Effect of wind speed on aggregate size distribution of windblown sediment

Abstract Wind speed is critical in wind erosion and dust emission processes; however, previous studies, especially field measurements, have been unable to verify the effect of wind speed on particle size distribution of windblown sediment. The aim of this study was to elucidate changes in the aggregate size distribution of windblown sediment in relation to friction wind velocity based on field observations conducted during 2012–2018 in Bashang District (North China). The results showed that for loamy, sandy, and sandy loam soils, the geometric mean diameter of sediment increased exponentially with increasing friction wind velocity. The mass percentages of particles with diameters of  0.1). Correlations in the aggregate size distribution between windblown sediment and in-situ soil were enhanced with increasing friction wind velocity. The results indicate the influence of wind speed on particle size distribution of windblown sediment should be considered when determining dust emission efficiency, or when analyzing the influence of the particle size distribution of soil on that of windblown sediment.