Sand Movement Patterns in Southern Iran

Wind regime data from the Jask meteorological station from a 20-year statistical period 1985-2005 was analyzed using the Fryberger method to investigate sand drift potential DP in this area. The resultant drift potential and directional variability of wind were calculated and illustrated. Average annual sand DP was estimated to be 460 vector units VU , and the sand flux is 51 m3/m.year. Therefore, in view of the winds erosive power calculated by software using the Lettau-Lettau equation and according to Frybergerʹs classification 1979,this area is categorized as a high energy wind environment. Calculating DPt in different seasons showed that the strongest windʹ s blow in summer and winter 158.8 and 152.4 VU , and autumn had the lowest DP. In summer, the wind blows in a south-southeast pattern which differs from that of other seasons. Autumn also has the highest frequency of winds swifter than threshold velocity. The unidirectional index RDP/DPt value is 0.08 for this region, which causes the formation of transverse dunes barkhanoid from south-southeast to north-northwest.