Electromagnetic scattering of charged particles in a strong wind-blown sand electric field

Some field experimental results have shown that the moving sands or dust aerosols in nature are usually electrified,and those charged particles also produce a strong electric field in air, which is named as wind-blown sand electric field.Some scholars have pointed out that the net charge on the particle significantly enhances its electromagnetic(EM) extinction properties, but up to now, there is no conclusive research on the effect of the environmental electric field. Based on the extended Mie theory, the effect of the electric field in a sandstorm on the EM attenuation properties of the charged larger dust particle is studied. The numerical results indicate that the environmental electric field also has a great influence on the particle's optical properties, and the stronger the electric field, the bigger the effect. In addition, the charged angle, the charge density, and the particle radius all have a specific impact on the charged particle's optical properties.

Effect of the W-beam central guardrails on wind-blown sand deposition on desert expressways in sandy regions

Many desert expressways are affected by the deposition of the wind-blown sand,which might block the movement of vehicles or cause accidents.W-beam central guardrails,which are used to improve the safety of desert expressways,are thought to influence the deposition of the wind-blown sand,but this has yet not to be studied adequately.To address this issue,we conducted a wind tunnel test to simulate and explore how the W-beam central guardrails affect the airflow,the wind-blown sand flux and the deposition of the wind-blown sand on desert expressways in sandy regions.The subgrade model is 3.5 cm high and 80.0 cm wide,with a bank slope ratio of 1:3.The W-beam central guardrails model is 3.7 cm high,which included a 1.4-cm-high W-beam and a 2.3-cm-high stand column.The wind velocity was measured by using pitot-static tubes placed at nine different heights(1,2,3,5,7,10,15,30 and 50 cm)above the floor of the chamber.The vertical distribution of the wind-blown sand flux in the wind tunnel was measured by using the sand sampler,which was sectioned into 20 intervals.In addition,we measured the wind-blown sand flux in the field at K50 of the Bachu-Shache desert expressway in the Taklimakan Desert on 11 May 2016,by using a customized 78-cm-high gradient sand sampler for the sand flux structure test.Obstruction by the subgrade leads to the formation of two weak wind zones located at the foot of the windward slope and at the leeward slope of the subgrade,and the wind velocity on the leeward side weakens significantly.The W-beam central guardrails decrease the leeward wind velocity,whereas the velocity increases through the bottom gaps and over the top of the W-beam central guardrails.The vertical distribution of the wind-blown sand flux measured by wind tunnel follows neither a power-law nor an exponential function when affected by either the subgrade or the W-beam central guardrails.At 0.0H and 0.5H(where H=3.5 cm,which is the height of the subgrade),the sand transport is less at the 3 cm height from the subgrade surface than at the 1 and 5 cm heights as a result of obstruction by the W-beam central guardrails,and the maximum sand transportation occurs at the 5 cm height affected by the subgrade surface.The average saltation height in the presence of the W-beam central guardrails is greater than the subgrade height.The field test shows that the sand deposits on the overtaking lane leeward of the W-beam central guardrails and that the thickness of the deposited sand is determined by the difference in the sand mass transported between the inlet and outlet points,which is consistent with the position of the minimum wind velocity in the wind tunnel test.The results of this study could help us to understand the hazards of the wind-blown sand onto subgrade with the W-beam central guardrails.

Wind tunnel test on the effect of metal net fences on sand flux in a Gobi Desert, China

The Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through an expansive windy area in a Gobi Desert, and sand-blocking fences were built to protect the railway from destruction by wind-blown sand. However, the shielding effect of the sand-blocking fence is below the expectation. In this study, effects of metal net fences with porosities of 0.5 and 0.7 were tested in a wind tunnel to determine the effectiveness of the employed two kinds of fences in reducing wind velocity and restraining wind-blown sand. Specifically, the horizontal wind velocities and sediment flux densities above the gravel surface were measured under different free-stream wind velocities for the following conditions： no fence at all, single fence with a porosity of 0.5, single fence with a porosity of 0.7, double fences with a porosity of 0.5, and double fences with a porosity of 0.7. Experimental results showed that the horizontal wind velocity was more significantly decreased by the fence with a porosity of 0.5, especially for the double fences. The horizontal wind velocity decreased approximately 65% at a distance of 3.25 m（i.e., 13 H, where H denotes the fence height） downwind the double fences, and no reverse flow or vortex was observed on the leeward side. The sediment flux density decreased exponentially with height above the gravel surface downwind in all tested fences. The reduction percentage of total sediment flux density was higher for the fence with a porosity of 0.5 than for the fence with a porosity of 0.7, especially for the double fences. Furthermore, the decreasing percentage of total sediment flux density decreased with increasing free-stream wind velocity. The results suggest that compared with metal net fence with a porosity of 0.7, the metal net fence with a porosity of 0.5 is more effective for controlling wind-blown sand in the expansive windy area where the Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through.

A laboratory test of the electrification phenomenon in wind-blown sand flux

The measured data in the wind-tunnel tests show that the wind-blown sand particles acquired a negative charge when their diameters are smaller than 250 μm and positive charge when their diameters are larger than 500 μm, which confirms Latham’s assumption that the large particles in wind-blown sand flux acquired positive charge while negative charge developed on small ones. In the meanwhile, the measured data also show that the average charge-to-mass ratio for wind-blown sand particles decreases with the increase of the particle diameter and the wind velocity, and increases with the rise of height. The electric field in wind-blown sand flux is mainly formed by the moving charged sand particles. Its direction is vertical to the Earth’s surface and upward, which is opposite to that of the fair-weather field. The electric field increases with wind velocity and height increasing. These experimental results will lay the foundation for developing the theoretical analysis of the electrification phenomenon in

Investigations on Several Mechanical Problems in Windblown Sand Movement

It is very necessary for investigation on mechanism of windblown sand movement to understand and find out effective measures of preventing and reducing windblown sand, This also deals with some general features and hot spots in the scientific forelands. such as multi-scale problems. interactions among. multi-physical-fields, randomness and nonlinearity as well as complex systems. In recent years, a series of experiments in wind tunnels and theoretical modeling as well as computer simulation have been taken by our research group （the Laboratory of Environmental Mechanics on Windblown Sand Movement in Lanzhou University ）in a cross-disciplinary （mechanics and geography） viewpoint. Several original and essential studies were explored such as the main regularities of charges on sand particles, the mechanisms of electric field in windblown sand flux, the effects induced by the electric field on the flux, the microwave propagations, the evolution process of windblown and flux under mutual couple interations among several physical fields, and the simulation of the main features of Aeolian sand ripples.

Investigations on Several Mechanical Problems in Windblown Sand Movement

It is very necessary for the investigation on mechanism of windblown sand movement to under- stand and find out effective measures of preventing and reducing danger of windblown sands,which al- so deals with some general characters and hot spots in the scientific forelands,such as multi-scale prob- lems,interactions among multi-physical-fields,ran- domness and nonlinearity as well as complex sys- tems.In recent years,a series of experiments in wind tunnels and theoretical modeling as well as computer simulation have been undertaken in the re- search group of environmental mechanics on wind- blown sand movement in Lanzhou University with the point of mechanical and geography intersecting view.Some original and essential progress has been achieved, which includes that the main regu- larities of charges on sand particles and the electric field in windblown sand flux and the effect of the electric field on the flux and the microwave propaga- tion are revealed,and the evolution process of windblown sand flux under the mutual couple inter- actions among several physical fields are predicted as well as the main features of Aeolian sand ripples are simulated.

风沙运动的沙粒带电机理及其影响的研究进展

土壤风蚀以及沙尘暴是人类面临的重大自然环境灾害之一,它直接关系着人类的生存环境和生活质量.许多国家和政府以及科学家们对此一直十分关注并开展了大量研究.由于大气和地表条件的多样性以及地表沙粒的运动与风场作用的相互耦合,导致风沙运动问题研究的复杂性.除此之外,伴随着对风沙运动机理的研究和对沙尘暴的观测,人们发现在风沙跃移运动和沙尘暴中的沙粒带有电荷并形成风沙电场.沙粒的运动不仅导致沙粒带电和风沙电场形成,而且也直接受到沙粒带电和风沙电场的影响.为了弄清风沙电的起因以及揭示其影响规律,研究人员对此进行了野外观测、实验室测量和理论推测等.本文将就这一问题重点介绍有关风沙运动中沙粒带电的机理、风沙电场分布规律、沙粒带电对风沙运动的微宏观物理量以及沙尘暴中沙粒带电对电磁波散射的影响等方面的实验和理论研究的基本概况和进展以及作者等人在此方面的研究工作.主要包含内容有:沙粒带电及其电场的基本实验测量,沙粒带电对风沙运动的影响,沙尘暴对电磁波衰减的影响研究以及有关风沙起电的机理研究等.同时,对这一研究领域中目前关注与存在的主要问题给予评述.

沙粒形状的不规则性及静电力对起动风速的影响

沙粒形状的不规则性使得沙粒的质心存在着偏心距,且沙粒所处位置的不同使其偏心角各异。笔者通过理论分析给出了起动风速与沙粒的粒径、偏心距、偏心角以及静电力之间的关系模型,并通过数值模拟研究了偏心距、偏心角以及静电力对起沙风速的影响。结果表明在风沙流形成的强电场中,沙粒偏心距为直径的0 05倍时与实验测量结果吻合得很好。

风沙运动的力学机理研究

风沙运动机理研究是认识土壤风蚀、沙尘天气(甚至沙尘暴)以及风沙灾害本质,进而实现有效防治的基础。其中所涉及的诸如多尺度、多场耦合、随机性、非线性、尺度效应和复杂系统等科学问题也是当今科学前沿所关注的共性和热点课题。本文在简要回顾与风沙运动力学机理研究相关的已有工作的基础上,重点介绍了兰州大学风沙环境力学研究组针对风沙流中的沙粒带电量和风沙电场的基本规律及其对风沙流和无线电通讯的影响、风沙流发展过程的理论预测、固沙结构有效尺寸的分析、风成地貌主要特征的计算机模拟等方面所开展的研究工作。

大气电场仪用于风沙电场测量的可能性分析

总结归纳了风沙电现象研究领域常用的测量仪器及其基本原理,并对现有仪器直接应用于风沙电现象研究所可能产生的问题进行了理论分析。结果表明:由于大气电学仪器感知电场强度与环境介电常数相关,且这类仪器通常是在无沙环境下进行仪器参数的标定,但是将其用于风沙环境时,实验仪器测量所处的环境介电常数发生显著改变,从而导致无沙环境下的标定关系失效,致使无法获得准确的环境电场信息。同时,针对这一问题给出了相关改进的措施,并分析了风沙电现象实验研究仍存在的一些问题。

野外近地表风沙流脉动特征分析

基于风沙流实时测量系统对流沙地表的输沙强度以及不同高度风速进行实时测量所获得的数据,分析野外实际风场中的风沙流脉动特征。结果表明:沙粒的存在削弱平均流场,但对风速的高阶统计矩和分布形式影响不大,不同高度、不同来流平均风速条件下,风沙流中风速仍近似符合高斯分布;瞬时输沙强度服从指数分布,滞后风速约1s,脉动强烈;30min输沙强度平均值和脉动标准差均随平均风速的增大而呈幂函数增加,但随风速脉动强度的变化呈先增大后减小的趋势。这意味着脉动风速对输沙率具有重要影响,需要在输沙率预测公式中予以考虑。

风沙静电场对植物茎秆液流传输过程影响的理论分析

风沙流对植物生理过程具有非常重要的影响,但是对其影响机理目前并无相关理论模型给予解释。本文基于植物茎秆的刚性导管模型讨论了风沙静电场对植物茎流速率的影响。结果表明:随着外部电场增强,茎流速率指数增加,即外部电场越强,水分输运速度越快;植物茎秆导管半径越大,水分输运速度越快,且电场的影响越明显。本文结果在一定程度上解释了风沙流胁迫对植物的影响远大于净风影响的实验结果,可为沙化地区的植被保护提供一定的帮助。

风沙运动中的若干力学问题研究

风沙运动机理研究是认识风沙灾害本质进而实现有效防治的基础,所涉及的诸如多尺度、多场耦合、随机性、非线性、尺度效应和复杂系统等科学问题也是科学前沿所关注的共性和热点课题。近：年来兰州大学风沙环境力学研究组从力学和地学的学科交叉角度,通过风洞实验、理论建模和计算机模拟研究,揭示了风沙流中沙粒带电量和风沙电场的基本规律及其对风沙流和无线电通讯的影响,实现了对考虑多物理场耦合作用的风沙流发展过程的理论预测以及对风成沙波纹主要特征的计算机模拟,取得一些具有原创性的实质进展。