Erosive Wind Characteristics and Aeolian Sediment Transport and Dune Formation in Makran Region of Baluchistan, Iran

Understanding aeolian sediment transport and wind erosion enhances our knowledge of desert dune formation and sand migration. The Makran region of southern Sistan and Baluchistan is prone to wind-driven erosion alongside frequent sand and dust storms (SDSs). Hourly wind data from two meteorological stations spanning 1994-2020 were analyzed to study erosive winds and sand transport. Wind energy analysis using drift potential (DP) indicated low energy (DP < 200 in vector unit) and minimal spatial variation across the Makran dune fields. The effective winds transporting sand particles were towards the east from November to May, and in the northwestern direction from June to October. The DP showed a gradual decline in the study area from 1990 to 2022, with no significant temporal trends. The sand dune morphology analysis indicates that bimodal wind regimes primarily form linear dunes and sand sheets, while crescentic, transverse, and topographic dunes are also present.