The landfall of hurricane Claudette in 2003 damaged and eroded most Texas coastal counties. The residents of Pointe San Luis on the west end of Galveston Island, Texas lost their protective dune front and experienced significant shoreline erosion. Following the storm, the Pointe San Luis Property Owner's Association contacted Texas A&M University to design a dune restoration strategy. The greatest natural contributor to dune reconstruction is the available sand delivered by aeolian transport. During the course of the study it became apparent that no model or software existed capable of demonstrating the effectiveness of available dune restoration alternatives. Building Beach©, a coastal aeolian sand transport simulator, was developed in response to this need. Based on discrete dynamics and requiring a minimum of technical input, the software allows coastal property owners, consultants, and coastal developers to graphically model the effectiveness of several dune restoration options including sand fence, planted vegetation, geo-textiles, and other solid protective barriers. The graphical output of Building Beach© enables the user to compare approximations of the performance of different restoration strategies to select the most effective option for a particular beach.

LUNA, Marco César Monteiro de Morais. Simulações de campos de dunas sob a influência do crescimento de vegetação e da exposição do nível de água do terreno. 2010. 129 f. Tese (Doutorado em Física) - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física, Departamento de Física, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2010. / Submitted by Edvander Pires (edvanderpires@gmail.com) on 2015-10-16T20:08:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_tese_mcmmluna.pdf: 8181861 bytes, checksum: f3021b931d09631c9e18dcec1d96de5a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Edvander Pires(edvanderpires@gmail.com) on 2015-10-21T20:36:54Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_tese_mcmmluna.pdf: 8181861 bytes, checksum: f3021b931d09631c9e18dcec1d96de5a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-10-21T20:36:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_tese_mcmmluna.pdf: 8181861 bytes, checksum: f3021b931d09631c9e18dcec1d96de5a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / In this work we study the genesis of coastal dune fields using the DUNE model developed by Sauermann et al. (2001) and Kroy et al. (2002), and later perfected by Schwämmle and Herrmann (2004). The model was developed to calculate the transport of grains by saltation and the formation of sand dunes, and then it takes account the growth of vegetation (Durán and Herrmann, 2006a). Initially we investigate the genesis and the early stages of development of coastal dune fields in the presence of vegetation growth. The model is applied to calculate the evolution of sand transported in the same direction of the wind into a land where there is vegetation growth. In previous work, the model reproduced the fixation of sand grains and the stabilization of dunes. Consequently, the barchans dunes in the presence of plants can be transformed into parabolic dunes (Durán et al., 2006a). Here, we seek the understanding of competition between the sand transport and vegetation growth in the development of transverse dunes under the influence of plant growth, when we find a maximum height for transverse dunes under the influence of vegetation. Then we conduct a detailed study of the development of dune fields taking into account changes in the relevant parameters: the width of the beach, availability of sand sediment, wind intensity, the vegetation growth rate and the maximum height reached by the plants. Different morphologies are obtained for the coastal dune fields which depend crucially on the characteristic vegetation growth rate and the wind shear velocity, which can reproduce patterns found in actual fields. After we investigate, the genesis and development of coastal dune fields in the presence of a dynamic water level. In other to do it we complement this model with a dynamic water surface. Here we try to obtain and understand the influence of a exposed water surface over the ground in the development and morphology of the dunes. In this way, we also try a quantitative understanding of the dynamics of coastal dune fields as a function of local climatic conditions, since the dynamics of the water level is linked to rainfall (Jimenez et al., 1999, Levin et al., 2009). The results show that for a constant wind shear velocity u∗ the main effect of the presence of water is to produce the dunes in the field more regular in their shape and size. As the shift Aw in the water level becomes larger, the dunes undergo a transition from barchans dunes to chains of barchans dunes, and then to transverse dunes, reducing the maximum height reached by the dunes in the field. The water spreads the sand across the field and reduces the existence of areas which are free of the sand presence, preventing the formation of dunes and leading to the formation of a sandy bed with a smooth surface. When we increase the time which the water level tew is above the ground, the dunes in the field pattern are more regular in shape and height in the same way as when we increase the shift in water level. For a unidirectional wind sinusoidally oscillating out of phase with respect to fluctuation of water level, in opposition to the constant wind, as Aw becomes larger, higher are the dunes in the field, and they undergo a transition from chains of barchans dunes to isolated barchans dunes. In this case, the sand is retained in the dunes and we do not observe the formation of a sand bed as Aw grows. In the case of a sinusoidal wind in phase with the oscillation of the water level, the dunes appear only for small shifts in the water level. These results agree with the observations of real sand dune fields (Kocurek et al., 1992), reproducing the constructive and destructive phases which alternate in dune fields under the influence of an oscillating water level due to seasonal climatic changes. In the simulations we reproduce some morphological patterns of sand dunes that are found in the Lençóis Maranhenses sand dune field. Comparison between simulation results and satellite images of this region is quite satisfactory from a qualitative point of view and from a quantitative point of view. / Neste trabalho estudamos a gênese de campos de dunas costeiras através do modelo DUNE desenvolvido por Sauermann et al. (2001) e Kroy et al. (2002), e posteriormente aprimorado por Schwämmle e Herrmann (2004). O modelo DUNE foi desenvolvido para calcular o transporte de grãos por saltação e para a formação de dunas de areia. Depois, passou a levar em consideração também o crescimento da vegetação (Durán e Herrmann, 2006a). Inicialmente investigamos a gênese e os primeiros estágios de desenvolvimento de campos costeiros de dunas na presença do crescimento da vegetação. O modelo é aplicado para calcular a evolução da areia transportada na mesma direção do vento para dentro de um terreno onde ocorre o crescimento da vegetação. Antes, o modelo reproduziu a fixação da areia e consequente estabilização de dunas barcanas na presença das plantas, resultando na formação de dunas parabólicas (Durán et al., 2006a). Aqui, buscamos o entendimento dessa competição entre o transporte de areia e o crescimento da vegetação no desenvolvimento de dunas transversais na presença do crescimento de plantas, quando encontramos uma altura máxima para a duna transversal sob a influência da vegetação. Em seguida realizamos um estudo detalhado do desenvolvimento de campos de dunas levando em consideração variações nos parâmetros relevantes: largura da praia, disponibilidade de sedimentos, intensidade do vento, a velocidade de crescimento da vegetação e a altura máxima atingida pelas plantas. Diferentes morfologias foram obtidas para os campos de duna costeiras que dependem fundamentalmente da taxa de crescimento característica da vegetação e da velocidade de cisalhamento do vento, e que conseguem reproduzir padrões encontrados em campos reais. Depois investigamos no trabalho, a gênese e o desenvolvimento de campos de dunas costeiros na presença de um nível de água dinâmico. Para isso complementamos o modelo com uma superfície de água dinâmica. Buscamos aqui, obter e compreender a influência de uma superfície de água exposta no terreno no desenvolvimento e na morfologia das dunas. De maneira que, buscamos também um entendimento quantitativo da dinâmica de campos de dunas costeiros como função das condições climáticas locais, já que a dinâmica do nível de água está ligada ao regime de chuvas (Jimenez et al., 1999; Levin et al., 2009). Os resultados mostram que, para ventos com velocidade de cisalhamento u∗ constante, o principal efeito da presença da água é tornar as dunas no campo mais regulares em sua forma e tamanho. À medida que o deslocamento no nível de água Aw se torna maior, as dunas sofrem uma transição, passando de barcanas para cadeias de dunas barcanóides e depois para dunas transversais, reduzindo as alturas máximas atingidas pelas dunas. A água espalha a areia por todo campo e diminui a existência de áreas livres da presença de areia, impedindo a formação de dunas e levando à formação de um leito arenoso de relevo suave. Quando fixamos a altura máxima atingida pelo nível de água e aumentamos o seu tempo de exposição tew acima do chão, as dunas no campo apresentam padrão mais regular na forma e na altura da mesma maneira que acontece quando cresce o deslocamento no nível de água. Para um vento unidirecional oscilando senoidalmente fora de fase em relação a oscilação do nível de água, de maneira contrário ao vento constante, à medida que Aw se torna maior, maiores são as dunas no campo, e as dunas passam de cadeias de dunas barcanóides para dunas barcanas isoladas. Nesse caso, a areia fica retida nas dunas e não temos a formação de um leito de areia à medida que Aw cresce. Já no caso de um vento senoidal em fase com a oscilação do nível de água as dunas somente surgem para pequenas variações no nível de água. Esses resultados concordam com observações realizadas em campos reais por Kocurek et al. (1992), reproduzindo as fase destrutivas e construtivas que se alternam em campos de dunas sob a influência de um nível de água oscilante, devido às mudanças climáticas sazonais. Conseguimos com o modelo reproduzir alguns padrões de morfológicos de dunas que são encontrados nos Lençóis Maranhenses. A comparação dos resultados obtidos nas simulações com as imagens de satélite da região é bastante satisfatória, tanto do ponto de vista qualitativo, quanto do ponto de vista quantitativo.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / Neste trabalho estudamos a gÃnese de campos de dunas costeiras atravÃs do modelo DUNE desenvolvido por Sauermann et al. (2001) e Kroy et al. (2002), e posteriormente aprimorado por SchwÃmmle e Herrmann (2004). O modelo DUNE foi desenvolvido para calcular o transporte de grÃos por saltaÃÃo e para a formaÃÃo de dunas de areia. Depois, passou a levar em consideraÃÃo tambÃm o crescimento da vegetaÃÃo (DurÃn e Herrmann, 2006a). Inicialmente investigamos a gÃnese e os primeiros estÃgios de desenvolvimento de campos costeiros de dunas na presenÃa do crescimento da vegetaÃÃo. O modelo à aplicado para calcular a evoluÃÃo da areia transportada na mesma direÃÃo do vento para dentro de um terreno onde ocorre o crescimento da vegetaÃÃo. Antes, o modelo reproduziu a fixaÃÃo da areia e consequente estabilizaÃÃo de dunas barcanas na presenÃa das plantas, resultando na formaÃÃo de dunas parabÃlicas (DurÃn et al., 2006a). Aqui, buscamos o entendimento dessa competiÃÃo entre o transporte de areia e o crescimento da vegetaÃÃo no desenvolvimento de dunas transversais na presenÃa do crescimento de plantas, quando encontramos uma altura mÃxima para a duna transversal sob a influÃncia da vegetaÃÃo. Em seguida realizamos um estudo detalhado do desenvolvimento de campos de dunas levando em consideraÃÃo variaÃÃes nos parÃmetros relevantes: largura da praia, disponibilidade de sedimentos, intensidade do vento, a velocidade de crescimento da vegetaÃÃo e a altura mÃxima atingida pelas plantas. Diferentes morfologias foram obtidas para os campos de duna costeiras que dependem fundamentalmente da taxa de crescimento caracterÃstica da vegetaÃÃo e da velocidade de cisalhamento do vento, e que conseguem reproduzir padrÃes encontrados em campos reais. Depois investigamos no trabalho, a gÃnese e o desenvolvimento de campos de dunas costeiros na presenÃa de um nÃvel de Ãgua dinÃmico. Para isso complementamos o modelo com uma superfÃcie de Ãgua dinÃmica. Buscamos aqui, obter e compreender a influÃncia de uma superfÃcie de Ãgua exposta no terreno no desenvolvimento e na morfologia das dunas. De maneira que, buscamos tambÃm um entendimento quantitativo da dinÃmica de campos de dunas costeiros como funÃÃo das condiÃÃes climÃticas locais, jà que a dinÃmica do nÃvel de Ãgua està ligada ao regime de chuvas (Jimenez et al., 1999; Levin et al., 2009). Os resultados mostram que, para ventos com velocidade de cisalhamento u∗ constante, o principal efeito da presenÃa da Ãgua à tornar as dunas no campo mais regulares em sua forma e tamanho. à medida que o deslocamento no nÃvel de Ãgua Aw se torna maior, as dunas sofrem uma transiÃÃo, passando de barcanas para cadeias de dunas barcanÃides e depois para dunas transversais, reduzindo as alturas mÃximas atingidas pelas dunas. A Ãgua espalha a areia por todo campo e diminui a existÃncia de Ãreas livres da presenÃa de areia, impedindo a formaÃÃo de dunas e levando à formaÃÃo de um leito arenoso de relevo suave. Quando fixamos a altura mÃxima atingida pelo nÃvel de Ãgua e aumentamos o seu tempo de exposiÃÃo tew acima do chÃo, as dunas no campo apresentam padrÃo mais regular na forma e na altura da mesma maneira que acontece quando cresce o deslocamento no nÃvel de Ãgua. Para um vento unidirecional oscilando senoidalmente fora de fase em relaÃÃo a oscilaÃÃo do nÃvel de Ãgua, de maneira contrÃrio ao vento constante, à medida que Aw se torna maior, maiores sÃo as dunas no campo, e as dunas passam de cadeias de dunas barcanÃides para dunas barcanas isoladas. Nesse caso, a areia fica retida nas dunas e nÃo temos a formaÃÃo de um leito de areia à medida que Aw cresce. Jà no caso de um vento senoidal em fase com a oscilaÃÃo do nÃvel de Ãgua as dunas somente surgem para pequenas variaÃÃes no nÃvel de Ãgua. Esses resultados concordam com observaÃÃes realizadas em campos reais por Kocurek et al. (1992), reproduzindo as fase destrutivas e construtivas que se alternam em campos de dunas sob a influÃncia de um nÃvel de Ãgua oscilante, devido Ãs mudanÃas climÃticas sazonais. Conseguimos com o modelo reproduzir alguns padrÃes de morfolÃgicos de dunas que sÃo encontrados nos LenÃÃis Maranhenses. A comparaÃÃo dos resultados obtidos nas simulaÃÃes com as imagens de satÃlite da regiÃo à bastante satisfatÃria, tanto do ponto de vista qualitativo, quanto do ponto de vista quantitativo. / In this work we study the genesis of coastal dune fields using the DUNE model developed by Sauermann et al. (2001) and Kroy et al. (2002), and later perfected by SchwÃmmle and Herrmann (2004). The model was developed to calculate the transport of grains by saltation and the formation of sand dunes, and then it takes account the growth of vegetation (DurÃn and Herrmann, 2006a). Initially we investigate the genesis and the early stages of development of coastal dune fields in the presence of vegetation growth. The model is applied to calculate the evolution of sand transported in the same direction of the wind into a land where there is vegetation growth. In previous work, the model reproduced the fixation of sand grains and the stabilization of dunes. Consequently, the barchans dunes in the presence of plants can be transformed into parabolic dunes (DurÃn et al., 2006a). Here, we seek the understanding of competition between the sand transport and vegetation growth in the development of transverse dunes under the influence of plant growth, when we find a maximum height for transverse dunes under the influence of vegetation. Then we conduct a detailed study of the development of dune fields taking into account changes in the relevant parameters: the width of the beach, availability of sand sediment, wind intensity, the vegetation growth rate and the maximum height reached by the plants. Different morphologies are obtained for the coastal dune fields which depend crucially on the characteristic vegetation growth rate and the wind shear velocity, which can reproduce patterns found in actual fields. After we investigate, the genesis and development of coastal dune fields in the presence of a dynamic water level. In other to do it we complement this model with a dynamic water surface. Here we try to obtain and understand the influence of a exposed water surface over the ground in the development and morphology of the dunes. In this way, we also try a quantitative understanding of the dynamics of coastal dune fields as a function of local climatic conditions, since the dynamics of the water level is linked to rainfall (Jimenez et al., 1999, Levin et al., 2009). The results show that for a constant wind shear velocity u∗ the main effect of the presence of water is to produce the dunes in the field more regular in their shape and size. As the shift Aw in the water level becomes larger, the dunes undergo a transition from barchans dunes to chains of barchans dunes, and then to transverse dunes, reducing the maximum height reached by the dunes in the field. The water spreads the sand across the field and reduces the existence of areas which are free of the sand presence, preventing the formation of dunes and leading to the formation of a sandy bed with a smooth surface. When we increase the time which the water level tew is above the ground, the dunes in the field pattern are more regular in shape and height in the same way as when we increase the shift in water level. For a unidirectional wind sinusoidally oscillating out of phase with respect to fluctuation of water level, in opposition to the constant wind, as Aw becomes larger, higher are the dunes in the field, and they undergo a transition from chains of barchans dunes to isolated barchans dunes. In this case, the sand is retained in the dunes and we do not observe the formation of a sand bed as Aw grows. In the case of a sinusoidal wind in phase with the oscillation of the water level, the dunes appear only for small shifts in the water level. These results agree with the observations of real sand dune fields (Kocurek et al., 1992), reproducing the constructive and destructive phases which alternate in dune fields under the influence of an oscillating water level due to seasonal climatic changes. In the simulations we reproduce some morphological patterns of sand dunes that are found in the LenÃÃis Maranhenses sand dune field. Comparison between simulation results and satellite images of this region is quite satisfactory from a qualitative point of view and from a quantitative point of view.

No description available.

Grasslands provide fundamental ecosystem services in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world, but are experiencing rapid increases in fire activity making them highly susceptible to post-fire accelerated soil erosion by wind. A quantitative assessment that integrates fire-wind erosion feedbacks is therefore needed to account for vegetation change, soil biogeochemical cycling, air quality, and landscape evolution. We investigated the applicability of a novel tracer technique – the use of multiple rare earth elements (REE) - to quantify aeolian soil erosion and to identify sources and sinks of wind-blown sediments in a burned and unburned shrub-grass transition zone in the Chihuahuan desert, NM, USA. Results indicate that the horizontal mass flux of wind-borne sediment increased approximately three times following the fire. The REE-tracer analysis of aeolian sediments shows that an average 88% of the horizontal mass flux in the control area was derived from bare microsites, whereas at the burned site it was derived from shrub and bare microsites, 42% and 39% respectively. The vegetated microsites, which were predominantly sinks of aeolian sediments in the unburned areas, became sediment sources following the fire. The burned areas exhibited a spatial homogenization of sediment tracers, highlighting a potential negative feedback on landscape heterogeneity induced by shrub encroachment into grasslands. Though fires are known to increase aeolian sediment transport, accompanying changes in the sources and sinks of wind-borne sediments likely influence biogeochemical cycling and land degradation dynamics. Our experiment demonstrated that REEs can be used as reliable tracers for field-scale aeolian studies. / Geology / Accompanied by one compressed .zip file: MET_Tower_Data.zip

No description available.

Le transport de la neige par le vent est une composante importante de l'interaction entre l'atmosphère et la cryosphère. En zone de montagne, il influence la distribution temporelle et spatiale de la couverture neigeuse au cours de l'hiver et a en premier lieu des conséquences sur le danger d'avalanche. La modélisation numérique de ce phénomène permet d'étudier les interactions complexes entre le manteau neigeux et le vent et d'en estimer les conséquences de manière distribuée. Dans ce contexte, cette thèse décrit le développement et l'évaluation d'un modèle couplé atmosphère/manteau neigeux dédié à l'étude du transport de la neige par le vent en zone de montagne reposant sur le modèle atmosphérique Meso-NH et le modèle détaillé de manteau neigeux Crocus. Le transport de la neige par le vent a été étudié sur le site expérimental du Col du Lac Blanc (massif des Grandes Rousses, France). Une base de données d'épisodes de transport couvrant dix hivers a tout d'abord été utilisée pour déterminer les caractéristiques principales de ces épisodes. Des simulations avec le modèle Crocus (non couplé à Meso-NH) ont ensuite montré qu'il était nécessaire de tenir compte des transformations mécaniques des grains de neige induites par le vent afin de simuler une évolution réaliste de la vitesse seuil de transport. Le site expérimental a également été le siège de deux campagnes de mesures en 2011 et 2012 visant à collecter de données de validation pour le modèle. Elles renseignent sur les conditions météorologiques près de la surface, sur les quantités de neige transportées et sur la localisation des zones d'érosion et de dépôt de la neige grâce à l'utilisation d'un laser terrestre. Le modèle de transport de neige par le vent Meso-NH/Crocus a été développé. Il intègre le transport de la neige en saltation et en suspension turbulente ainsi que la sublimation des particules de neige transportée. Un schéma à deux moments permet de simuler l'évolution spatiale et temporelle de la distribution en taille des particules. L'utilisation d'un schéma de couche limite de surface à l'interface entre Meso-NH et Crocus s'est révélé nécessaire pour représenter les forts gradients de concentration en particules de neige observés près de la surface. Meso-NH/Crocus est le premier modèle couplé atmosphère/manteau neigeux capable de simuler de manière interactive le transport de la neige par le vent en zone alpine. Meso-NH/Crocus a été évalué en relief réel grâce aux données collectées lors de la première campagne de mesure en 2011. La simulation d'un épisode de transport sans chute de neige simultanée montre que le modèle reproduit de manière satisfaisante les principales structures d'un écoulement en relief complexe ainsi que les profils verticaux de vitesse de vent et de flux de particules de neige en suspension près de la surface. En revanche, la résolution horizontale de 50 m est insuffisante pour reproduire avec précision la localisation des zones d'érosion et de dépôt autour du Col du Lac Blanc. La prise en compte de la sublimation réduit la quantité de neige déposée de l'ordre de 5%.Les techniques de descente d'échelle dynamique (grid nesting) ont ensuite été utilisées pour simuler un second épisode de transport avec chute de neige. L'augmentation de la résolution horizontale intensifie les contrastes de vitesse de vent entre versants au vent et sous le vent. En revanche, elle modifie peu les quantités et les structures spatiales des précipitations solides autour du Col du Lac Blanc. Lorsqu'il est activé, le transport devient la principale source d'hétérogénéités des accumulations neigeuses / Blowing and drifting snow are crucial components of the interaction between the cryosphere and the atmosphere. In mountainous areas, it affects the temporal and spatial distribution of snow depth throughout the winter season and influences avalanche formation. Numerical modeling offers a solution for studying the complex interaction between the snowpack and the wind field and to assess the related processes in a spatially distributed way. In this context, this PhD describes the development and the validation of a coupled snow/atmosphere model which is dedicated to the study of blowing and drifting snow in alpine terrain. The coupled model consists in the atmospheric model Meso-NH and the detailed snowpack model Crocus. Blowing and drifting snow have been monitored at the Col du Lac Blanc (Grandes Rousses range, French Alps) experimental site. A database consisting of blowing snow events observed over 10 years allowed us to identify the main features of these events. Numerical simulations using Crocus illustrated the necessity of taking the wind-dependence of snow grain characteristics into account in order to simulate satisfactorily the occurrence of blowing snow events. We also carried out two measurement campaigns at our experimental site in 2011 and 2012 in order to collect validation data for the model. This includes measurements of vertical profiles of wind speed and snow particle fluxes near the surface and the mapping of areas of erosion and deposition using terrestrial laser scanning. The coupled Meso-NH/Crocus model has been developed in order to account for blowing and drifting snow. It simulates snow transport in saltation and in turbulent suspension and includes the sublimation of suspended snow particles. In the atmosphere, a double-moment scheme allows the model to simulate the spatial and temporal evolution of the snow particle size distribution. The implementation of a surface boundary layer scheme at the interface between Meso-NH and Crocus turned out to be necessary to reproduce the strong vertical gradient of snow particle concentration near the surface. Meso-NH/Crocus is the first coupled snow-atmosphere model that can simulate snow transport in alpine terrain in an interactive way.Meso-NH/Crocus has been evaluated against data collected near Col du Lac Blanc during the first measurement campaign in 2011. The simulation of a blowing snow event without concurrent snowfall showed that the model captures the main structures of atmospheric flow in complex terrain, the vertical profile of wind speed and the snow particle fluxes. However, the horizontal resolution of 50 m is found to be insufficient to simulate the location of areas of snow erosion and deposition observed around Col du Lac Blanc. Blowing snow sublimation leads to a reduction in snow deposition of approximately 5%.We used downscaling techniques (grid nesting) to simulate a second blowing event with concurrent snowfall. The increase in horizontal resolution enhanced the contrast of wind speed between windward and leeward slopes. However, it only slightly affects the amount and the spatial pattern of snow precipitation around Col du Lac Blanc. When activated, blowing and drifting snow are the main sources of spatial variability of snow accumulation

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-13T17:08:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JuliaVM_DISSERT.pdf: 4236567 bytes, checksum: be73f658e3777fffb5d25f1a4d23b8d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-06 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / This study analyzed measurements of the aeolian transport using vertical sand traps across the field dunes of Jenipabu, in the municipality of Extremoz, Rio Grande do Norte state to the North of Natal city. These measurements were used as parameters for the sand aeolian transport in the region. Before the field trips a map of landscape units was made. Three visits to the field were done in September 2011 (field a - the 13th, field b - the 21st, field c - the 29th), period of the year with the highest wind speed, and another in December 8th, 2011 (field d ) when the wind speed starts to decrease. The sand traps used were of the type "I" with collecting opening of 25 cm from the surface level, and type "S" with collecting opening of 25 cm located 25 cm from the surface level in six collecting points in two of the visits (fields a and d ), and sand traps of the type "T" with the collecting opening of 50 cm from the surface level in the other field trips (fields "b" and "c"). A set of records was also collected by using a portable meteorological station complemented with information such as frequency and intensity of winds, precipitation and relative air humidity in the region, from the Esta??o Meteorol?gica de Natal , located 12 km from the study area. The sediments collected were treated and the data obtained permitted calculating the ratio of sediment transport. In September, the sedimentation ratio varied from 0.01 to 11.39 kg.m-1.h-1 and in December this ratio varied from 0.33 to 1.30 kg.m-1.h-1 in the type T collectors. In type I collectors they ranged from 0.01 to 11.39 kg.m-1.h-1, while the same parameters varied from 0.01 to 0.73 kg.m-1.h-1 in type S collector. Based on the statistical analysis done, we concluded that the sediment transport increased proportionally to the wind speed 25 cm from the surface. However, this is not true above 25 cm from the surface. The transport of sediments is more intense near the surface where sedimentation ratios greater than 10 kg.m-1.h-1 were found, whilst a maximum value of 3 kg.m-1.h-1 was observed 25 cm below the surface. The volume of sediments collected increases with the increasing wind speed at the surface level, whereas this relationship is opposed far away from that surface / O presente estudo fez a an?lise de medidas de transporte e?lico utilizando coletores de areia verticais (Sand Traps) ao longo de um campo de dunas na praia de Jenipabu, munic?pio de Extremoz no estado do Rio Grande do Norte ao Norte da cidade de Natal. Estas medidas foram utilizadas como par?metro de avalia??o da movimenta??o e?lica nesta regi?o. Tr?s visitas a campo foram realizadas no m?s de setembro de 2011 nos dias 13 (campo "a"), 21 (campo "b") e 29 (campo "c"), per?odo do ano com maiores velocidades de vento e uma em dezembro de 2011 no dia 08 (campo "d"), per?odo onde a velocidade do vento come?a a diminuir. Utilizaram-se coletores tipo "I" com abertura de 25 cm a partir do n?vel da superf?cie e "S" com abertura de 25 cm a 25 cm da superf?cie em seis pontos de coleta em duas das visitas ? campo nos dias 13 de setembro (campo "a") e 08 de dezembro (campo "d"), e tipo "T" com abertura de 50 cm a partir do n?vel da superf?cie nas demais visitas 21 e 29 de setembro (campo "b" e "c") ao longo do Campo de Dunas de Jenipabu. Foram tamb?m coletados dados meteorol?gicos com a utiliza??o de esta??o meteorol?gica port?til e complementados com dados da Esta??o Meteorol?gica de Natal que est? localizada a cerca de 12 km da ?rea de estudo para obter informa??es sobre a frequ?ncia e intensidade dos ventos, precipita??o e umidade relativa do ar da regi?o. Os sedimentos coletados foram tratados e foi calculada a vaz?o de fluxo de sedimentos (taxa de sedimenta??o). Em setembro a taxa sedimenta??o variou de 0,01 at? 11,39 Kg m-1 h-1 e em dezembro entre 0,33 e 1,30 Kg. m-1. h-1 nos coletores tipo "T". Nos coletores tipo "I" esses valores variaram entre 0,01 e 11,39 Kg m-1 h-1, enquanto que nos coletores tipo "S" de 0,01 a 0.73 Kg. m-1. h-1. De acordo com a an?lise estat?stica realisada percebe-se que o transporte de sedimento aumentou proporcionalmente a velocidade do vento em at? 25 cm da superf?cie. Por?m, essa rela??o n?o ? verdadeira acima de 25 cm do n?vel da superf?cie. O transporte de sedimentos ? mais intenso mais pr?ximo ? superf?cie onde foram encontradas taxas de sedimenta??o maiores que 10Kg. m-1. h-1 enquanto que a 25cm de dist?ncia o m?ximo encontrado foi menor que 3Kg. m-1. h-1, a quantidade de sedimento coletados aumenta ? medida que aumenta a velocidade no n?vel da superf?cie, ao se afastar da superf?cie a quantidade de sedimento essa rela??o n?o ? verdadeira

We are currently speeding towards significant changes in the climate of the earth which, if ignored, will lead to severely altered climatic conditions with serious consequences for several species and ecosystems. The polar regions especially are very sensitive to climate changes, and the changes these regions undergo affect the climate on a global scale. To slow the global warming, it is crucial that we understand earth’s climatic and environmental history, and how it responds to changes in the climate. Palaeoclimatic archives hold much information of past climate variations stored in proxies that can be analysed to understand past environments. This study focuses on loess as one such proxy to analyse grain sizes, carbon storage and organic matter in a sequence from Adventdalen, Svalbard. The study has been conducted using grain size analysis and loss on ignition (LOI) as main methods to reconstruct late Holocene climate changes in the region. The results have provided an overview of temperature oscillations, many of which coincide with main climatic events of the past, and have been used to estimate the depositional ages of the different layers of the sequence. / Dagens klimatförändringar går allt snabbare mot en framtid med svårt omkastade klimatförhållanden som medför allvarliga konsekvenser för flera arter och ekosystem. Polarområdena är särskilt känsliga för klimatförändringar, och de förändringar som sker här påverkar klimatet på global nivå. En avgörande faktor för att bromsa den globala uppvärmningen är att vi förstår jordens klimathistoria och hur jorden reagerar på förändringar i klimatet. Paleoklimatiska arkiv innehåller mycket information om klimatvariationer förr. Sådan information finns lagrad i material som kan analyseras för att vidare förstå miljöer från förr. Den här studien fokuserar på lössjord som ett sådant material för att analysera kornstorlekar och organiskt material i en lössekvens från Adventdalen i Svalbard. Studien har genomförts genom att använda en kornstorleksanalysator och loss on ignition (LOI) som huvudsakliga metoder för att rekonstruera klimatförändringar under yngre Holocen i området. Resultaten har givit en överblick av temperaturförändringar, av vilka flera sammanfaller med större förflutna klimathändelser, och har använts för att göra en uppskattning av åldrar på de olika lagren av sekvensen.