Formation and evolution of granule ripples on an artificial flattening surface

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00128

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (2): 53-62.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00128

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Formation and evolution of granule ripples on an artificial flattening surface

Yuxuan Meng¹^,²(), Guangqiang Qian¹, Zhuanling Yang³, Xuegang Xing³, Kaijia Pan¹^,², Youyuan Guo¹

^1.State Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands，Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Lanzhou 730000，China
^2.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences，Beijing 100049，China
^3.School of Geography and Resources，Guizhou Education University，Guiyang 550018，China

Received:2025-05-29 Revised:2025-07-23 Online:2026-03-20 Published:2026-04-13

Abstract

Abstract:

Granule ripples are aeolian landforms composed of bimodal grain-sized sediments and are widely distributed on Earth and Mars. Since previous studies have not correlated the evolution process of granule ripples with dynamic forces， in order to explore the relationship between morphological evolution and dynamics， this study flattened a typical granule ripple area in the Sanlongsha region. Through in-situ field observation of its evolution process， three-dimensional topographic data were obtained， and the relationships among morphological changes， movement patterns， and wind conditions were analyzed. The results show that 91 granule ripples were formed in the early stage of evolution， with an average length of 1.09 m and an average height of 0.06 m. After the fusion of granule ripples with different movement speeds， the number decreased， the length increased， the overall movement speed slowed down， and the spacing increased. They returned to a mature state in about nine months. Subsequently， gale weather caused the granule ripples to decompose. The number increased to four times the original， the length shrank to 1/4 of the original， the number of ridge lines further increased， and the granule ripples underwent processes of fracture， re-formation， and then re-merging. Through in-situ observation， this study makes up for the deficiencies of previous studies due to equipment and technical limitations. It reveals the formation and evolution process of granule ripples on flat surfaces， which is of great significance for in-depth understanding of their dynamic processes. At the same time， it also provides important references for understanding aeolian landforms such as giant ripples and transverse sand ridges on Mars.

Key words: granule ripple, formation and evolution, morphological parameters, movement velocity, wind conditions

CLC Number:

P931.3

Yuxuan Meng, Guangqiang Qian, Zhuanling Yang, Xuegang Xing, Kaijia Pan, Youyuan Guo. Formation and evolution of granule ripples on an artificial flattening surface[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2026, 46(2): 53-62.

Figures/Tables 9

References 34

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观测日期	脊线数目/条	脊线长度/m	间距/m	脊线走向/(°)	平均高度/m	曲度
2021-09-25	67	1.47	1.14	111.3	0.13	1.05
2021-12-11	91	1.09	0.39	95.2	0.06	1.07
2022-06-03	13	5.24	2.53	123.5	0.09	1.04
2022-07-05	49	1.24	1.03	100.2	0.09	1.04
2022-07-08	63	1.10	1.65	112.7	0.11	1.07
2023-02-08	36	2.96	2.56	99.1	0.19	1.04
2023-07-23	83	1.27	0.74	108.4	0.12	1.07
2023-10-14	28	3.36	1.12	99.3	0.13	1.09

观测日期	脊线数目/条	脊线长度/m	间距/m	脊线走向/(°)	平均高度/m	曲度
2021-09-25	67	1.47	1.14	111.3	0.13	1.05
2021-12-11	91	1.09	0.39	95.2	0.06	1.07
2022-06-03	13	5.24	2.53	123.5	0.09	1.04
2022-07-05	49	1.24	1.03	100.2	0.09	1.04
2022-07-08	63	1.10	1.65	112.7	0.11	1.07
2023-02-08	36	2.96	2.56	99.1	0.19	1.04
2023-07-23	83	1.27	0.74	108.4	0.12	1.07
2023-10-14	28	3.36	1.12	99.3	0.13	1.09

观测日期	脊线数目/条	脊线长度/m	间距/m	脊线走向/(°)	平均高度/m	曲度
2021-12-11	53	1.74	0.59	98.8	0.09	1.21
2022-06-03	6	7.99	3.42	132.0	0.17	1.02
2022-07-05	37	1.59	1.39	98.9	0.16	1.06
2022-07-08	45	1.63	2.62	114.6	0.13	1.14
2023-02-08	20	3.33	2.64	109.8	0.22	1.00
2023-07-23	48	1.59	0.76	111.2	0.13	1.05
2023-10-14	21	3.68	1.13	99.6	0.13	1.12

观测日期	脊线数目/条	脊线长度/m	间距/m	脊线走向/(°)	平均高度/m	曲度
2021-12-11	53	1.74	0.59	98.8	0.09	1.21
2022-06-03	6	7.99	3.42	132.0	0.17	1.02
2022-07-05	37	1.59	1.39	98.9	0.16	1.06
2022-07-08	45	1.63	2.62	114.6	0.13	1.14
2023-02-08	20	3.33	2.64	109.8	0.22	1.00
2023-07-23	48	1.59	0.76	111.2	0.13	1.05
2023-10-14	21	3.68	1.13	99.6	0.13	1.12

时段	平均风速/（m·s^-1）	起沙风平均风速/（m·s^-1）	起沙风占比	大风占比	极大风占比
P1	3.57	8.76	0.17	0.098	0.018
P2	4.07	8.35	0.23	0.028	0.001
P3	5.25	7.55	0.39	0.022	0.000
P4	5.41	9.78	0.58	0.080	0.077
P5	3.57	8.45	0.18	0.044	0.007
P6	4.17	8.53	0.26	0.060	0.011
P7	4.72	8.04	0.33	0.025	0.001

Formation and evolution of granule ripples on an artificial flattening surface

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