Main Wind Research Articles

Study on Static and Dynamic Reliability of Main Girder of Cable-stayed Bridge Based on Subset Simulation Method

For failure probability analysis of complex structures, the Monte Carlo method (MC) needs a large number of samples and it is more inefficient in the case of small failure probability. Based on the Subset Simulation (SS) and Subset Simulation Significant Sampling (SSIS), this paper analyzes the static and dynamic reliability of main girder of cable-stayed bridge and realizes the efficient solution of the failure probability of complex cable-stayed bridge. According to SS, MC sampling is performed on random variables. Finally, the critical values of intermediate failure events are solved and automatically stratified, and then the failure probability of each failure mode is obtained by counting the number of samples in the failure domain. According to SSIS method, SS method is optimized by introducing important sampling density function, which can make the sample points to fall in the structural failure areas as many as possible. The failure probability of main girder of cable-stayed bridge can be calculated more efficiently. Meanwhile, ANSYS-PDS template technique is used to perform the reliability and sensitivity analysis of main girder of cable-stayed bridge. The failure probabilities obtained are very close to the results of SS. The example analysis shows that for the reliability analysis of cable-stayed bridges, the sample size of SS and SSIS is 0.3% of MC, and the maximum relative difference is less than 3%. In addition the main beam section bending moment and wind speed have the greatest impact on the reliability of the main beam of cable-stayed bridges.

Chemical evolution of elliptical galaxies I: supernovae and AGN feedback

ABSTRACT We study the formation and evolution of elliptical galaxies and how they suppress star formation and maintain it quenched. A one-zone chemical model which follows in detail the time evolution of gas mass and its chemical abundances during the active and passive evolution is adopted. The model includes both gas infall and outflow as well as detailed stellar nucleosynthesis. Elliptical galaxies with different infall masses, following a down-sizing in star formation scenario, are considered. In the chemical evolution simulation, we include a novel calculation of the feedback processes. We include heating by stellar wind, core-collapse supernovae (SNe), Type Ia SNe (usually not highlighted in galaxy formation simulations), and active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. The AGN feedback is a novelty in this kind of models and is computed by considering a Bondi-Eddington limited accretion onto the central supermassive black hole. We successfully reproduce several observational features, such as the [α/Fe] ratios increasing with galaxy mass, mass-metallicity, MBH–σ and MBH–M* relations. Moreover, we show that stellar feedback and in particular Type Ia SNe, has a main role in maintaining quenched the star formation after the occurrence of the main galactic wind, especially in low-mass ellipticals. For larger systems, the contribution from AGN to thermal energy of gas appears to be necessary. However, the effect of the AGN on the development of the main galactic wind is negligible, unless an unreasonable high-AGN efficiency or an extremely low-stellar feedback are assumed. We emphasize the important role played by Type Ia SNe in the energy budget of early-type galaxies.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) soil contamination in Lausanne, Switzerland: Combining pollution mapping and human exposure assessment for targeted risk management

In December 2020, high soil concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were discovered across large parts of Lausanne, Switzerland. Concentrations reached up to 640 ng TEQWHO-2005/kg dry weight. The most likely source was a former municipal waste incinerator. A three-step, multidisciplinary approach to human health risk assessment was conducted to determine the potential population exposure to PCDD/Fs and identify appropriate preventive measures. First, exposure scenarios were developed based on contaminated land uses. Second, the toxicological risks of different scenarios were evaluated using a toxicokinetic model estimating increases in blood serum PCDD/F concentrations over background concentrations from the general population's food consumption. Third, a detailed geostatistical mapping of PCDD/F soil contamination was performed. Stochastic simulations with an external drift and an anisotropic model of the variogram were generated to incorporate the effects of distance from emission source, topography, and main wind directions on the spatial distribution of PCDD/Fs in topsoil. Three main scenarios were assessed: i) direct ingestion of soil by children in playgrounds; ii) consumption of vegetables from private gardens by children and adults; and iii) consumption of food from livestock and poultry raised on contaminated soil. The worst exposure scenario involved the consumption of eggs from private hen houses, resulting in PCDD/F concentrations in serum an order of magnitude higher than might normally be expected. No relevant increases in serum concentrations were calculated for direct soil ingestion and vegetable consumption, except for cucurbitaceous vegetables. Combining mapping and exposure scenario assessment resulted in targeted protective measures for land users, especially concerning food consumption. The results also raised concerns about the potential unsafe consumption of products derived from animals raised on land with PCDD/F concentrations only moderately over environmental background levels.

Reducing Wind Erosion through Agroforestry: A Case Study Using Large Eddy Simulations

Wind erosion is seen as one of the main risks for modern agriculture in dry and sandy regions. Shelterbelts and agroforestry systems are known for their ability to reduce wind speed and, consequently, wind erosion. The current study considers temperate alley cropping agroforestry systems, where multiple tree strips (shelterbelts) are interleaved with either annual rotating crops or perennial grassland. The aim was to quantify the potential wind erosion reduction by alley cropping agroforestry systems and the effect of design decisions for a case study in Germany. By combining wind measurements and Large Eddy Simulations, the wind speed and potential wind erosion inside an agroforestry system were estimated. Our model simulations result in an average reduction in wind speed between 17% and 67%, and a reduction of average potential wind erosion between 24% and 97%. The most optimal reduction of the average potential wind erosion was larger than 92% for tree strips orientated perpendicular to the main wind direction, whereas for a diagonal orientation of the tree strips to the main wind direction we found an average reduction of 86%. Parallel orientated tree strips reduce wind erosion on average by less than 35%. Tree strips planted with ≤48 m distance provide a strong and constant reduction of wind erosion, even for tree strips of 2 m height the average reduction was 86%, when the tree strips were orientated optimal to the dominant wind direction. Our model simulations showed that alley cropping agroforestry systems in a temperate climate have a large potential to reduce wind erosion by more than 80% when the system is well-designed and managed.

Integrating forest windthrow assessment data in the process of windscape reconstruction: Case of the extratropical storms downscaled for the Gutai Mountains (Romania)

Downscaling and modeling natural disturbances such as the extratropical storms are important for understanding and predicting the behavior of the air flow over complex forested areas, especially in high wind instances that cause damages. Therefore, the rationale of the research was that the windscape of a storm could be reconstructed based on the features of consequent forest windthrows. Main input data for the model were derived from data on forest damages (extension, orientation, and depth of windthrows) retrieved from combined UAV imagery, high-resolution imagery, and field survey, integrated with terrain, wind data at stations within the study area, land cover, overturning and breaking point conditions for tree species, and human interventions. Using a GIS environment, a critical wind speed index was calculated, as well as the main wind direction on each damaged stand, considering the factors that lead to windthrows. This model was then compared to a computational fluid dynamics wind model built with WindNinja app, using the conservation of mass and momentum solver, at the moment of the storm, and adjusted. Ultimately, maps and 3D models were presented to the main stakeholders in the area, namely, forest management, protected area operatives, and road and tourist infrastructures’ management in order to enhance the resilience strategies and environmental protection.

Powering Europe with North Sea offshore wind: The impact of hydrogen investments on grid infrastructure and power prices

Hydrogen will be a central cross-sectoral energy carrier in the decarbonization of the European energy system. This paper investigates how a large-scale deployment of green hydrogen production affects the investments in transmission and generation towards 2060, analyzes the North Sea area with the main offshore wind projects, and assesses the development of an offshore energy hub. Results indicate that the hydrogen deployment has a tremendous impact on the grid development in Europe and in the North Sea. Findings indicate that total power generation capacity increases around 50%. The offshore energy hub acts mainly as a power transmission asset, leads to a reduction in total generation capacity, and is central to unlock the offshore wind potential in the North Sea. The effect of hydrogen deployment on power prices is multifaceted. In regions where power prices have typically been lower than elsewhere in Europe, it is observed that hydrogen increases the power price considerably. However, as hydrogen flexibility relieves stress in high-demand periods for the grid, power prices decrease in average for some countries. This suggests that while the deployment of green hydrogen will lead to a significant increase in power demand, power prices will not necessarily experience a large increase.

A cluster analysis of the global wind power industry: Insights for renewable energy business stakeholders and environmental policy decision makers

AbstractIn light of an ongoing climate change and an increasing fragility of fossil energy supply due to global political tensions, the adoption of renewable energy sources is of utmost importance for economic and social prosperity. This study targets to endeavor major value chain configurations within the global wind power industry network based on a data set of 326 relationships established by the 10 globally leading wind turbine firms covering a time span of 15 years. We discuss the demand side and provide an overview of the main wind power investment target countries and compare the importance of different regions. On the supply side, we analyze and identify eight important firm clusters within the global wind power business network. Concerning our sample, we elaborate horizontal and vertical relationship links, their collaboration patterns, regional partner preferences, and their value chain competences, thus providing valuable insights into the competitive structures of the wind power industry. By doing so, we open the debate on appropriate and efficient firm strategies within renewable industries. As consequence, we provide robust empirical evidence on global wind power industry architectures and corresponding competitive firm forces for the future. As we found that the industry is currently divided into eight main global industry clusters, our study delivers valuable industry network insights addressing managerial, political, and socioeconomic decision makers in order to secure future ecological and economic prosperity in a challenging world.

Dynamics of Large-Scale Solar-Wind Streams Obtained by the Double Superposed Epoch Analysis: 5. Influence of the Solar Activity Decrease

In solar cycles 23–24, solar activity noticeably decreased and, as a result, solar wind parameters decreased. Based on the measurements of the OMNI base for the period 1976–2019, the time profiles of the main solar wind parameters and magnetospheric indices for the main interplanetary drivers of magnetospheric disturbances (solar wind types CIR. Sheath, ejecta and MC) are studied using the double superposed epoch method. The main task of the research is to compare time profiles for the epoch of high solar activity at 21–22 SC and the epoch of low activity at 23–24 SC. The following results were obtained. (1) The analysis did not show a statistically significant change in driver durations during the epoch of minimum. (2) The time profiles of all parameters for all types of SW in the epoch of low activity have the same shape as in the epoch of high activity, but locate at lower values of the parameters. (3) In CIR events, the longitude angle of the solar wind flow has a characteristic S shape; but in the epoch of low activity, it varies in a larger range than in the previous epoch.

Ocean Wave Inversion Based on a Ku/Ka Dual-Band Airborne Interferometric Imaging Radar Altimeter

Ocean wave parameters (OWPs), including wave propagation direction (WPD), significant wave height (SWH), and main wave wavelength (MWW) can be typically retrieved using an interferometric imaging radar altimeter (InIRA). However, the inversion accuracy of ocean waves in Ku (15.8 GHz) and Ka (35.8 GHz) bands has not yet been evaluated due to the lack of field observation data. In this paper, to assess the inversion accuracy of OWPs in Ku and Ka bands, an airborne observation experiment using simultaneous Ku and Ka bands was carried out for the first time in Rizhao, Shandong Province, China. A dual-band InIRA (DInIRA) was configured with small incidence angles (4°–18°) and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) buoy; a mobile weather station was placed at the intersection of the plane routes for validation. Afterward, the WPD, SWH, and MWW were retrieved based on the imaging of sea surface height. As compared with the field in situ data, the WPD inversion results of main wind wave were found to be consistent with the measurement environmental wind direction. The SWH inversion biases, retrieved by the Ku and Ka bands, were 0.38 m and 0.27 m; the MWW inversion biases for the swells were equal to 16.75 m and 3.67 m; and the MWW inversion biases about the wind waves were 2.32 m and 0.57 m. Ultimately, it was established that the OWPs could be effectively retrieved by the DInIRA, and the inversion accuracy of the SWH and the MWW in the Ka band outperformed that in the Ku band.

AIRFLOW SIMULATION AT THE UKRAINIAN ANTARCTIC STATION

The location of the Ukrainian Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station leads to several problems related to the need to ensure the livelihood and safety of people. The infrastructure of Vernadsky station is affected by significant climatic loads during the year, such as wind, rain, snow and low temperatures. The destruction or even significant damage to the infrastructure of the Antarctic station can endanger the lives of people who are on it due to the inability to evacuate. The purpose of the study is to determine the fields of wind load distribution within the Antarctic Vernadsky station. This is necessary in order to identify the infrastructure objects that are most affected by wind loads. SolidWorks computer-aided design software environment allows you to build geometric models of objects of varying complexity. That is why this system was chosen to model the infrastructure of the Ukrainian Antarctic Vernadsky station. Simulation modeling of wind load was performed in the computer-aided engineering software of finite element analysis ANSYS. Geometric models of the infrastructure objects of the Ukrainian Antarctic Vernadsky station were created. Simulation modeling of the station under wind load conditions was performed. It is shown that in the case of wind from the mainland, the elements of the station's infrastructure that receive the main wind load are the main building and the VST-200. It is determined that the presence of a pile foundation affects the velocity vector fields, so this element should not be neglected when performing further research. It is shown that practically all objects of the station's infrastructure lead to significant turbulent vortices. Geometric models of the infrastructure objects of the Ukrainian Antarctic station Academician Vernadsky were created. Simulation modeling of the station under wind load conditions was performed. It is shown that in the case of wind from the mainland, the elements of the station's infrastructure that receive the main wind load are the main building and the RVS-200. It is determined that the presence of a pile foundation affects the velocity vector fields, so this element should not be neglected when performing further research. It is shown that almost all infrastructure objects of the station lead to significant turbulent tails when they flow around.

Method to Predict Outputs of Two-Dimensional VAWT Rotors by Using Wake Model Mimicking the CFD-Created Flow Field

Recently, wind farms consisting of clusters of closely spaced vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) have attracted the interest of many people. In this study, a method using a wake model to predict the flow field and the output power of each rotor in a VAWT cluster is proposed. The method uses the information obtained by the preliminary computational fluid dynamics (CFD) targeting an isolated single two-dimensional (2D) VAWT rotor and a few layouts of the paired 2D rotors. In the method, the resultant rotor and flow conditions are determined so as to satisfy the momentum balance in the main wind direction. The pressure loss of the control volume (CV) is given by an interaction model which modifies the prepared information on a single rotor case and assumes the dependence on the inter-rotor distance and the induced velocity. The interaction model consists of four equations depending on the typical four-type layouts of selected two rotors. To obtain the appropriate circulation of each rotor, the searching range of the circulation is limited according to the distribution of other rotors around the rotor at issue. The method can predict the rotor powers in a 2D-VAWT cluster including a few rotors in an incomparably shorter time than the CFD analysis using a dynamic model.

Discussion of Design Wind Loads on a Vaulted Free Roof

This paper discusses the wind loads for designing vaulted free roofs based on a wind tunnel experiment, in which the wind force coefficients for the main wind force resisting system and the peak wind force coefficients for cladding are considered. The focus is on the dynamic load effects of fluctuating wind pressures on the wind force coefficients. Wind pressure distributions on the top and bottom surfaces were measured in a turbulent boundary layer. The results indicated that the distributions of wind force coefficients changed significantly with wind direction. Then, the wind direction providing the maximum load effect on the structural frame was detected from a dynamic response analysis using the time histories of wind pressure coefficients. In the analysis, the focus was on the bending moment at the windward column base and the axial force in the leeward column as the most important load effects. The LRC method proposed by Kasperski was employed for evaluating the equivalent static wind force coefficients providing the maximum load effects. Based on the results, a model of design wind force coefficient was proposed in the framework of the conventional gust effect factor approach. Finally, positive and negative peak wind force coefficients for designing the cladding were proposed based on the most critical maximum and minimum peak wind force coefficients among all wind directions.

Correlation analysis of three-parameter Weibull distribution parameters with wind energy characteristics in a semi-urban environment

Suburban areas are rich in wind resources, but wind energy characteristics are complicated by the strong turbulence disturbance of buildings. Current work on wind resource assessment is focused on the fitting of the wind speed distribution function and the measurement of wind energy abundance. The mathematical relationship between the distribution function and the main wind energy characteristics under suburban wind field conditions needs to be studied.In this study, a ZephIR 300 LiDAR wind measurement system is built in a suburban area, and wind speed data samples from heights of 11–199 m are obtained. The functional relationship between parameters is derived through a comparative analysis, which reveals that the variation of shape parameter k in the range of 1.05–1.25 causes abrupt changes in wind power density (WPD). The positive proportional relationship between the scale parameter and WPD and its correlation with height are also obtained. Turbulence intensity (TI) decrease as the scale parameter increases from 1.18 to 2.50 and fluctuates within 10.54% as the scale parameter c continues to increase from 2.50 to 5.58. The scale parameter corresponding to the minimum value of TI at each height is provided.

Research progress of wind energy utilization in building environment

Against the backdrop of the increasing global clean energy crisis, the development and efficient use of clean and renewable energy has become an important theme in today's society. In the use environment of various urban public buildings, the main difference of wind energy is that it can not only be directly applied to the urban buildings itself, but also does not need any transportation tools. According to the development status of building wind energy environment research in china and abroad, the main characteristics of building wind energy environment using wind energy in china are analyzed. the feasibility of using main wind energy in building wind energy environment in china is discussed. the main utilization methods of building wind energy environment using wind energy including natural ventilation system exhaust and building wind energy comprehensive power generation in china are introduced. the comprehensive evaluation of the current building energy saving environment using wind energy comprehensive utilization efficiency is given. the theoretical research results and practical application examples about building energy saving environment using wind energy are summarized. On the basis of this paper, some current hot issues that need further study are proposed in order to provide the basis for the wider application of wind technology in the architectural environment.

Characteristics of Wind Resources and Post-Project Evaluation of Wind Farms in Coastal Areas of Zhejiang

As the onshore wind farm technology matures, offshore wind energy has attracted increasing attention. Zhejiang has coastal areas with massive potential for wind resources because of its geographical location. Therefore, understanding the wind resources in these areas can lay a foundation for future development and utilization. On this basis, this study used the measured wind field data of a wind farm along the coast of Zhejiang from March 2014 to February 2015 and from March 2016 to February 2018 to investigate and compare the characteristics of wind energy resources, including average wind speed, Weibull shape and scale factors, wind direction variation, and wind energy density. Then, the capacity coefficient of a wind turbine predicted using the wind farm data was compared with the actual capacity coefficients of two wind turbines in the wind farm in 2019. Results revealed the following observations: The overall variations in the evaluation indicators followed clear patterns over the 3 years. For example, the main wind direction in the same season was the same, and the variations in the monthly average wind speed, the monthly wind power density, and the theoretical capacity factors were highly similar. The time-series data indicated that the difference in the indicators between summer and autumn was significantly larger than that between other seasons, with the maximum difference in monthly average wind speed of 1.46 times and the maximum difference in monthly wind power density of 1.5 times. The comparison results of the capacity coefficient showed that the theoretical and actual capacity coefficients were extremely close when the monthly average wind speed was less than 6 m/s, with the average difference being less than 9%. When the monthly average wind speed was greater than 6 m/s, the proximity between the theoretical and actual capacity coefficients was reduced, with an average difference of more than 9% and a maximum value of 28%. In general, the overall characteristics of wind resources in coastal areas of Zhejiang exhibited similar trends but fluctuated considerably in some months. Wind energy forecasts had significant discrepancies from the actual operation indicators of the wind farm when the wind speed was high.

Wind turbine power performance characterization through aeroelastic simulations and virtual nacelle lidar measurements

The power performance of a wind turbine depends on several characteristics of the inflow, such as wind speed, turbulence and wind shear. Additionally, wind turbine control strategies affect the power performance of the wind turbines; under certain conditions one might want to, e.g., intentionally misalign the turbine with respect to the main wind direction. Here, we evaluate whether the accuracy in power performance evaluation can be improved by using multi-dimensional power curves in the form of multivariate polynomial regressions, which define the power output as function of wind speed, turbulence and yaw misalignment. The analysis is conducted on a dataset of virtual power performance measurements, which is generated through aeroelastic simulations combined with a simulator of nacelle lidar measurements. Results show that the multi-dimensional power curves can provide higher accuracy than those derived using the IEC standard for power curve measurements; the error in power prediction is nearly halved compared to that using the IEC standard power curve method. Additionally, we show that nacelle lidar measurements increase the accuracy of the multi-dimensional power curves when compared to using mast-based anemometer measurements.

Analysis of Wind Data Collected from 15 Stations in Thailand

The aim of this research is to study the wind speed, wind direction and the temperature of 15 stations of Thailand at 5 levels from 16 November 2019 - 13 February 2020. WAsP application is used in this research to calculate the two parameters Weibull distribution namely K shape and C scale. Furthermore, maximum and minimum wind speed is recorded. Data from Nakhon Si Thammarat shows the maximum mean wind speed 5.02 m/s. and Nan shows the minimum mean wind speed 0.8 m/s. Additionally, the prominent wind direction of every station is observed as well. Main wind direction for Nakhon Si Thammarat is from (Southwest). These results facilitate for the further research on wind characteristic feasible for small wind farm by increasing the timeline of data recorded.

Controlled-release experiment to investigate uncertainties in UAV-based emission quantification for methane point sources

Abstract. Mapping trace gas emission plumes using in situ measurements from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is an emerging and attractive possibility to quantify emissions from localized sources. Here, we present the results of an extensive controlled-release experiment in Dübendorf, Switzerland, which was conducted to develop an optimal quantification method and to determine the related uncertainties under various environmental and sampling conditions. Atmospheric methane mole fractions were simultaneously measured using a miniaturized fast-response quantum cascade laser absorption spectrometer (QCLAS) and an active AirCore system mounted on a commercial UAV. Emission fluxes were estimated using a mass-balance method by flying the UAV-based system through a vertical cross-section downwind of the point source perpendicular to the main wind direction at multiple altitudes. A refined kriging framework, called cluster-based kriging, was developed to spatially map individual methane measurement points into the whole measurement plane, while taking into account the different spatial scales between background and enhanced methane values in the plume. We found that the new kriging framework resulted in better quantification compared to ordinary kriging. The average bias of the estimated emissions was −1 %, and the average residual of individual errors was 54 %. A Direct comparison of QCLAS and AirCore measurements shows that AirCore measurements are smoothed by 20 s and had an average time lag of 7 s. AirCore measurements also stretch linearly with time at an average rate of 0.06 s for every second of QCLAS measurement. Applying these corrections to the AirCore measurements and successively calculating an emission estimate shows an enhancement of the accuracy by 3 % as compared to its uncorrected counterpart. Optimal plume sampling, including the downwind measurement distance, depends on wind and turbulence conditions, and it is furthermore limited by numerous parameters such as the maximum flight time and the measurement accuracy. Under favourable measurement conditions, emissions could be quantified with an uncertainty of 30 %. Uncertainties increase when wind speeds are below 2.3 m s−1 and directional variability is above 33∘, and when the downwind distance is above 75 m. In addition, the flux estimates were also compared to estimates from the well-established OTM-33A method involving stationary measurements. A good agreement was found, both approaches being close to the true release and uncertainties of both methods usually capturing the true release.

Surface Current Variations and Hydrological Characteristics of the Penghu Channel in the Southeastern Taiwan Strait

Coastal ocean dynamics application radar (CODAR) SeaSonde high-frequency (HF) radars deployed along the coast of Taiwan were used to reveal ocean surface current variations both hourly and through climatological seasons in the Penghu Channel (PHC), southeastern Taiwan Strait (TS), from December 2014 to December 2020. The ocean current in the PHC has a semidiurnal tidal cycle, and the seasonal main flow, wind direction, and wind strength significantly affect the direction and speed of the flow passing through the PHC. The speed of the tidal current in the PHC area can reach more than 1 m/s, and the monthly average flow speed in the PHC is between 0.12 (winter) and 0.24 m/s (summer). Several buoys indicated that the southward flow along the western coast of Taiwan drifted through the PHC in fall and winter. The HF radar observations confirmed the same, implying that this occurred during the strong northeastern monsoon. For a weak northerly wind or even southerly wind, the flow in the PHC can be northward. Different wind directions can affect the speed of the flow passing through the PHC and the branch flow in the northern PHC. The HF radar results are highly consistent with the spatial characteristics of satellite data regarding the sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and chlorophyll concentrations; however, there are significant differences from the satellite-derived ocean current.

Quantitative Study on Morphological Characteristics of Barchan Dunes in Yamarak Desert, China

Although scholars have conducted many studies on barchan dunes in deserts and sandy areas around the world, few studies have been conducted on the morphological characteristics and changes in movement patterns of barchan dunes in the Yamarak Desert, China. To assess the changes in and movement patterns of these dunes, As well as the impact on the wind-sand hazards and geohazards around the study area, we selected several typical barchan dunes of different sizes in the Yamarak Desert and measured and calculated their morphologies using a combination of a 3-D laser scanner (RIEGL VZ-2000) and remote sensing image interpretation. The results show that the average coverage of the barchan dunes in the Yamarak Desert was 37.19%. Moreover, 62.81% of this area was covered by interdune sites. The movement velocity of the barchan dunes in this study area was 0–20 m/a, with an average movement velocity of 8.45 m/a. Of these dunes, 44.18% were fast-dominated dunes, 37.20% were particularly fast-dominated dunes, and 18.62% were moderately fast-dominated dunes. The barchan dunes moved in the 95–130° direction, which was basically consistent with the main wind direction of the area. The determination and function fitting of the barchan dune morphology shows that the correlation coefficients between all of the morphological parameters are greater than 0.8, except for the degree of spread and the symmetry of the two wings. We suggest adding the influences of other factors affecting barchan dunes and dune chains in the Yamarak Desert in future studies and paying attention to new wind-sand hazards and geohazards in the downwind corridor.