The role of coherent airflow structures on the incipient aeolian entrainment of coarse particles

TL;DR

This study combines theoretical modeling and wind tunnel experiments to understand how coherent airflow structures initiate the movement of coarse particles like gravel, identifying energetic airflow events that cause incipient motion and full entrainment.

Contribution

It introduces a micromechanical energy-based model for incipient particle motion and links airflow structures with particle displacement under near-threshold conditions.

Findings

Sufficiently energetic sweep events cause incipient motion of gravel particles.

Full entrainment requires satisfying a specific energy criterion.

Probabilistic framework can describe wind energy transfer to granular surfaces.

Abstract

The role of coherent airflow structures capable of setting gravel-size particles in motion is studied theoretically and experimentally. Specifically, a micromechanical model based on energy conservation is proposed to describe the incipient motion of large particles ranging from rocking (incomplete entrainment) to incipient rolling (full entrainment). Wind tunnel experiments were conducted on an aerodynamically rough bed surface under near-threshold airflow conditions. Synchronous signals of airflow velocities upwind of the test particles and particle displacement are measured using a hot film anemometer and a laser distance sensor, respectively, from which coherent airflow structures (extracted via quadrant analysis) and particle movements are interlinked. It is suggested that the incipient motion of gravel-size particles (rocking and rolling) may result from sufficiently energetic sweep events corresponding to aerodynamic drag forces in excess of the local micro-topography resistance. However, full entrainment in rolling mode should satisfy the presented work-based criterion. Furthermore, using an appropriate probabilistic frame, the proposed criterion may be suitable for describing processes of energy transfer from the wind to the granular soil surface, ranging from the creep transport of gravels to the "mechanical sieving" of mega-ripples, as well as the transport of light anthropogenic debris (such as plastics).