Frequency Of Strong Winds Research Articles

Arctic Wind, Sea Ice, and the Corresponding Characteristic Relationship

In efforts to fulfill the objectives of taking part in pragmatic cooperation in the Arctic, constructing the “Silk Road on Ice”, and ensuring ships’ safety and risk assessment in the Arctic, the two biggest hazards, which concern ships’ navigation in the Arctic, are wind and sea ice. Sea ice can result in a ship being besieged or crashing into an iceberg, endangering both human and property safety. Meanwhile, light winds can assist ships in breaking free of a sea-ice siege, whereas strong winds can hinder ships’ navigation. In this work, we first calculated the spatial and temporal characteristics of a number of indicators, including Arctic wind speed, sea-ice density, the frequency of different wind directions, the frequency of a sea-ice density of less than 20%, the frequency of strong winds of force six or above, etc. Using the ERA5 wind field and the SSMI/S sea-ice data, and applying statistical techniques, we then conducted a joint analysis to determine the correlation coefficients between the frequencies of various wind directions, the frequency of strong winds and its impact on the density of sea ice, the frequency of a sea-ice concentration (SIC) of less than 20%, and the correlation coefficient between winds and sea-ice density. In doing so, we determined importance of factoring the wind’s contribution into sea-ice analysis.

The trait‐mediated trade‐off between growth and survival depends on tree sizes and environmental conditions

Abstract Interspecific relationships between growth and survival are critical determinants of tree species diversity maintenance in forests. The trade‐offs between growth and survival in co‐occurring tree species are believed to arise along a continuum of life‐history strategies. For example, co‐occurring species range from those that grow slowly and survive well in resource‐poor environments to those that grow quickly but have low survival rates in resource‐rich environments. However, uncertainties remain regarding how growth–survival trade‐offs are related to species traits, tree sizes or environmental conditions. We examined how the relationships between species traits and growth–survival relationships shift in response to changes in stem sizes and across census periods with different climate conditions (frequency of strong winds, drought intensity) across 45 co‐occurring tree species based on 23 years of growth and survival records in a warm temperate rainforest on Yakushima Island, Japan. We developed hierarchical Bayesian models of relative growth and survival rates, including leaf traits, wood density and 95‐percentile maximum stem diameter as explanatory variables. We tested the relationships between estimated trait‐mediated growth–survival relationships and the indices of climate events during five census periods. Each trait's effects on growth–survival relationships differed across the five census periods in response to climate conditions. Interspecific growth–survival relationships affected by a single trait axis for leaves or wood tended to be negative. In contrast, those affected by the maximum stem diameter tended to be positive. Such trends increased with more frequent strong winds or more intense droughts. The single‐trait effects on growth–survival relationships were stronger for smaller sizes than for larger sizes. For all traits combined, we found a significant growth–survival trade‐off only for small‐sized stems in three of five census periods. Synthesis. Our results indicate that the effect of species traits on the growth–survival relationships depended on tree sizes, the census periods or both in response to the frequency or intensity of climate events. We argue the importance of incorporating spatial and temporal variations in environmental conditions into long‐term data from tree census to predict forest dynamics.

Teleconnection between the Surface Wind of Western Patagonia and the SAM, ENSO, and PDO Modes of Variability

The Southern Westerly Wind (SWW) belt is one of the most important atmospheric features of the Southern Hemisphere (SH). In Patagonia, these winds control the precipitation rates at the windward side of the southern Andes, and rainfall is very sensitive to any change (strength and/or latitudinal position) in the wind belt. The present-day behavior of the SWW, also known as westerlies, is characterized by remarkable seasonality. This wind belt also varies at interannual-to-decadal time scales, associated with the influence of atmospheric phenomena such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), respectively. Moreover, during the past few decades, the westerlies have shown an increase in their core strength influenced by changes in the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). However, what controls the long-term variability of the SWW at the high latitudes of the SH is still a matter of debate. This work statistically analyzes the influence of large-scale modes of variability, such as ENSO and PDO on the SAM and the frequency of the strong SWW from ERA5 reanalysis data of southwestern Patagonia (~51°S), where the current core of this belt is located. Our results confirm the relation between strong wind anomalies and the SAM. In addition, the temporal variations of strong winds are also significantly affected by the PDO, but there is no detectable influence of the ENSO on their frequency. This shows that future studies focused on reconstructing wind history from aeolian particles of lake sediments from southwestern Patagonia could also provide information about the modes of variability that influence strong wind frequency.

Characteristics of wind speeds and outdoor thermal sensation considering the effect of wind speeds: An analysis based on hourly data from 1995 to 2021 in Poland

AbstractIn this study, characteristics of 10 m height wind speeds (Wsp10) and outdoor human thermal sensation taking wind speeds into account were studied over the period 1995–2021 considering 43 stations in Poland. For estimating hourly Wsp10 from wind speeds measured at different heights, first, the power law exponent was calculated using hourly 10 and 100 m wind speeds obtained from the ERA5 reanalysis project. The power law exponent was much smaller over the Baltic Sea compared to that over Poland. The power law exponent was often larger than 1/7 in Poland, and it varied spatiotemporally. During the period 1995–2021, at 19 of the 43 stations statistically significant monotonic linear trends were observed in Wsp10. It is speculated that land use changes may be one of the causes of these trends in Wsp10, although the land use–Wsp10 relationship was not straightforward. In all seasons, at all stations, except at Kasprowy Wierch (the most elevated station) daytime Wsp10 was higher than the night‐time wind speed. In winter and autumn, the highest Wsp10 occurred around 1300 UTC. In spring and summer, the highest Wsp10 occurred after 1300 UTC. This was probably because in spring and summer the peak temperature occurs later. In all seasons, low/high Wsp10 values were more/less frequent. According to the Beaufort scale and the Parczewski scale, it was understood that both low and high extreme wind conditions have reduced over the period 1995–2021. The Effective Temperature scale indicated increasing/decreasing monotonic linear trends in relatively warm/cold thermal sensation categories. The Wind Chill Temperature exposure risk scale indicated decreasing monotonic linear trends in wind chill. The rising temperature and declining frequency of strong winds are seen as the main causes of these trends.

Massive diatom bloom initiated by high winter sea ice in Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetlands) in relation to nutrient concentrations in the water column during the 2009/2010 summer

The South Shetland Islands, including King George Island (KGI), are located in the northern hydrographic zone on the West side of the Antarctic Peninsula (Northern WAP), which is washed mainly by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Continuous vertical mixing of the water column by strong currents, violent tidal water exchanges in deep fjords and frequent strong winds do not favour the seasonal appearance of large phytoplankton blooms. In contrast, the southern WAP is bound by the continental shelf, and is under the influence of the weaker Antarctic Peninsula Coastal Current (APCC), maintaining seasonal winter sea ice, which provides a shallow mixed layer, which in turn supports high levels of biological production in summer. During the 2009 / 2010 summer, however, a distinctive bloom event (chl-a > 20 μgL−1) was documented for in Admiralty Bay (AB), the largest and deepest fjord in KGI. It commenced in early summer (29 December 2009) at the edge of melting sea ice which had persisted since the preceding cold winter of 2009. The phytoplankton group dynamics, determined using photosynthetic pigment data, and associated changes in nutrient concentration during the bloom, have been described in this paper. The area where the phytoplankton bloom developed coincided with the surface of the brash sea ice cover. The sequence and size of biological and chemical changes recorded within the fjord during the bloom resembled the recurring ice edge blooms which occur in the southern WAP, although they had a much shorter lifespan (< two weeks), which may have been due to the slow SE winds and related surface water movement direction, which hindered vertical mixing and kept the surface water within the fjord.

Spatial and Temporal Variation of the Near-Surface Wind Environment in the Sahara Desert, North Africa

The Sahara Desert is the largest source of dust on Earth, and has a significant impact on global atmospheric changes. Wind is the main dynamic factor controlling the transport and intensity of dust in the Sahara Desert. This study comprehensively analyzed the spatial and temporal variation in the wind regime of the Sahara Desert from 1980 to 2019 using data from 17 meteorological stations to improve awareness of global atmospheric changes and the intensity of regional aeolian activities. All wind speed parameters decreased from northwest to southeast. While there were significant differences in the trends of temporal variation in wind speed among the different regions, there was an overall decreasing trend across the Sahara Desert, with an average wind speed of 0.09 m s−1 10 a−1. This decrease was closely related to wind frequency. The easterly, westerly, and northerly winds dominated, with more complex wind direction in the northern region. Seasonal differences in wind direction were observed in all regions. The wind direction frequency of wind speeds &amp;gt;6 m s−1 exceeded those with wind speeds &amp;lt;6 m s−1 in the western and northern regions, whereas other regions showed an opposite pattern. The highest drift potential (DP) and resultant drift potential (RDP) were found in the western and northern regions, and during spring and winter. There was a trend of decreasing annual variation in DP and RDP in all regions. The directional variability (RDP/DP) indicated mostly intermediate and high variability in wind direction. Resultant drift direction (RDD) indicated that a mainly southwest wind direction. No apparent trends in temporal variation in RDD and RDP/DP were observed. Total DP was strongly influenced by DP and the magnitude and frequency of strong winds in the prevailing wind direction. No strong correlation between wind regimes and dune types was observed in this desert, indicating the complexity of factors affecting dune morphology.

Dams and climate change accelerate channel avulsion and coastal erosion and threaten Ramsar-listed wetlands in the largest Great Barrier Reef watershed

• Dam-induced sand settling in the Burdekin River delta is raising the flood levels and threatening channel avulsion. • This trapping of sand in the Delta is starving the coast of sand and generating rapid coastal erosion. • Climate change is enhancing this coastal erosion as in the last few decades the mean sea level and the frequency of strong winds have increased significantly. • This is threatening Ramsar-listed wetlands of international significance. • The connectivity of water and sediment between the various parts of river basin demonstrates the need to manage the river at the basin scale using ecohydrology principles. This study documents the impact of climate change and human activities on the Burdekin River delta and coast. The Burdekin River is located in the dry tropics with a seasonally and interannually highly variable discharge, controlled by occasional cyclones and the ENSO-dependent monsoon. Even though the peak discharge from cyclonic rainfall is decreased by a dam, large floods still occur during long-duration monsoon. While the dam traps much of the coarse sediment runoff, large amounts still reach the Delta originating from catchments downstream of the dam. The riverbed in the Delta has measurably risen in recent decades. In turn, this increases the flood levels and the threat of channel avulsion. Sand trapping by the dam and in the Delta is also starving the coast of sand, and this generates rapid coastal erosion along the 11 km long Cape Bowling Green peninsula. Climate change is enhancing this coastal erosion as in the last few decades the mean sea level and the frequency of strong winds have increased significantly. The peninsula may breach soon. As the peninsula protects Ramsar-listed wetlands of international significance, its breaching is predicted to impact the fisheries that depend on the Cape (the black marlin billfish) and on the wetlands (mud crabs, barramundi and mangrove jacks), as well as shorebirds and waterbirds. These findings demonstrate the connectivity of water and sediment throughout the river basin and the coast, and the need for management at the basin scale using ecohydrology principles.

Analysis of Atmospheric Stability for the Prevention of Coastal Disasters and the Development of Efficient Coastal Renewable Energy

Kim, H.; Moon, C.-J.; Kim, Y.-G.; Chon, K.-H.; Joo, J.Y., and Ryu, G.H., 2021. Analysis of atmospheric stability for the prevention of coastal disasters and the development of efficient coastal renewable energy. In: Lee, J.L.; Suh, K.S.; Lee, B.; Shin, S., and Lee, J. (eds.), Crisis and Integrated Management for Coastal and Marine Safety. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 114, pp. 241–245. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749–0208. The ground friction force is lower in coastal and marine areas than it is on land, and there is a relatively high frequency of strong winds in such areas, which substantially affects the life and stability of wind turbines. In particular, the strong wind at the bottom of the atmospheric boundary layer is generated by a combination of thermal and mechanical factors, so there is always a risk due to vertical wind shear and strong turbulent gusts. Therefore, to prevent physical loss of wind turbines located in the atmospheric boundary layer, it is necessary to analyze the wind condition through a more accurate atmospheric stability analysis. In this study, observation data from the Boseong Standard Meteorological Tower are examined to select strong wind cases in the lower atmospheric boundary layer, and the vertical distribution characteristics of the wind resources are analyzed according to the Monin-Obukhov length (MOL). The results confirmed that the vertical wind velocity gradient caused by atmospheric stability mainly changes when the atmosphere is in the near-neutral state at night during the winter.

THE ENERGY POTENTIAL OF BLACK SEA IN ROMANIAN SEASIDE AREA

The Black Sea is considered a relatively calm sea, the optimal choice for the capture process is influenced by the wave regime and its peculiarities. This sea is characterized by winds that blow towards land with greater intensity in January causing the sea to be more agitated and with less power in May, June and July, when the sea was the calmest of the year. It should be noted that the frequency of strong winds is 38%, and of those of low speed of 1m/s of only 1.5%. For the collection of oceanographic and meteorological information, data provided by the Gloria platform located in front of Romania’s coast were is used, as well as records from the three offshore buoys anchored in the Romanian seaside area and which are part of the EMSO EUXINUS research infrastructure managed by National Institute for Research and Development on Marine Geology and Geoecology - GeoEcoMar. In addition, free data such as those provided by the site of the research institute Grigore Antipa were easily accessed. Presently there are three fixed platforms in the Black Sea. Wave energy is underexploited, both worldwide and in the Black Sea. The potential of this type of energy is huge, and the environmental impact is low compared to other renewable energy technologies.

Biogeomorphology of nebkhas in the Mu Us dune field, north-central China: Chronological and morphological results

Nebkhas, also known as nebkha dunes or coppice dunes, are a unique biogeomorphological aeolian landform that is common in arid and semi-arid regions. They are often regarded as a signal of regional desertification and could be potential dust sources due to their relatively large content of fine sediments, but they also serve as “fertile islands” that enhance biodiversity at a micro-habitat. How the interactions between plant growth and aeolian sand deposition affect the formation and development of nebkhas has not been well documented, though. In this study, the chronology and morphological features of nebkhas in the Mu Us dune field, north-central China were studied using radionuclide (137Cs) dating and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetric survey. The results show that the nebkhas are mainly distributed around lake basins and dry river valleys with relatively flat topography. Most nebkhas have heights around 0.5–1.5 m, and according to a new integrated age-height model, they mostly formed in the last fifty years. Widespread nebkha growth over that time is interpreted as a response to both desiccation of lake beds and river valleys and a pronounced decline in strong wind frequency. The regular rounded shape of the nebkhas in the study area may reflect the growth form of prostrate, extensively branched Nitraria tangutorum, the dominant formative shrub, and response to the low-energy wind environment. A nebkha's height and horizontal length increase synchronously in the early stage of the development, while the increase in horizontal length and projected area accelerates when the dunes become larger. Feedbacks involving both aeolian sand transport and shrub growth can explain a decline in growth rate with increasing height and an apparent height limit of about 4 m. This study also implies that nebkhas are important biogeomorphological features demonstrating how biotic and abiotic interactions can shape landforms and influence ecological functioning in arid and semi-arid environments.

Soil burial has a greater effect on litter decomposition rate than nitrogen enrichment in alpine grasslands

AbstractAimsLitter is frequently buried in the soil in alpine grasslands due to grassland degradation, serious rodent infestation and frequent strong winds. However, the effects of various litter positions on litter decomposition rates and nutrient dynamics under nitrogen (N) enrichment in such areas remain unknown.MethodsA field experiment was performed in the alpine grasslands of northwest China to investigate the influence of litter position (surface, buried in the soil and standing) and N enrichment on litter decomposition, using data from two dominant grass species (Festuca ovina and Leymus tianschanicus) in control and N-enriched plots.Important FindingsLitter decomposition rates were much faster in buried litter and slower in standing litter than in surface litter. N enrichment significantly affected litter quality and then influenced decomposition. But no significant differences in litter mass remaining were observed between control and N-enriched soil burial. These results indicated that N enrichment significantly affected litter decomposition by changes in litter quality. In addition, all litter exhibited net carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) release regardless of treatments. Litter exhibited net N accumulation for litter from the control plots but showed N release for litter from N enrichment plots. These suggested that litter decomposition can be limited by N and N enrichment influenced N cycling of litter. Current study presented direct evidence that soil buried litter exhibited faster mass loss and C release, and that soil burial can be a candidate explanation why litter decomposes faster than expected in dryland.

The modern Yellow River Delta in transition: Causes and implications

Sustainable development of megadeltas worldwide has recently been the focus of international socioeconomic and environmental concerns. Long-term geomorphic sustainability of deltas is crucial for sustaining coastal resources and marine ecosystems. The modern Yellow River Delta (YRD), which has been developed since 1855, is increasingly facing erosion threats under natural and human-induced changes. Utilizing long-term hydrological data, remote-sensing satellite images and bathymetric survey data, the transition processes of the modern YRD (including both the subaerial and subaqueous delta) during 1855–2015 from the perspective of morphodynamics are examined. The results show that over the past 160 years, the evolution of the Yellow River subaerial delta is under rapid accretion before 2000, and transitioned to slight erosion state after 2000, which is believed to be associated with the reduced sediment supply. Correspondingly, the Yellow River subaqueous delta is also believed to transition from the accretion into net erosion since 2000, with a net volume change rate of −1.5 × 108 m3/yr. As the primary source for deltaic deposits, at least 2.6 × 108 t/yr of sediment supply is required to sustain the erosion-accretion balance of both the subaerial and subaqueous delta. Compared with the previous research, we present that the 160-year morphological evolution of the modern deltaic system is strongly influenced by the reduction of sediment input. Within this time frame the changes in the partition of sediment load among frequent migrations of the deltaic channel could have a direct impact on variations of the long-term erosion-deposition patterns of the modern YRD. Extreme events of storm surges and frequent strong winds caused significant short-term fluctuations in the erosion/deposition of the subaqueous delta that would affect long-term changes. The insights gained from this study may help to set scientific guidelines for the sustainable development of other river deltas worldwide that are subject to climate change and human interventions.

Are perception and adaptation to climate variability and change of cowpea growers in Mali gender differentiated?

Understanding the gender dimension of climate change perception and choice of adaptation strategies is crucial for policy recommendations that foster the development and integration of gender-responsive climate-smart agricultural interventions into agricultural development programs. This study determined the differences in the perception and choice of adaptation strategies between men and women farmers in Cinzana in the Segou region of Mali. The study used questionnaire interviews involving 260 farmers (49% women) and focus group discussions for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logit model to understand the determinants of the level of adoption of adaptation strategies. The results showed that, irrespective of gender, majority of farmers perceived climate change as extended period of droughts, shortened duration of rains, increased frequency of strong winds and increased day and night temperatures. While climate change perception was similar between men and women, choice of adaptation strategies differed significantly in most instances. Women farmers were generally low adopters of crop and varieties-related strategies, soil and water conservation technics (contour farming, use of organic manure), etc., compare to men. Notably, being the household head, age and the availability of free labor were found to positively increased farmers’ probability of adopting many adaptation strategies. The study recommends improving women’s access and control of production resources (land, labor) as means to improving their adoption of adaptation strategies.

Long-term variability of inorganic ions in TSP at a remote background site in Japan (Wajima) from 2005 to 2015

Eleven years (2005–2015) of data from long-term monitoring at a Japanese remote background site in Wajima, were analyzed to investigate temporal trends and sources. Water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) were analyzed for aerosol chemical composition. The total WSIIs concentration was 7.93 ± 3.93 μg/m3, accounting for 42.3% of TSP mass, ranged from 11.4 to 93.9%. SO42− is the most abundant ion, contributing a total WSII mass from 18.0 to 79.8%, and non-sea-salt (nss-) SO42− contributed from 63.6% to 99.6% of total SO42−, which was related to human activities on the Asian continent and the effects of marine precursors in spring and summer, respectively. NO3− and NH4+ contribute 6.3 and 7.4% of the total WSIIs and were affected by long-range transport and local sources as well. The increasing trend of Na+ and Cl− indicates the increased influence of sea salt, which is caused by more frequent strong winds. K+ is mainly produced from biomass burning with a stable seasonal variation, Ca2+ as the characteristic ion of dust has the highest concentration in spring. Mg2+ comes from minerals and marine sources during spring and summer, respectively. This work describes in detail the annual change trend of the WSIIs of atmospheric particles in the Wajima area, seasonal characteristics, and source contributions, provide a comprehensive understanding of long-term variation in atmospheric particulate.

Tephra deposits and carbon dynamics in peatlands of a volcanic region: Lessons from the Hekla 4 eruption

AbstractInteractions between tephra deposits from volcanic eruptions and peatland carbon (C) dynamics are poorly understood despite the significant extent of peatlands influenced by tephra worldwide. Tephra falls can affect peat accumulation within a radius of at least 1,000 km. In Iceland, volcanic activity is amongst the highest in the world and it might even increase due to pressure release on subglacial volcanoes. A potent combination of sparse vegetation, low cohesion of Andosols, and frequent strong winds, facilitates the regular input of mineral aeolian material from eroded areas into peatlands in Iceland, in addition to tephra deposits. We present results of a study on the impact of a major tephra deposit, the Hekla 4 tephra, on C dynamics in Icelandic peatlands. We investigated three sites at differing distances from the active volcanic zones and major erosion areas in the interior of the country. A combination of variables was applied, including laboratory C mineralization at 5, 15 and 25°C and C structure obtained by solid‐state 13C NMR spectroscopy. Tephra deposits seem to affect C dynamics. Differences in C mineralization can only be partially explained by C structure. The C mineralization from soils with conspicuously similar C structure differs by a factor of up to 2.7. Temperature sensitivity of decomposition after the tephra deposition increases by a factor of up to 2.2. Changes in inorganic matter and the ratio of soil organic matter to soil organic carbon by a factor of up to 1.3 and 1.4, respectively, were also observed.

Impact of storms on residence times and export of coastal waters during a mild autumn/winter period in the Gulf of Lion

A coupled ocean-wave model was used to investigate residence times of the water masses on the Gulf of Lion shelf and their export routes during autumn 2010 and winter 2010–2011. Particular attention is paid to the Cap de Creus region and submarine canyon, a key site for the export of water from the Gulf of Lion shelf. First, model results were compared to numerous observations taken during the same period. The timing of strong current pulses on the shelf and at 300 m depth within the Cap de Creus Canyon, linked to easterly winds during winter, were well reproduced by the model. Lagrangian particle trajectories were used to calculate residence times of water masses on the Gulf of Lion shelf. Those of waters located near the Rhône River ranged from 10 to 40 days for autumn 2010, a period which was dominated by frequent strong winds, to 40–60 days for winter 2010–2011, which has been linked to less frequent strong winds and a slope current flowing farther away from the shelf. In the Cap de Creus region the volumes of water exported were estimated at 747 km3 in autumn and 1513 km3 in winter. Results show that, in autumn, only 4% of the water was exported at depths below 200 m while, in winter, this percentage was 25% because it was related to coastal dense water cascades. Yet, this export remains low compared to other winters. It is likely that the low heat losses that characterized the second part of the winter were responsible for the shallow export depth through the Cap de Creus Canyon. These conditions favoured an export of water from the Gulf of Lion to the Spanish coastal zone that would represent 70% of the total exported volume. Interannual variability of the distribution of this export was investigated over the longer period of 2010–2017. Heat losses in February and March appear to be an indicator of dense shelf water cascading, suggesting about 3 or 4 out of 8 winters being affected by deep cascading (reaching 1000 m depth). Understanding the variability of exports of continental inputs to this region is essential to anticipate their potential impacts on ecosystems and human activities in environments as contrasting as the coastal zone and deep canyons.

Storm-induced hydrodynamic changes and seabed erosion in the littoral area of Yellow River Delta: A model-guided mechanism study

Morphological evolution of large river deltas is highly vulnerable to extreme storm events due to insufficient sediment supply. As an abandoned delta lobe, the coasts along the northern Yellow River Delta (YRD) and Gudong Oil Field have recently suffered serious erosion due to extreme storm events and become increasingly vulnerable. In this study, a well validated and tested Delft 3D module by the observing hydrodynamic and sediment data to simulate the hydrodynamics and seabed erosion during a storm event in the littoral area of YRD. Observed wave, current and sediment data under both fair-weather and storm conditions were collected in the study area and used to validate the model. The results indicated that the model can reproduce well the hydrodynamic and sediment transport processes. A series of numerical experiments were carried out to examine the hydrodynamic changes and sediment transports. In the numerical experiment of normal condition, there is hardly any sediment transport off the YRD. The numerical experiment of storm condition showed that storms enhanced tidal residual currents, weakened tidal shear front, and significant wave heights up to 2 m, considerably intensified the sediment resuspension and dispersal. The local sediment resuspension due to the increased wave-induced bottom stress promoted the sediment plume to expand to the central area of Laizhou Bay, which seemed to provide sediment source for offshore and southward transport. During the storm, the active nearshore sediment resuspension provided sediment source for offshore and southward transport. The intensive dynamics and sediment transport under storm conditions caused significant changes in seabed erosion and siltation. The main erosion occurred off the Gudong and northern YRD, while the main siltation appeared in the central area of Laizhou Bay. No significant recovery after a storm and frequent strong winds have an accumulative effect on the erosion, which is very likely to dominate the erosive states of the YRD coast in the future.

Dust storm susceptibility on different land surface types in arid and semiarid regions of northern China

Dust storm originates from arid and semiarid areas and could cause worldwide lasting effects along varying trajectories. As an extreme weather hazard, dust storm is usually induced by strong winds. In this paper, an aerodynamic parameter, defined as the ratio between dust storm frequency (DSF) and strong wind frequency (SWF), was calculated for quantifying dust storm susceptibility (DSS). The characteristic value and temporal change of DSS in five typical land surface areas, including cultivated land, grassland, sand desert, Gobi desert, and salt crust, were analyzed with dust storm and strong wind records at 15 weather stations. The spatial distribution of DSS in the arid and semiarid regions of northern China was described using dust storm and strong wind records at 102 meteorological stations. There are positive correlations between SWF and DSF for any identical land surface type. Land surface conditions have a great influence on dust storm susceptibility. According to DSS value, the five land surface types can be divided into two categories: (1) Cultivated land and sand desert, with DSS between 0.64 and 0.53, about 2.6–10 times higher than that of the other three land surfaces, are prone to forming dust storm under strong wind conditions; (2) Gobi desert, grassland and salt crust, with average DSS from 0.06 to 0.2, exhibit lower probability of dust storm occurrence under strong wind conditions. The DSF in the surrounding areas of the arid Taklimakan desert in Xinjiang are much larger than SWF, and dust storms take place readily even at normal erosive wind conditions. The areas with high DSF are not spatially consistent with SWF distribution but more coincide with high DSS areas where sand deserts and farmland are concentrated. In the nearly four past decades, the DSS showed an overall increasing trend on different ground surfaces which may be related to local human activities and climatic warming.

Risk Assessment of Wind Damage to Florests, Based on Wind Velocity and Frequency of Strong Winds

Risk Assessment of Wind Damage to Florests, Based on Wind Velocity and Frequency of Strong Winds

Human influence on European winter wind storms such as those of January 2018

Abstract. Several major storms pounded western Europe in January 2018, generating large damages and casualties. The two most impactful ones, Eleanor and Friederike, are analysed here in the context of climate change. Near surface wind speed station observations exhibit a decreasing trend in the frequency of strong winds associated with such storms. High-resolution regional climate models, on the other hand, show no trend up to now and a small increase in storminess in future due to climate change. This shows that factors other than climate change, which are not in the climate models, caused the observed decline in storminess over land. A large part is probably due to increases in surface roughness, as shown for a small set of stations covering the Netherlands and in previous studies. This observed trend could therefore be independent from climate evolution. We concluded that human-induced climate change has had so far no significant influence on storms like the two mentioned. However, all simulations indicate that global warming could lead to a marginal increase (0 %–20 %) in the probability of extreme hourly winds until the middle of the century, consistent with previous modelling studies. This excludes other factors, such as surface roughness, aerosols, and decadal variability, which have up to now caused a much larger negative trend. Until these factors are correctly simulated by climate models, we cannot give credible projections of future storminess over land in Europe.