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Relevance and physics of wind-driven rainfall erosion

Research Project
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01.01.2013
 - 31.12.2015

On a global perspective,wind andwater erosion are the main factors causing soil degradation. Most soil erosion studies either focus on wind or water erosion, and only few investigations take into account that both processes are not necessarily related to separate climatic zones. Considering that strong storm events are often followed by heavy rainfall events, it is evident that wind and water erosion can occur almost at the same time. As a result, very little quantitative field data is available on the relative importance of soil detachment and transport between wind and water erosion. Despite recent work on the influence of wind on raindrops and subsequent processes of soil detachment in laboratory facilities, the detailed physics involved are far from beeing well understood. Hence, actual attempts to implement this process into physically based models was not very successfull. This study therefore aims on producing a larger dataset (in the lab and field) to fill in these knowledge gaps, by utilizing a newly developed portable wind and rainfall simulator, a precises drip irrigator, and a well equipped experimental rainfall lab facility in Witterswil.

Publications

Iserloh, T. et al. (2013) ‘The role of wind-driven rain for soil erosion - an experimental approach’, Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie. Supplementbände. Neue Folge, 57(1), pp. 193–201. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1127/0372-8854/2012/s-00118.

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Fister, Wolfgang et al. (2012) ‘A portable wind and rainfall simulator for in situ soil erosion measurements’, CATENA, 91, pp. 72–84. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2011.03.002.

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Fister, Wolfgang (2011) Ein mobiler Windkanal mit integrierter Beregnungsanlage zur experimentellen Erfassung der Bodenerosion durch Wind, Wasser und ihrer kombinierten Wirkung im Gelände. Dissertation.

Fister, Wolfgang et al. (2011) ‘Comparison of rainfall characteristics of a small portable rainfall simulator and a combined wind and rainfall simulator’, Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, 55(S3), pp. 109–126. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1127/0372-8854/2011/0055s3-0054.

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Gartmann, Andres et al. (2011) ‘CFD modelling and validation of measured wind field data in a portable wind tunnel’, Aeolian research, 3(3), pp. 315–325. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeolia.2011.07.002.

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Members (2)

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Wolfgang Fister

Principal Investigator
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Nikolaus J. Kuhn

Principal Investigator