Sand Movement patterns in the south of Iran

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