Aeolian ResearchPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-07-03DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100993
Haniyeh Ghayeni , Mohammad Khanehbad , Alireza Rashki
{"title":"Grain size analysis and sedimentological characteristics of wind-blown sands: a case study of Barchan dunes in the Erg of Tabas, central Iran","authors":"Haniyeh Ghayeni , Mohammad Khanehbad , Alireza Rashki","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100993","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100993","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The current study investigates the geological characteristics and wind-driven dynamics of barchan dunes in arid regions. We analyzed the depositional processes and particle size distribution of eight dunes located approximately one kilometer apart. The results indicate that silt (0.80 %), medium sand (8.67 %), coarse sand (1.34 %), and very fine sand (18.32 %) are less common than fine sand (69.55 %). Key grain-size statistics indicate that aeolian sediments are fine-grained and well-sorted, with a mean particle size of 2.64 ϕ, sorting value of 0.51 ϕ, skewness of −0.05, and kurtosis of 1.26. The grain size classification indicates a complex depositional history, with aeolian origin accounting for around 87.3 % and river characteristics for only about 12 %. Leeward slopes and bottom areas tend to deposit finer, better-sorted sediments and typically contain coarser, less-sorted material than windward slopes and crests because gravity settles and influences wind movement. Long-term wind measurements (1986–2024) indicate that the principal southeastward drift vectors are continuous northwesterly winds (RDD = 159.04°) and considerable sand transport (DP = 45.25 VU). A transitional aeolian regime, as indicated by the Sand Mobility Index (0.59), promotes the development of semi-stable barchan dunes with both unidirectional and multidirectional wind impacts. These results illustrate the intricate connections between dune formation, sediment supply, and wind regime. These findings highlight the complex relationships that exist between wind regimes, sediment availability, and dune formation. By integrating extensive sedimentological research with long-term meteorological monitoring, this study provides new insights into the dynamics of aeolian systems and a practical framework for predicting dune evolution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 100993"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aeolian ResearchPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-08-29DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100998
Heleen C. Vos , Emanuel Vogel , Johanna R. von Holdt , Wolfgang Fister , Frank D. Eckardt , Janine I. Gugger , Eliane C. Hofstetter , Nikolaus J. Kuhn
{"title":"Arid Shrubland: A growing dust source?","authors":"Heleen C. Vos , Emanuel Vogel , Johanna R. von Holdt , Wolfgang Fister , Frank D. Eckardt , Janine I. Gugger , Eliane C. Hofstetter , Nikolaus J. Kuhn","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100998","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100998","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The west coast of South Africa is an arid region that has been shown to be emissive, but its dust sources have never been studied in detail. In this study, we present a dataset of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-detected dust source points in this region from 2000 to 2021 and the surface characteristics of these points. The results elucidate that most dust source points are located on Succulent Karoo shrublands, mining areas, or bare areas. Furthermore, the data show a significant increase in dust source points, which could mainly be attributed to shrublands becoming more emissive as a response to a prolonged drought from 2017 onwards. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI), and albedo-based roughness indication (ωns) of the study area confirmed a decrease in vegetation during this five-year drought. Understanding such tipping points for dust emissions as a result of drought and anthropogenic land use is relevant to understanding the future dust load.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 100998"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144911974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The influence of foredune geometry on wind flow quantified from computational fluid dynamics simulations","authors":"Saeb Faraji Gargari, Derek Karssenberg, Gerben Ruessink","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wind flow over a coastal foredune is driven by a complex interplay of dune geometry, sand transport, and vegetation dynamics. While previous studies have explored the influence of foredune geometry and wind direction on wind flow, their combined effects remain underexplored. This study employs 3D computational fluid dynamics to investigate the impact of foredune height, stoss slope, and incident wind direction on wind flow along the seaward side. Model accuracy was validated against field measurements, then used to simulate wind flow over an idealized foredune with varying heights and slopes across 11 wind directions. Results show that foredune height has the strongest influence on flow speed-up and directional deviations. The highest (25 m) and steepest (1:2) dune experiences the largest speed-up (12) under shore-normal winds, decreasing to 4 for a 1:4 slope and to 1 for alongshore winds. For a 6 m high foredune, speed-up remains around 2, dropping to 1 only for highly oblique winds. Angle deviations across the foredune peak at 30 to 60° wind incidence, and can be up to 20° at the dune toe and crest for the highest and steepest foredune in the simulations. This study demonstrates how combined dune geometry properties – specifically height and slope – along with the incident wind direction influence wind speed-up over foredunes. These findings improve our understanding of sand transport, coastal dune evolution, and artificial dune design, particularly in anticipation of future work that will couple wind flow models with sediment transport models to assess morphological changes under varying wind conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 101001"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144912196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aeolian ResearchPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-12DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101004
Yupeng Shen , Lin Wang , Jamlick Kariuki , Xuedong Zhang , Zhisheng Liu , Yunxi Han , Dongtao Zhang , Shunyuan Zhong
{"title":"Spatiotemporal dynamics and evolution of wind-sand along the Jiangjunmiao-Naomaohu Railway: Insights into patterns of wind-sand hazards based on a two-year field monitoring and mitigation exploration","authors":"Yupeng Shen , Lin Wang , Jamlick Kariuki , Xuedong Zhang , Zhisheng Liu , Yunxi Han , Dongtao Zhang , Shunyuan Zhong","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The spatiotemporal dynamics of wind-sand along railway lines and the underlying evolution patterns of wind-sand hazards form the foundation for hazard prevention in wind-sand regions. Utilising a self-developed field wind-sand monitoring system, this study conducted a two-year comprehensive monitoring of wind-sand activity along the Jiangjunmiao-Naomaohu Railway (JNR). The main results are as follows: The abundant sand supply is the principal driver of the significant increase in aeolian sand suspension along the JNR. The sediment transport in regions with abundant sand sources is 1300–1900% higher than in areas with scarce sand sources, demonstrating pronounced seasonal and temporal variations in wind-sand hazards. Wind speed and frequency are the dominant factors in evaluating the severity of wind-sand hazards in the study area. High-frequency strong winds exacerbate higher-grade wind-sand hazards along the railway line. Compared to sandy gobi, railway sections characterized by gravel gobi geomorphology exhibit more severe wind-sand hazard features, including increased fine particle leap heights and higher wind speeds. However, a favourable trend is also observed, with reduced sediment transport, insufficient temporal variability, and a decline in the severity of wind-sand hazards. Influenced by the Westerlies, the wind direction along the railway is predominantly unidirectional, primarily oriented towards NW, WNW, W, and WSW, providing critical insights for developing effective windblown sand mitigation strategies. Based on the above results, this study proposes a sustainable and eco-friendly windbreak and sand fixation system to address wind-sand hazards along the JNR effectively. The system aims to ensure the safety of railway transportation and promote sustainable development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 101004"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aeolian ResearchPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-21DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101005
Simon Bitzan , Fabian Kirsten , Georgios E. Christidis , Pagona Makri , Kerstin Schepanski
{"title":"Spatial and temporal variability of surface dust concentration in western Crete (Greece) – Development of a monitoring network","authors":"Simon Bitzan , Fabian Kirsten , Georgios E. Christidis , Pagona Makri , Kerstin Schepanski","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The influence of long-range dust on soils and different ecological processes in deposition regions in the eastern Mediterranean depends primarily on the deposited amounts and therefore on transport dynamics, while its geochemical and mineralogical composition also plays an important role. As local distributions cannot be fully represented and analyzed by satellite data due to its relatively coarse spatial and temporal resolution, ground truth data is required. For this purpose, a network of eight sampling/monitoring stations was installed around the Lefka Ori mountains in western Crete (Greece), each equipped with a deposition sampler and an optical-particle-counter in order to detect the spatial variability in dust concentration and deposition.</div><div>Measured dust concentrations for the period from March 2023 to April 2024 show significant differences between the individual site locations. By comparison with meteorological data, correlations with wind directions can be identified. Thereby, wind directions during dust events generally differ significantly between stations. Furthermore, we are able to differentiate between a fine-grained (< 1 μm in diameter) background dust load and event-based coarser-grained (1–10 μm) dust loads as well as between synoptically and regionally induced dust events. First results of mineralogical analysis clearly identify the deposited fine material to be of north African origin, indicated by the presence of kaolinite, sepiolite and palygorskite.</div><div>In combination with high-resolution meteorological data, the measurement design allows for the differentiation between the influences of synoptic and local to regional conditions and therefore contributes to a detailed understanding of dust distribution in western Crete.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 101005"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145362180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aeolian ResearchPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-06-09DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100979
Xiaolan Yu , Zhengshi Wang , Shuming Jia
{"title":"Simulation of aerodynamic entrainment of sand particles on an up-sloping bed using the discrete element method","authors":"Xiaolan Yu , Zhengshi Wang , Shuming Jia","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100979","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100979","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aeolian sediment transport is the main cause of natural disasters such as dust storms and land degradation in arid and semi-arid regions, with aerodynamic entrainment being a key physical process. While most studies on aerodynamic entrainment focus on flat beds, the aerodynamic entrainment of sand particles on sloping beds remains underexplored. In this study, models of sand beds sloping at angles ranging from 0° to 20° were developed using the discrete element method, and the aerodynamic entrainment process on these beds was simulated. The results indicate that the inhibitory effect on aerodynamic entrainment increases considerably with slope angle. Compared to those for flat beds, the threshold friction velocity and response time of aerodynamic entrainment on sloping beds increase by approximately 50%, while the entrainment rate decreases by almost 90% at a slope angle of 20°. From a particle motion perspective, sand particles on a sloping bed require more energy to detach from the bed, resulting in an increase of almost 55% in rolling distance and number of collisions compared to that for a flat bed. In this study, an aerodynamic entrainment scheme for sloping beds was proposed, enhancing the understanding of wind-blown sand movement in real terrains and improving prediction accuracy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 100979"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144241856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhancing wind erosion hazard assessment: a novel framework combining integrated land susceptibility to wind erosion (ILSWE) index and machine learning algorithms (case study: Saravan area, Southeast Iran)","authors":"Mojtaba Mohammadi , Hamid Gholami , Aliakbar Mohamadifar , Yougui Song , Dimitris Kaskaoutis","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100995","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100995","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wind erosion poses a significant threat to arid and semi-arid ecosystems globally, particularly in the Middle East, a major source of dust emissions. Iran, with extensive arid and semi-arid landscapes, experiences substantial economic and ecological damage from wind erosion, exceeding <strong>US$18</strong> billion annually. This study developed a novel methodology for mapping wind erosion hazard in Saravan County, southeast Iran, addressing the critical need for accurate hazard assessment and targeted mitigation strategies. An initial wind erosion inventory map was created using the Integrated Land Susceptibility to Wind Erosion (ILSWE) model, incorporating various factors like climatic erosivity, soil erodibility, soil crust, vegetation cover, and surface roughness. This inventory was then used to train and validate three machine learning (ML) models (Bagged CART, Random Forest, and XGBoost). Model performance was evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, with the Random Forest model achieving the highest accuracy (AUC = 0.95). Results indicated that 42.7 % of the study area is classified at high or very high hazard for wind erosion, primarily located in western Saravan, characterized by degraded rangelands with sparse vegetation. Key factors influencing wind erosion hazard included elevation, clay content, and calcium carbonate content. This research demonstrates the efficacy of integrating the ILSWE model with ML techniques for accurate mapping of wind erosion hazard, providing valuable information for prioritizing mitigation efforts and promoting sustainable land management practices in arid and semi-arid environments. The developed methodology offers a transferable framework for wind erosion assessment in other vulnerable regions worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 100995"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aeolian ResearchPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-09DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101008
Kazem Taherinezhad-Javazm , Kazem Nosrati , Peter Fiener
{"title":"Spatiotemporal variations in aeolian sediment source fingerprinting using geochemical tracers and a Bayesian mixing model","authors":"Kazem Taherinezhad-Javazm , Kazem Nosrati , Peter Fiener","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding spatiotemporal variations in aeolian sediment sources is vital for developing effective soil conservation strategies in arid environments. This study quantified sediment provenance in the Daranjir Playa (Kavīr-e Dar Anjīr), central Iran, using geochemical fingerprinting combined with a Bayesian mixing model. Potential sources, including old and young alluvial fans, orchards, salt pan areas, and streambanks, were identified through field surveys and wind analyses. Thirty-two source and twenty seasonal dune samples were analyzed for 25 geochemical elements (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, Ga, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sr, Ti, V, Zn, Zr). Conservative tracers were used to select final tracers using the Kruskal–Wallis H-test and discriminant function analysis, yielding five tracers for spring (Al, B, Mg, Ni, Zn), four for summer (Al, Mg, S, Sr), and five for autumn and winter (Al, B, Mg, Na, Sr). Source contributions were quantified with the MixSIR Bayesian model and validated through virtual mixing experiments. Wind data showed strong seasonal variability, with the highest velocities in summer and dominant sand transport in winter. Model results indicated that salt pan areas were the main sediment source in spring, autumn, and winter (90.3%, 97.4%, and 90.5%), while streambanks dominated in summer (98.3%). Model validation yielded RMSE values ranging from 0.5 to 15.0%, MAE from 0.4 to 9.8%, and an index of agreement (d) between 0.13 and 1.00. This approach elucidates the seasonal dynamics of aeolian sediment sources, reflecting surface conditions and seasonal wind variations, and supports targeted land management in desert landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 101008"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145527857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aeolian ResearchPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-08-26DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101000
Matt Ball , Guillermo Hernandez-Ramirez , Rezvan Karimi Dehkordi , Willemijn Appels , Sheng Li
{"title":"Off-season wind-induced soil erosion from potato fields under varying bedding preparations","authors":"Matt Ball , Guillermo Hernandez-Ramirez , Rezvan Karimi Dehkordi , Willemijn Appels , Sheng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101000","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.101000","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Annually, global soil erosion is estimated at 75 billion tonnes, costing approximately US$400 billion in lost agricultural productivity, highlighting the economic and environmental significance of effective soil management. Potato fields are particularly susceptible to wind erosion during the off-season, due to extensive soil exposure. In Southern Alberta, fall bedding is a common management practice, involving bedding preparation in the fall rather than spring. Fall bedding presents logistical and economic advantages to producers, but it may increase the risk of off-season wind erosion due to increased soil disturbance. To investigate this, wind erosion was measured using Modified Wilson and Cook (MWAC) samplers and modelled with the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) model across three off-seasons (2021–2024) at the Lethbridge Polytechnic Irrigation Demo Farm. Rates of wind-induced soil erosion were evaluated under three bedding types: spring bedding, spring bedding following a winter cover crop, and fall bedding. The measured and modelled rates indicate that fall bedding experienced the greatest rates of wind-induced erosion across all three off-season periods. On average, off-season wind-induced erosion under fall bedding was 20 times higher than that under both spring beddings. The study found that the WEPS model closely aligns with measured data, showing high model accuracy (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.9327, Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) = 0.9058). Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in erosion rates across bedding types (P < 0.05), with fall bedding consistently leading to higher erosion. The benefits of winter cover crops prior to spring bedding were less pronounced, suggesting that winter cover cropping may offer minimal additional erosion reduction compared to spring bedding alone when following a cereal crop. These findings advocate for the adoption of spring bedding to reduce off-season wind erosion and its associated economic and environmental costs. The results also underscore the importance of considering both economic and long-term sustainability when selecting bedding practices in potato cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"74 ","pages":"Article 101000"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aeolian ResearchPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2025-05-14DOI: 10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100977
Hongwei Yang, Wenxuan Fu
{"title":"Exploring the atmospheric and ecological impacts of a major dust storm: Insights from WRF–Chem simulations","authors":"Hongwei Yang, Wenxuan Fu","doi":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100977","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aeolia.2025.100977","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sand and dust storm (SDS) is disastrous weather phenomenon on a global scale. Previous studies have demonstrated that SDS significantly affects weather, air quality, and human health. However, the interaction between SDS and ecological systems has previously been underexplored. In this study, we aim to elucidate the impact mechanisms of SDS on vegetation dynamics. We employed Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model with Chemistry (WRF–Chem) to investigate the severe SDS in East Asia in May 2017. Our results reveal that the WRF–Chem model reasonably reproduced the large scale eastward movement of the SDS caused by the Mongolia cyclone in multiple aspects. SDS decreased downward shortwave (SW) radiation at surface (DSWS) and increased longwave radiation at the surface, causing non-uniform spatiotemporal changes in skin temperature (SKT) determined by the local surface energy balance. Crucially, SDS detrimentally impacted gross primary production (GPP) during the critical germination phases, with reductions in GPP exceeding 10% in certain areas. The total reductions were −20.17 kt, −81.55 kt, and −218.88 kt, respectively for May 2, 3, and 4 over the domain. Changes in GPP were attributed to variations in SKT and DSWS, as determined by calculating the partial correlation coefficients (PCC). The sensitivity, magnitude, and direction of GPP variation due to SKT and DSWS were influenced by altitude, which inherently affects radiation levels. These variations were further modulated by local conditions, including moisture availability. Our study illuminates the interaction between SDS and ecological systems, a subject that has been poorly understood.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49246,"journal":{"name":"Aeolian Research","volume":"73 ","pages":"Article 100977"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}