Sand Transport Rate and Turbulent Fluctuation in AeolianTransportation Over the Gobi Surface Under ExtremelyHigh Winds

There are no theoretical formulas that can accurately predict the sand transport rate (Q_m) over the Gobi surface. We report herein high-frequency field observations of wind-blown sand processes over the Gobi surface under extremely high winds in eastern Xinjiang, China. The results reveal that the power-law exponent of the scaling relationship between Qₘ and friction wind velocity (u_τ) in the extremely high winds with high gravel coverage Gobi area can reach 15.51, significantly exceeding that on sandy surfaces. Meanwhile, there is a favorable power-law between Q_m and the fluctuation intensity of the vertical wind velocity (I_w), whereas the correlation between Qₘ and the streamwise fluctuation intensity (I_u) is weak. Therefore, I_w has a significant application in constructing the prediction model for Qₘ over such Gobi surfaces. This study provides a new insight into the quantitative analysis of the aeolian transport over the windy Gobi areas.