Wind erosion simulation along with the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and its response to the climate change

Abstract:

Wind erosion is one of the major processes of desertification. It has been widely analyzed using field observation, wind tunnel experiments and wind erosion models at arid and semi-arid agricultural areas in North China. It was seldom studies in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) yet because of the cold environment and fewer human activities over there. However, the desertification has been reported intensified and expanded in recent decades over central and eastern QTP [Dong et al., 2009]. Land surface models are useful tool in land processes simulation, and underwent several generations with various progresses in geophysical and geochemical processes. For instance, the new generation community Noah land surface model with multi-parameterization options (Noah-MP) has been worldwide implied and performs well in simulating the land surface conditions in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, none of the land surface models involves the wind erosion process. In this study, a wind erosion model -- Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) is coupled with the Noah-MP. According to Li et al. (2015), the majority land cover type over the QTP is grassland, meadow and bare land. Thus the concerning of crop and cultivated lands are not included in the coupling. The coupled model is called Noah-MPES in which Noah-MP serves as the basic system providing the climate and land surface variables for wind erosion calculation. The coupled Noah-MPES was implemented and tested at five stations near the Qinghai-Tibet Railway: BJ, Anduo, D66, from GAME-Tibet, Tanggula and Xidatan, where Noah-MP simulation shows well performance in soil temperature and soil water content at upper soil levels. The wind erosion will be validated by comparing to the results from ¹³⁷Cs tracer method [Yan et al., 2001]. Wind erosion along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway will be simulated and investigated then.

Reference:

Dong, Z., G. Hu, C. Yan, W. Wang, and J. Lu (2009), Aeolian desertification and its causes in the Zoige Plateau of China’s Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, Environmental Earth Sciences, 59(8), 1731-1740.

Yan, P., D. Zhibao, D. Guangrong, Z. Xinbao, and Z. Yiyun (2001), Preliminary results of using137Cs to study wind erosion in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Journal of Arid Environments, 47(4), 443-452.