Wind energy environments and dunefield activity in the Chinese deserts

There are few detailed analyses of the wind energy environments and dunefield activity in the Chinese deserts. On the basis of wind data and other climatic parameters collected at meteorological stations in and around the deserts, this paper considers wind environments and dunefield activity in the Chinese deserts in the 1990s. The results show that dunes in most of the deserts were developed and controlled by low energy wind regimes. Although most dunes had the morphology of transverse and linear types, which is consistent with wind regimes, some deserts did not show close relations between dune morphology and regional wind directional distributions due to other controls. Although sand transport mainly occurs in spring and early summer, there is strong sand transport activity in winter in some deserts. Dune activity in the Chinese deserts has great spatial variations. The regions with low dune activity are located in the Chaidm, Mu Us, Hobq, Horqin and Nenjiang Deserts due to much higher annual precipitation in these regions. The areas with strong dune activity are located in the eastern Taklimakan and northern Badain Jaran Deserts due to arid conditions and much stronger winds.