Electrostatics in wind-blown sand

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that incorporating sand electrification into saltation models resolves discrepancies with measurements, showing electric forces significantly influence particle concentration and trajectories in wind-blown sand.

Contribution

The study introduces a physically based saltation model that includes sand electrification, revealing its crucial role in accurately describing saltation dynamics.

Findings

Electric forces increase saltating particle concentration.

Electrification causes particles to stay closer to the surface.

Model results align with experimental measurements.

Abstract

Wind-blown sand, or "saltation," is an important geological process, and the primary source of atmospheric dust aerosols. Significant discrepancies exist between classical saltation theory and measurements. We show here that these discrepancies can be resolved by the inclusion of sand electrification in a physically based saltation model. Indeed, we find that electric forces enhance the concentration of saltating particles and cause them to travel closer to the surface, in agreement with measurements. Our results thus indicate that sand electrification plays an important role in saltation.