TEAM: integrated, process-based wind-erosion model

TEAM (Texas Tech Erosion Analysis Model) is a process-based mathematical model that predicts detachment, movement, and deposition of soil particles associated with wind processes. TEAM also simulates the suspension and movement of dust above and downwind from eroding sites. The development of TEAM has been from an educational perspective to teach principles of soil physics, mathematical modeling, soil erosion, and conservation practices. TEAM is relatively easy to calibrate for a given site and is robust enough to deal with both agricultural and industrial conditions. It works for pure or nearly pure sand as found in desert and beach environments. It also works for agricultural soils with and without vegetative or residue covers. Early components of TEAM were used during Operation Desert Storm to develop stabilization treatments for sand barriers. Later, it was evaluated and adopted by the US Department of Energy in 1996 to develop a safety plan for cleaning up a Superfund site contaminated with nuclear and other contaminates. It generally predicts the rate (mass per unit width per unit time) or amount (mass per unit width for total storm duration) of soil movement with an R2 of 0.8 or better for field applications.