Monitoring of wind erosion in the southern Aral Sea using SBAS-InSAR technology

The Aralkum Desert, arising from the significant reduction of the Aral Sea since the 1960s, is recognized as a prominent contributor to salt-dust storms in Central Asia. This study used SBAS-InSAR technology to monitor ground deformation from wind erosion in the southern Aralkum Desert, analyzing wind-blown sediment subsidence and accumulation. The sensitivity of wind erosion to various influencing factors was further analyzed using the Geodetector model. Results indicate a negative correlation between wind erosion intensity and exposure time. The coastlines of the eastern and western lobes are experiencing the most severe erosion, with ground settlement exceeding 20 mm yr⁻¹. Sand-drift activities exhibit a seasonal pattern, with spring experiencing the most notable absolute deformation. Soil moisture was identified as the primary factor controlling ground deformation, while wind speed was the essential factor leading to the deformation. Based on the time series of ground deformation, the dried Aral Sea basin can be clustered into rapid erosion, slow erosion, stable, slow deposit, and rapid deposit zones, respectively. Finally, an intense dust event on March 22, 2020, was used to verify the results derived from the SBAS-InSAR technology. Different from the previous studies, this research provides a more detailed view of wind-blown sediment subsidence and accumulation, moving beyond the concept of the dried Aral Sea basin as a simple source of dust emissions. These findings offer vital insights for the quantitative estimation of dust emissions in the southern Aral Sea basin.