwater resource is essential for a country like India. Artificial recharge is the planned, human activity of augmenting the amount of groundwater available through works designed to increase the natural replenishment or percolation of surface waters into the groundwater aquifers, resulting in a corresponding increase in the amount of groundwater available for abstraction. India receives good amount of average annual rainfall about 114 cm but most of it's part waste through runoff. The imbalance between rainfall and recharge has caused serious shortage of water for drinking, agriculture and industrial purposes. The over exploitation of groundwater due to increasing population is an additional cause of water crisis that resulting in reduction in per capita availability of water in the country. Thus the planning for effective development of groundwater is essential through artificial recharge. Objective of the paper is to identification of artificial recharge zones by arresting runoff through suitable sites to restore groundwater conditions using statistical technique. The water table variation follows a pattern similar to rainfall variation with time delay. The rainfall and its relationship with recharge is a very important process in a shallow aquifer system. Understanding of this process is of critical importance to management of groundwater resource in any terrain. Groundwater system in a top weathered regolith in a balastic terrain forms shallow aquifer is often classified into shallow water table category. In the present study an effort has been made to understand the suitable recharge zone with relation to rainfall and water level by using statistical analysis. Daily time series data of rainfall and borehole water level data are cross correlated to investigate variations in groundwater level response time during the months of monsoon. This measurement facilitate to demarcate favorable areas for Artificial Recharge. KEYWORDS

Ground water recharge and discharge in the central Everglades

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Judson W.; Krupa, Steven L.; Krest, James M.

2004-01-01

Rates of ground water recharge and discharge are not well known in the central Everglades. Here we report estimates of ground water recharge and discharge at 15 sites in the Everglades Nutrient Removal Project and in Water Conservation Area 2A (WCA-2A), along with measurements of hydraulic properties of peat at 11 sites. A simple hydrogeologic simulation was used to assess how specific factors have influenced recharge and discharge. Simulations and measurements agreed that the highest values of recharge and discharge occur within 600 m of levees, the result of ground water flow beneath levees. There was disagreement in the interior wetlands of WCA-2A (located > 1000 m from levees) where measurements of recharge and discharge were substantially higher than simulated fluxes. A five-year time series (1997 to 2002) of measured fluxes indicated that recharge and discharge underwent reversals in direction on weekly, monthly, and annual timescales at interior sites in WCA-2A. Ground water discharge tended to occur during average to moderately dry conditions when local surface water levels were decreasing. Recharge tended to occur during moderately wet periods or during very dry periods just as water levels began to increase following precipitation or in response to a pulse of surface water released from water-control structures by water managers. Discharge also tended to occur at sites in the wetland interior for ∼1 week preceding the arrival of the surface water pulse. We conclude that ground water recharge and discharge vary cyclically in the interior wetlands of the central Everglades, driven by the differential responses of surface water and ground water to annual, seasonal, and weekly trends in precipitation and operation of water-control structures.

Groundwater Modelling For Recharge Estimation Using Satellite Based Evapotranspiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soheili, Mahmoud; (Tom) Rientjes, T. H. M.; (Christiaan) van der Tol, C.

2017-04-01

Groundwater movement is influenced by several factors and processes in the hydrological cycle, from which, recharge is of high relevance. Since the amount of aquifer extractable water directly relates to the recharge amount, estimation of recharge is a perquisite of groundwater resources management. Recharge is highly affected by water loss mechanisms the major of which is actual evapotranspiration (ETa). It is, therefore, essential to have detailed assessment of ETa impact on groundwater recharge. The objective of this study was to evaluate how recharge was affected when satellite-based evapotranspiration was used instead of in-situ based ETa in the Salland area, the Netherlands. The Methodology for Interactive Planning for Water Management (MIPWA) model setup which includes a groundwater model for the northern part of the Netherlands was used for recharge estimation. The Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) based actual evapotranspiration maps from Waterschap Groot Salland were also used. Comparison of SEBAL based ETa estimates with in-situ abased estimates in the Netherlands showed that these SEBAL estimates were not reliable. As such results could not serve for calibrating root zone parameters in the CAPSIM model. The annual cumulative ETa map produced by the model showed that the maximum amount of evapotranspiration occurs in mixed forest areas in the northeast and a portion of central parts. Estimates ranged from 579 mm to a minimum of 0 mm in the highest elevated areas with woody vegetation in the southeast of the region. Variations in mean seasonal hydraulic head and groundwater level for each layer showed that the hydraulic gradient follows elevation in the Salland area from southeast (maximum) to northwest (minimum) of the region which depicts the groundwater flow direction. The mean seasonal water balance in CAPSIM part was evaluated to represent recharge estimation in the first layer. The highest recharge estimated flux was for autumn

Soil moisture data as a constraint for groundwater recharge estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathias, Simon A.; Sorensen, James P. R.; Butler, Adrian P.

2017-09-01

Estimating groundwater recharge rates is important for water resource management studies. Modeling approaches to forecast groundwater recharge typically require observed historic data to assist calibration. It is generally not possible to observe groundwater recharge rates directly. Therefore, in the past, much effort has been invested to record soil moisture content (SMC) data, which can be used in a water balance calculation to estimate groundwater recharge. In this context, SMC data is measured at different depths and then typically integrated with respect to depth to obtain a single set of aggregated SMC values, which are used as an estimate of the total water stored within a given soil profile. This article seeks to investigate the value of such aggregated SMC data for conditioning groundwater recharge models in this respect. A simple modeling approach is adopted, which utilizes an emulation of Richards' equation in conjunction with a soil texture pedotransfer function. The only unknown parameters are soil texture. Monte Carlo simulation is performed for four different SMC monitoring sites. The model is used to estimate both aggregated SMC and groundwater recharge. The impact of conditioning the model to the aggregated SMC data is then explored in terms of its ability to reduce the uncertainty associated with recharge estimation. Whilst uncertainty in soil texture can lead to significant uncertainty in groundwater recharge estimation, it is found that aggregated SMC is virtually insensitive to soil texture.

Evaluation of simple geochemical indicators of aeolian sand provenance: Late Quaternary dune fields of North America revisited

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, Daniel

2017-01-01

Dune fields of Quaternary age occupy large areas of the world's arid and semiarid regions. Despite this, there has been surprisingly little work done on understanding dune sediment provenance, in part because many techniques are time-consuming, prone to operator error, experimental, highly specialized, expensive, or require sophisticated instrumentation. Provenance of dune sand using K/Rb and K/Ba values in K-feldspar in aeolian sands of the arid and semiarid regions of North America is tested here. Results indicate that K/Rb and K/Ba can distinguish different river sands that are sediment sources for dunes and dune fields themselves have distinctive K/Rb and K/Ba compositions. Over the Basin and Range and Great Plains regions of North America, the hypothesized sediment sources of dune fields are reviewed and assessed using K/Rb and K/Ba values in dune sands and in hypothesized source sediments. In some cases, the origins of dunes assessed in this manner are consistent with previous studies and in others, dune fields are found to have a more complex origin than previously thought. Use of K/Rb and K/Ba for provenance studies is a robust method that is inexpensive, rapid, and highly reproducible. It exploits one of the most common minerals found in dune sand, K-feldspar. The method avoids the problem of using simple concentrations of key elements that may be subject to interpretative bias due to changes in mineralogical maturity of Quaternary dune fields that occur over time.

Probing Majorana neutrino textures at DUNE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bora, Kalpana; Borah, Debasish; Dutta, Debajyoti

2017-10-01

We study the possibility of probing different texture zero neutrino mass matrices at the long baseline neutrino experiment DUNE, particularly focusing on its sensitivity to the octant of atmospheric mixing angle θ23 and leptonic Dirac C P phase δcp. Assuming a diagonal charged lepton basis and Majorana nature of light neutrinos, we first classify the possible light neutrino mass matrices with one and two texture zeros and then numerically evaluate the parameter space which satisfies the texture zero conditions. Apart from using the latest global fit 3 σ values of neutrino oscillation parameters, we also use the latest bound on the sum of absolute neutrino masses (∑i |mi|) from the Planck mission data and the updated bound on effective neutrino mass Me e from neutrinoless double beta decay (0 ν β β ) experiments to find the allowed Majorana texture zero mass matrices. For the allowed texture zero mass matrices from all these constraints, we then feed the corresponding light neutrino parameter values satisfying the texture zero conditions into the numerical analysis in order to study the capability of DUNE to allow or exclude them once it starts taking data. We find that DUNE will be able to exclude some of these texture zero mass matrices which restrict (θ23-δcp) to a very specific range of values, depending on the values of the parameters that nature has chosen.

The interaction of unidirectional winds with an isolated barchan sand dune

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gad-El-hak, M.; Pierce, D.; Howard, A.; Morton, J. B.

1976-01-01

Velocity profile measurements are determined on and around a barchan dune model inserted in the roughness layer on the tunnel floor. A theoretical investigation is made into the factors influencing the rate of sand flow around the dune. Flow visualization techniques are employed in the mapping of streamlines of flow on the dune's surface. Maps of erosion and deposition of sand are constructed for the barchan model, utilizing both flow visualization techniques and friction velocities calculated from the measured velocity profiles. The sediment budget found experimentally for the model is compared to predicted and observed results reported. The comparison shows fairly good agreement between the experimentally determined and predicted sediment budgets.

Sand transportation and reverse patterns over leeward face of sand dune

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Hong; Dun, Hongchao; Tong, Ding; Huang, Ning

2017-04-01

Sand saltation has complex interactions with turbulent flow and dune form. Most models of wind-blown sand consider ideal circumstances such as steady wind velocity and a flat surface, and the bulk of data on wind flow and sand transport over an individual dune has focused mostly on the influence of dune shape or inter-dune space on the wind flow, neglecting the effect of morphology on sand saltation, particularly airflow and sand transportation over the leeward slope. Wind flow structures over the leeward slope of sand dunes have a fundamental influence on the organization of sand dunes. In order to understand sand dune dynamics, lee face airflow and sediment transportation should be paid more attention. Previous field observations could not measure turbulent flow structure well because of the limited observation points and the influence of experiment structure on wind field. In addition, the reverse sand particles over leeward face could not be collected by sand trap in field. Numerous field observations could not measure turbulent flow structure because of the limited observation points and the influence of experimental structures on the wind field. In addition, the reverse transport of sand particles over leeward face could not be collected by sand traps in field. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the turbulent flow structure and sand transport pattern over the leeward slope. A numerical model of sand saltation over slope terrain is constructed, which also considers the coupling effects between air flow and sand particles. The large eddy simulation method is used to model turbulent flow. Sand transport is simulated by tracking the trajectory of each sand particle. The results show that terrain significantly alters the turbulent air flow structure and wind-blown sand movement, especially over the leeward slope. Here, mass flux increases initially and then decreases with height in the reversed flow region in the direction of wind flow, and the mass flux

Comment on "Minimal size of a barchan dune".

PubMed

Andreotti, B; Claudin, P

2007-12-01

It is now an accepted fact that the size at which dunes form from a flat sand bed as well as their "minimal size" scales on the flux saturation length. This length is by definition the relaxation length of the slowest mode toward equilibrium transport. The model presented by Parteli, Durán, and Herrmann [Phys. Rev. E 75, 011301 (2007)] predicts that the saturation length decreases to zero as the inverse of the wind shear stress far from the threshold. We first show that their model is not self-consistent: even under large wind, the relaxation rate is limited by grain inertia and thus cannot decrease to zero. A key argument presented by these authors comes from the discussion of the typical dune wavelength on Mars (650 m) on the basis of which they refute the scaling of the dune size with the drag length evidenced by Claudin and Andreotti [Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 252, 30 (2006)]. They instead propose that Martian dunes, composed of large grains (500 microm), were formed in the past under very strong winds. We emphasize that this saltating grain size, estimated from thermal diffusion measurements, is far from straightforward. Moreover, the microscopic photographs taken by the rovers on Martian Aeolian bedforms show a grain size of 87+/-25 microm together with hematite spherules at millimeter scale. As those so-called "blueberries" cannot be entrained more frequently than a few hours per century, we conclude that the saltating grains on Mars are the small ones, which gives a second strong argument against the model of Parteli.

Implications of projected climate change for groundwater recharge in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meixner, Thomas; Manning, Andrew H.; Stonestrom, David A.; Allen, Diana M.; Ajami, Hoori; Blasch, Kyle W.; Brookfield, Andrea E.; Castro, Christopher L.; Clark, Jordan F.; Gochis, David; Flint, Alan L.; Neff, Kirstin L.; Niraula, Rewati; Rodell, Matthew; Scanlon, Bridget R.; Singha, Kamini; Walvoord, Michelle Ann

2016-01-01

Existing studies on the impacts of climate change on groundwater recharge are either global or basin/location-specific. The global studies lack the specificity to inform decision making, while the local studies do little to clarify potential changes over large regions (major river basins, states, or groups of states), a scale often important in the development of water policy. An analysis of the potential impact of climate change on groundwater recharge across the western United States (west of 100° longitude) is presented synthesizing existing studies and applying current knowledge of recharge processes and amounts. Eight representative aquifers located across the region were evaluated. For each aquifer published recharge budget components were converted into four standard recharge mechanisms: diffuse, focused, irrigation, and mountain-systems recharge. Future changes in individual recharge mechanisms and total recharge were then estimated for each aquifer. Model-based studies of projected climate-change effects on recharge were available and utilized for half of the aquifers. For the remainder, forecasted changes in temperature and precipitation were logically propagated through each recharge mechanism producing qualitative estimates of direction of changes in recharge only (not magnitude). Several key patterns emerge from the analysis. First, the available estimates indicate average declines of 10–20% in total recharge across the southern aquifers, but with a wide range of uncertainty that includes no change. Second, the northern set of aquifers will likely incur little change to slight increases in total recharge. Third, mountain system recharge is expected to decline across much of the region due to decreased snowpack, with that impact lessening with higher elevation and latitude. Factors contributing the greatest uncertainty in the estimates include: (1) limited studies quantitatively coupling climate projections to recharge estimation methods using

Implications of Projected Climate Change for Groundwater Recharge in the Western United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meixner, Thomas; Manning, Andrew H.; Stonestrom, David A.; Allen, Diana M.; Ajami, Hoori; Blasch, Kyle W.; Brookfield, Andrea E.; Castro, Christopher L.; Clark, Jordan F.; Gochis, David J.;

Implications of projected climate change for groundwater recharge in the western United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meixner, Thomas; Manning, Andrew H.; Stonestrom, David A.; Allen, Diana M.; Ajami, Hoori; Blasch, Kyle W.; Brookfield, Andrea E.; Castro, Christopher L.; Clark, Jordan F.; Gochis, David J.; Flint, Alan L.; Neff, Kirstin L.; Niraula, Rewati; Rodell, Matthew; Scanlon, Bridget R.; Singha, Kamini; Walvoord, Michelle A.

2016-03-01

Existing studies on the impacts of climate change on groundwater recharge are either global or basin/location-specific. The global studies lack the specificity to inform decision making, while the local studies do little to clarify potential changes over large regions (major river basins, states, or groups of states), a scale often important in the development of water policy. An analysis of the potential impact of climate change on groundwater recharge across the western United States (west of 100° longitude) is presented synthesizing existing studies and applying current knowledge of recharge processes and amounts. Eight representative aquifers located across the region were evaluated. For each aquifer published recharge budget components were converted into four standard recharge mechanisms: diffuse, focused, irrigation, and mountain-systems recharge. Future changes in individual recharge mechanisms and total recharge were then estimated for each aquifer. Model-based studies of projected climate-change effects on recharge were available and utilized for half of the aquifers. For the remainder, forecasted changes in temperature and precipitation were logically propagated through each recharge mechanism producing qualitative estimates of direction of changes in recharge only (not magnitude). Several key patterns emerge from the analysis. First, the available estimates indicate average declines of 10-20% in total recharge across the southern aquifers, but with a wide range of uncertainty that includes no change. Second, the northern set of aquifers will likely incur little change to slight increases in total recharge. Third, mountain system recharge is expected to decline across much of the region due to decreased snowpack, with that impact lessening with higher elevation and latitude. Factors contributing the greatest uncertainty in the estimates include: (1) limited studies quantitatively coupling climate projections to recharge estimation methods using detailed

Etiologie Rare de Sinusites Nosocomiales en Milieu de Reanimation - A Propos d'une Observation

PubMed Central

Messadi, A.A.; Oueslati, S.; Thabet, L.; Bousselmi, K.; Menif, E.

2006-01-01

Summary Les sinusites nosocomiales ne sont pas rares en réanimation. Elles surviennent en général dans les suites d'une intubation nasotrachéale voire même orotrachéale. Le tubage gastrique peut être à lui seul à l'origine d'une sinusite nosocomiale. Nous rapportons le cas d'une patiente hospitalisée qui a été victime de brûlures étendues chez qui la sonde nasogastrique a été à l'origine d'une pansinusite dont l'issue a été fatale. PMID:21991055

A field study of the geomorphic effects of sublimating CO2 blocks on dune slopes at Coral Pink Dunes, Utah.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourke, Mary; Nield, Jo; Diniega, Serina; Hansen, Candy; McElwaine, Jim

2016-04-01

The seasonal sublimation of CO2 ice is an active driver of present-day surface change on Mars. Diniega et al (2013) proposed that a discrete type of Martian gully, found on southern hemisphere dunes, were formed by the movement of CO2 seasonal ice blocks. These 'Linear Gullies' consist primarily of long (100 m - 2.5 km) grooves with near-uniform width (few-10 m wide), and typical depth of <2 m. They are near-linear throughout most of their length but sometimes contains zones of low-to-high sinuosity. They are commonly bounded by levées. The groove is generally prefaced by a small alcove that originates at the dune brink. We present the results of a set of field experiments that were undertaken at the Coral Pink sand dunes, Utah. These are sister experiments to those undertaken in Arizona (Bourke et al, 2016). The experiments were undertaken on an active barchan dune with a 16 m long lee slope (30.3°). Ambient air temperature was 30°C and relative humidity was 25%; sand surface temperatures were 26.5°C. A CO2 ice block (60x205x210 mm) was placed at the dune brink and with a gentle nudge it moved downslope. The dynamics of the block movement were recorded using a pair of high resolution video cameras. Geomorphological observations were noted and topographic change was quantified using a Leica P20 terrestrial laser scanner with a resolution of 0.8 mm at 10 m, and change detection limits less than 3 mm. The block run was repeated a total of 10 times and launched from the same location at the dune brink. The experiment ran for 45 minutes. The block size was reduced to (45 x 190 x 195 mm) by the end of the run series. The resultant geomorphology shows that the separate block runs occupied different tracks leading to a triangular plan form shape with a maximum width of 3.5 m. This is different from the findings in Arizona where a narrower track span was recorded (1.7m) (Bourke et al, 2016). Similar block dynamics were observed at both sites (as blocks moved straight