Reevaluation of the aeolian sand flux from the Ulan Buh Desert into the upper Yellow River based on in situ monitoring

Abstract Aeolian sand transport into rivers is a crucial factor influencing channel sediment dynamics and fluvial processes in rivers that flow through desert areas. Few studies have examined the dynamic processes, controlling factors, and the amount of aeolian sand transported into river channels. Here, we report a case study of aeolian sand transport into in the upper reaches of the Yellow River as it flows along the eastern margin of the Ulan Buh Desert, which is a major desert in northern China. The present study is based on systematic monitoring of wind flow characteristics, aeolian sediment dynamics (saltation, creep and suspension), and the migration of typical sand dunes (mobile, semi-anchored, and anchored) from 2013 to 2016. The relationship between wind speed and wind-blown sand transport in the study area was determined. The relationship between the rate of aeolian sand transport (saltation and creep) and the wind speed 2 m above the ground surface can be depicted with a polynomial relation when the wind speed is ≥5.7 m/s, and with a power function when the wind speed is