FIELD WIND EROSION - VERTICAL-DISTRIBUTION

The quantity of soil material transported by wind will decrease with h eight above the surface. Airborne samples were obtained at five levels above four soils. Mass distribution with height differs for materials in saltation or in suspension. A technique was developed to mathemati cally describe the two modes of transport so the total quantity being transported could be determined by integrating the two equations. Tran sition height, where the transport mode changes from saltation to susp ension, is termed TSS. TSS decreases as surface soil texture changes f rom a fine sandy loam to a loam, indicating a higher percentage of the eroded material is moving at a greater distance above the soil surfac e. TSS increases as roughness of the soil surface increases, indicatin g a decrease in the suspension component and that the majority of erod ed material is moving close to the soil surface.