Potential of dust emission resources using small wind tunnel and GIS: case study of Bakhtegan playa, Iran

Determination of the high potential of dust emission is a requisite affair in the management of dusts emission and as well as avoiding its risks. Wind tunnel is among the most important approaches in the study of areas having high potential in emitting dusts. Extensive dried playas and desert areas require the making of low-cost, simple, and car-portable tunnels capable of presenting comparable data of various areas even supposing not having enough precision in the model of real wind motion. In this study, we first engaged in making a car-portable tunnel with a primarily semicircle section of 38 cm height, 50 cm diameter, and 110 cm length. A fan and key appliance with the ability to change speed were used along with a simple transformer launched with car battery. Then, concentration of the pm10 dusts was measured in the various wind speeds of 1, 2.5, 4, 5.5, and 7 m/s by the help of anemometer and digital equipments. The study of Bakhtegan playa was done, as the methodology of handling with this tunnel, in 35 positions, and zoning of the results was performed via ArcGIS software. Depending on the destructibility of the shell by wind, the areas under study were categorized as low potential (34%), medium potential (37%), and high potential (29%) in emitting dusts. The results of zoning spotted the high-potential areas on the map. The usage of small tunnels, as in the present model, may be applied in order for the low-cost and fast studies of vast areas to the purpose of playas management.