Progress in Aeolian Geomorphology Study in Xinjiang since Recent 10 Years

The progress of aeolian geomorphology study in Xinjiang reveals that air temperature increase and blown sand occur simultaneously in the Taklimakan Desert.Although there are some different wind types,the whole desert is in a low wind-energy environment.There is a linear correlation between the logarithm of sediment discharge at different parts of dunes and the dune height.When airflow crosses obliquely with a linear dune,the difference of sediment discharge between two sides of the dune is not so significant,which is one of the main reasons maintaining the balance between wind power and dune shape.The Gurbantonggut Desert is also in a low wind-energy environment,the dune surface is protectively covered by seasonal snow cover and frozen earth in winter,the vegetation and the biotic crust are the important factors maintaining the dune surface stable,and aeolian sand movement occurs at dune tops and upper part of dune slopes only.There is obvious landscape heterogeneity of the well developed biotic crust with many types.The study results of loess on the northern piedmonts of the Tianshan and Kunlun mountains reveal that the two large deserts in Xinjiang has been in obvious drought since the mid-Pleistocene,since then their areas have been gradually enlarged to the current extent.In addition,there is an obvious spatiotemporal differentiation of aeolian sand disasters along the Tarim Desert Highway and the water-conveying canal passing through the Gurbantonggut Desert.Therefore,the types and intensity of aeolian sand disasters can be qualitatively judged according to landforms and the geomorphologic features along these projects,thus the feasible programs and measures of controlling aeolian san disasters can be taken.For the future,the expansion of research domain,improvement of the research means and innovation of experimental technology about aeolian geomorphology in Xinjiang should be paid great attention to.