Many architectural research studies have focused on creating new materials to reduce the exploitation of non-renewable natural resources,achieve sustainable development,and reduce carbon emissions.Desert sand(DS)has a...Many architectural research studies have focused on creating new materials to reduce the exploitation of non-renewable natural resources,achieve sustainable development,and reduce carbon emissions.Desert sand(DS)has attracted interest from researchers who have conducted numerous experimental investigations as a possible replacement for river sand.The idea of utilising DS in place of natural fine aggregates in construction has been demonstrated in the literature.However,to analyse and gain confidence in using DS in concrete,a thorough study of its various properties is needed.Therefore,this study addresses the morphological,chemical,and physical characteristics of DS from multiple perspectives.This review presents a study on the durability of desert sand concrete(DSC)and the use of DS cement-based products,and highlights investigations on the design of mix proportions and fresh and hardened properties of DSC.Research issues are emerging around the use of DS in engineered cementitious composites(ECC)materials and the investigation of desert sand powder(DSP)as mineral admixtures.Many issues need to be resolved quickly,which is crucial for the use of DS.In summary,research on DS is still in its early stages,and no systematic research results have been obtained at present.This review makes several recommendations and attempts to explain why DS will likely be widely used as a building material in the future.展开更多
Cyperus esculentus(C.esculentus),a desert-adapted plant species with both ecological and economic value,has been widely cultivated in northern China's sandy regions.However,limited studies have investigated the pe...Cyperus esculentus(C.esculentus),a desert-adapted plant species with both ecological and economic value,has been widely cultivated in northern China's sandy regions.However,limited studies have investigated the performance of composite shelterbelts that integrate C.esculentus.This study systematically evaluated five shelterbelt models—Populus euphratica(P.euphratica),P.euphratica–C.esculentus composite,P.euphratica–nylon net–C.esculentus composite,Tamarix chinensis(T.chinensis),and T.chinensis–C.esculentus composite—using wind tunnel experiments and field observations.Sediment flux was measured at a normalized downwind distance(x/h)of 5,where x refers to the distance from the front edge(upwind side)of the shelterbelt for upwind measurements,and the distance from the rear edge(downwind side)for downwind measurements,and h represents the canopy height.Wind velocity was measured at x/h of–2,–1,1,2,3,5,and 7,and sand flux was measured at x/h=5,under initial wind velocities of 8.0 and 12.0 m/s.The results indicated that the P.euphratica–nylon net–C.esculentus composite was the most effective in reducing wind velocity,followed by the P.euphratica–C.esculentus composite.In contrast,the P.euphratica and T.chinensis exhibited relatively weaker wind reduction capabilities.Regarding sand flux,under moderate wind velocity(8.0 m/s),both the P.euphratica–C.esculentus composite and P.euphratica–nylon net–C.esculentus composite demonstrated the lowest sand flux values.However,under high wind velocity(12.0 m/s),the P.euphratica–nylon net–C.esculentus composite significantly outperformed the other shelterbelt models in sand retention,highlighting its superior windbreak and sand fixation efficacy.Field observations further validated the windbreak and sand fixation effects of C.esculentus.Comparisons between the bare sand plot and C.esculentus plot within protective forests demonstrated that planting C.esculentus can provide substantial ecological benefits in windbreak and sand-fixation.These findings,reinforced by field observations,strengthen the wind tunnel experiment results and highlight the critical role of C.esculentus in enhancing the performance of composite shelterbelts for desert ecological restoration.展开更多
Desert shrubs are indispensable in maintaining ecological stability by reducing soil erosion,enhancing water retention,and boosting soil fertility,which are critical factors in mitigating desertification processes.Due...Desert shrubs are indispensable in maintaining ecological stability by reducing soil erosion,enhancing water retention,and boosting soil fertility,which are critical factors in mitigating desertification processes.Due to the complex topography,variable climate,and challenges in field surveys in desert regions,this paper proposes YOLO-Desert-Shrub(YOLO-DS),a detection method for identifying desert shrubs in UAV remote sensing images based on an enhanced YOLOv8n framework.This method accurately identifying shrub species,locations,and coverage.To address the issue of small individual plants dominating the dataset,the SPDconv convolution module is introduced in the Backbone and Neck layers of the YOLOv8n model,replacing conventional convolutions.This structural optimization mitigates information degradation in fine-grained data while strengthening discriminative feature capture across spatial scales within desert shrub datasets.Furthermore,a structured state-space model is integrated into the main network,and the MambaLayer is designed to dynamically extract and refine shrub-specific features from remote sensing images,effectively filtering out background noise and irrelevant interference to enhance feature representation.Benchmark evaluations reveal the YOLO-DS framework attains 79.56%mAP40weight,demonstrating 2.2%absolute gain versus the baseline YOLOv8n architecture,with statistically significant advantages over contemporary detectors in cross-validation trials.The predicted plant coverage exhibits strong consistency with manually measured coverage,with a coefficient of determination(R^(2))of 0.9148 and a Root Mean Square Error(RMSE)of1.8266%.The proposed UAV-based remote sensing method utilizing the YOLO-DS effectively identify and locate desert shrubs,monitor canopy sizes and distribution,and provide technical support for automated desert shrub monitoring.展开更多
Based on multi-source time-series data from 2017 to 2024,this study comprehensively employed Theil-Sen trend analysis,Mann-Kendall test,random forest regression model,and spatial and temporal lag correlation analysis ...Based on multi-source time-series data from 2017 to 2024,this study comprehensively employed Theil-Sen trend analysis,Mann-Kendall test,random forest regression model,and spatial and temporal lag correlation analysis to systematically investigate the variation characteristics of NDVI and their associated mechanisms with land use changes and groundwater depth in the study area.The results indicate that vegetation activity showed overall significant improvement during the study period,with 60.93%of the area exhibiting significant greening trends and only 6.55%showing degradation.The trajectory characteristics of land use changes could explain approximately 79.64%of the variation in NDVI trends,but their driving effects demonstrated significant spatial heterogeneity,with core driving zones accounting for 79.22%of the area.Groundwater depth showed an overall weak negative correlation with NDVI(r=-0.0464),but exhibited significant lag effects,and the correlation coefficient increased to-0.1763 when there was a lag of 3 months.The study concludes that regional vegetation changes were primarily driven by land use activities,while the influences of groundwater showed spatial and temporal lag characteristics.Ecological restoration policies should integrate land use optimization with water resource management,and fully consider the spatial heterogeneity and temporal lag effects of driving mechanisms.展开更多
Riparian dunes in deserts exhibit unique geographic features due to aeolian-fluvial interactions.In this study,we collected 510 surface sediment samples from eight drainage basins and conducted a systematic analysis t...Riparian dunes in deserts exhibit unique geographic features due to aeolian-fluvial interactions.In this study,we collected 510 surface sediment samples from eight drainage basins and conducted a systematic analysis to examine the grain size characteristics of major riparian dunes in the typical cold and arid deserts of China.The results indicate that major riparian dunes of deserts in study area can be classified into three types based on their grain size characteristics.The Bartlett test of sphericity and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO)test were also performed,and their significance values were found to be 0.000 and 0.584,respectively.The results of the principal component analysis revealed that the cumulative contribution rate of the total variance reached 85.9%for the two principal components with characteristic roots greater than 1.0.The primary principal component included medium sand,whereas the secondary principal component included fine sand.We conducted a cluster analysis and classified the samples into three major types.Type I rivers include the Keriya River,Langqu River,Tora River and Heihe River,which are characterized by by fine particle size,and well-sorted.Type II includes Mu Bulag River,Kuye River,and the Xar Moron River,Compared with type I,it has a relatively coarser mean grain size and relatively poor sorting for this type.Type III includes the Maquan River,which is characterized mainly by fine sand and medium sand,accounting for more than 90%,and the sorting coefficient(0.52)suggests relatively well sorting in this pattern.Moreover,principal component analysis was applied to determine the particle sizes of samples from different watersheds.Moreover,these sediments exhibit both hydromorphic and aeolian features.At the drainage basin scale,the mode and intensity of aeolian-fluvial interactions depend on climatic conditions.In arid and semi-arid climate regions,wind is the dominant force,and the grain size exhibits significant aeolian features.Conversely,in the semi-humid region,flowing water is the dominant force,and riparian dunes in this region are formed by aeolian-fluvial interaction.The angle between the wind direction and flow direction in different reaches influences both the supply of sediment sources and the development of riparian dunes.This study will provide a new perspective for evaluating aeolian-fluvial interactions on riparian dunes in the deserts of China’s cold and arid regions.展开更多
Scientific analysis of aeolian sand environments is fundamental for sustainable disaster mitigation along desert highways.However,significant regional variability in wind energy conditions complicates accurate charact...Scientific analysis of aeolian sand environments is fundamental for sustainable disaster mitigation along desert highways.However,significant regional variability in wind energy conditions complicates accurate characterization of wind regimes and introduces uncertainty in determining optimal monitoring timescales.Moreover,prevailing sand control measures often rely on standardized designs rather than site-specific adaptive strategies.To address these issues,this study proposes an integrated framework for aeolian environment analysis and develops targeted disaster mitigation strategies tailored for desert highways.The proposed framework employs wavelet transform to unravel the periodic characteristics of wind speed time series and integrates multi-source data(including ERA5 wind datasets,sand samples,ASTER GDEM,and multi-temporal remote sensing imagery)to enable a comprehensive aeolian environmental assessment.Concurrently,a suite of adaptive strategies is formulated to mitigate disaster risks along desert highways.Validated through a case study of the Tumushuk-Kunyu Desert Highway in Xinjiang,China,the framework exhibits high accuracy:predictions of annual aeolian sand transport activity show relative errors mostly below 7%against long-term reference sequences,and the calculated resultant drift direction exhibits a strong correlation with observed dune migration,yielding an R-squared value of 0.96.These findings confirm the framework’s reliability and provide a robust basis for designing adaptive,location-specific mitigation strategies,thereby enhancing the sustainability of desert highway infrastructure.展开更多
The Hedgehog(HH)family includes Indian(IHH),Desert(DHH),and Sonic Hedgehog(SHH).Proteins of the HH family are distinguished by their function as morphogens,i.e.,molecules that regulate the pattern of tissue developmen...The Hedgehog(HH)family includes Indian(IHH),Desert(DHH),and Sonic Hedgehog(SHH).Proteins of the HH family are distinguished by their function as morphogens,i.e.,molecules that regulate the pattern of tissue development in accordance with concentration gradient.Data accumulated over the years clearly demonstrate that HH signaling is essential in myelination,particularly in the life cycle of the oligodendrocyte lineage.展开更多
Belowground bud banks are essential for the regeneration of plant population in arid desert areas,and their response to environmental changes could reflect adaptive strategies of plants to desert habitats.However,the ...Belowground bud banks are essential for the regeneration of plant population in arid desert areas,and their response to environmental changes could reflect adaptive strategies of plants to desert habitats.However,the size and composition of belowground bud banks and their response to environmental factors in the desert steppe zone remain poorly understood,challenging desertification control efforts in arid desert areas.This study examined the density and vertical distribution of horizontal and vertical rhizome buds of a rhizomatous legume herb Sophora alopecuroides L.,its population characteristics,and soil physical-chemical properties in three habitats(interdune lowland(IL),flat sandy land(FSL),and desert steppe(DS))in a desert steppe zone,northern China.Our findings revealed that:(1)total and horizontal rhizome bud densities of S.alopecuroides differed significantly among the three habitats(P<0.05),with the largest total rhizome bud density(177 buds/m2)in IL and the smallest(63 buds/m2)in DS;(2)horizontal rhizome buds distributed in the deep soil layer were dominant in IL,while vertical rhizome buds in the top soil layer were predominant in DS;and(3)soil coarse sand,nutrient content,and population density were the primary factors affecting bud bank density of S.alopecuroides.Specifically,horizontal rhizome buds were dependent largely on soil coarse sand content,and vertical rhizome buds tended to be more related to soil organic matter content and population density.Our results indicated that horizontal rhizome buds were more important in IL with frequent aeolian disturbance,whereas vertical rhizome buds were more important in DS with abundant water and nutrient resources.The plastic responses and survival strategies of S.alopecuroides bud bank to different habitats provide valuable information for the effective implementation of desertification control measures and the management of desert steppe ecosystems.展开更多
Investigating the wind-sand flow response regularity in the longitudinal slope sections of desert highways provides a scientific basis for selecting the slope of desert roads.This study uses the Tengger Desert section...Investigating the wind-sand flow response regularity in the longitudinal slope sections of desert highways provides a scientific basis for selecting the slope of desert roads.This study uses the Tengger Desert section of the Wuhai-Maqin Expressway as a case study,employing CFD numerical simulation methods to calculate and analyze the wind-sand flow field distribution characteristics in different longitudinal slope sections.The results show that:(1)Along with the direction of the incoming flow,the windward and leeward slope toes of the embankment are low-wind-speed zones,with the wind speed at the leeward slope toe being even lower.The higher the embankment,the larger the low-wind-speed zone at the windward and leeward slope toes.As the longitudinal slope increases,the extent of the lowwind-speed zone at the same location along the route also increases.(2)Along the route direction,the wind speed at the windward and leeward slope toes decreases as embankment height increases.At the embankment toe,sand particles are transported from the top to the bottom of the longitudinal slope,and the greater the longitudinal slope,the stronger the transport effect.(3)Along the route direction,the sand accumulation around the embankment gradually gathers toward the bottom of the longitudinal slope as the slope increases.When the longitudinal slope is 3%and 4%,the trend of sand accumulation moving from the windward side at the end of the route to the leeward side at the start of the route is more significant.When the longitudinal slope is less than or equal to 3%,severe sand accumulation within the embankment range is reduced by 86.4%or more compared to when the slope is 4%.(4)Under the same longitudinal slope,the higher the embankment height,the smaller its transport rate.When the embankment height is the same,the greater the longitudinal slope,the greater the embankment transport rate.展开更多
Sand control engineering plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safe operation of transportation corridors that traverse desertified areas.Evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions provides a crucial scientifi...Sand control engineering plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safe operation of transportation corridors that traverse desertified areas.Evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions provides a crucial scientific basis for mitigating aeolian hazards and guiding the sustainable management of fragile and arid ecosystems.In this study,we investigated a representative section of Highway S315,which is prone to windblown sand hazards,in Ejin Banner,northern China.By integrating segmented measurements with unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)-based oblique photogrammetry,we quantitatively characterized the spatial and temporal evolution of sand accumulation around multiple sand control structures and assessed their blocking efficiency.Complementary road sand-removal records and meteorological observations were analyzed to evaluate the long-term performance of engineering measures.Our results showed that sand accumulation behind high vertical sand barriers typically exhibited a triangular cross-sectional morphology,with a gently inclined stoss slope and a steep lee slope.The shape and volume of these deposits evolved dynamically in response to variations in the prevailing wind regime,reflecting strong feedback between barrier geometry and local airflow redistribution.In contrast,the low-profile checkerboard sand barriers displayed a three-stage morphological trajectory—initial accumulation,edge intensification,and functional decline—indicating a progressive loss of sand-trapping capacity as burial proceeded.Sand accumulation was markedly greater on the highway's western(upwind)side than on the eastern(downwind)side,with 70.0%–90.0%of the airborne sediment flux intercepted by the upwind structures.From 2015 to 2020,mean annual wind speeds remained stable(2.68±0.04 m/s),while precipitation varied from 22.6 to 103.7 mm.However,the annual sand removal volume from the road decreased consistently,confirming the enhanced mitigation effect of multi-level protective system.These findings highlight the coupled interactions between engineering design,wind–sand dynamics,and topographic context.Beyond their immediate protective role,well-designed sand control systems also contribute to the prevention of regional desertification by stabilizing mobile dunes and fostering conditions favorable for ecological restoration.The insights gained here provide both theoretical and practical support for optimizing sand control engineering and advancing sustainable hazard mitigation in arid and semi-arid areas.展开更多
The South Aral Seabed is an extreme dryland ecosystem undergoing rapid transformation yet remains misrepresented or absent in global land cover datasets.Conventional vegetation indices,specifically the Normalized Diff...The South Aral Seabed is an extreme dryland ecosystem undergoing rapid transformation yet remains misrepresented or absent in global land cover datasets.Conventional vegetation indices,specifically the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI),perform poorly in such environments due to their limited ability to distinguish sparse vegetation from highly reflective saline and sandy soils.This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index(MSAVI)for improving land cover classification in the South Aral Seabed and conducted a decadal analysis of land cover change between 2013 and 2023 using Landsat 8 imagery(30 m resolution).A spectral index-based classification framework was developed,combining MSAVI with the Normalized Difference Water Index(NDWI)and Salinity Index 1(SI1)to reduce spectral confusion between vegetation,saline soils,and surface water.The MSAVI-based classification achieved an overall accuracy of 77.96%(Kappa coefficient=0.71),supported by 313 field-collected validation points from 2023.While the multi-index approach enabled finer discrimination of ecologically important classes,particularly separating salt pans from solonchak soils,it resulted in a lower overall accuracy(73.80%),highlighting a trade-off between class separability and classification performance.Land cover change analysis revealed a highly dynamic landscape,with 52.96%of the study area transitioning between classes over the decade.Transformed areas(16,893 km2)exceeded stable zones(15,004 km2),driven primarily by rapid desiccation and salinization.Solonchak soils increased at an annual rate of 5.58%,while surface water bodies declined by 4.83%per year.Concurrently,sparse or distressed vegetation increased by 1.43%annually,reflecting ongoing afforestation efforts.This study provides the first MSAVI-based and medium-resolution land cover baseline for the South Aral Seabed and demonstrates that soil-adjusted vegetation indices are essential for reliable dryland classification where conventional indices fail.The proposed spectral index framework offers a replicable methodology applicable to other global drylands facing similar land degradation and restoration challenges.展开更多
Sand and dust storms(SDSs)are natural disasters that frequently occur during spring in arid and semi-arid areas,causing serious impacts on human health,air quality,transportation,and agricultural production.Accurately...Sand and dust storms(SDSs)are natural disasters that frequently occur during spring in arid and semi-arid areas,causing serious impacts on human health,air quality,transportation,and agricultural production.Accurately simulating the occurrence and evolution of SDSs is of great significance for identifying dust sources and formulating effective disaster prevention measures.In this study,numerical simulations were conducted to reveal the dynamic spatiotemporal evolution and transport of dust load across East Asia.Using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model coupled with Chemistry(WRF-Chem)and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis v5(ERA5)data,the most severe SDS events in the spring of 2023 in East Asia were numerically simulated.The simulated results were compared and validated using meteorological observations and multisource remote sensing data.The results showed that the simulated dust load in the peak regions showed close agreement with ground-based observations during the events.The primary dust sources in spring 2023 were identified as the western desert of Mongolia,the Gobi Desert,and the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.Peak dust load and maximum wind speed occurred almost simultaneously,indicating that high wind speed was the primary driver of sand and dust mobilization during individual SDS events.Increased surface vegetation covers partially mitigated wind-driven dust emissions.In April,strong winds over the Gobi Desert on the Mongolian Plateau predominantly drove cross-border SDSs along northwestern and northward transport pathways.Dust originating from Mongolia exerts a substantial influence on particulate dust load in the central and eastern parts of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.In contrast,their impact on the northwestern regions of China remains relatively limited.These findings contribute to understanding the source areas of SDS events in East Asia by simulating the dynamic evolution of SDSs and elucidating the relationships between SDS events and local geographical and environmental factors.展开更多
The Taklimakan Desert,located in the heart of central Asia,covers approximately 330000 km^(2),making it China's largest desert and the world's second-largest shifting desert(Dong et al.,2024).With an average a...The Taklimakan Desert,located in the heart of central Asia,covers approximately 330000 km^(2),making it China's largest desert and the world's second-largest shifting desert(Dong et al.,2024).With an average annual precipitation of less than 100 mm and evaporation rates ranging from 2000 to 3000 mm(Yang et al.,2020),it is recognized as one of the driest regions on Earth,often referred to as the“sea of death”.展开更多
Tenebrionid beetles represent a crucial arthropod taxon in the Gobi desert ecosystems owing to their species richness and high biomass,both of which are essential for maintaining ecosystem health and stability.However...Tenebrionid beetles represent a crucial arthropod taxon in the Gobi desert ecosystems owing to their species richness and high biomass,both of which are essential for maintaining ecosystem health and stability.However,the spatiotemporal variations of tenebrionid beetle assemblages in the Gobi desert remain poorly understood.In this study,the monthly dynamics of tenebrionid beetles in the central part of the Hexi Corridor,Northwest China,a representative area of the Gobi desert ecosystems,were monitored using pitfall trapping during 2015-2020.The following results were showed:(1)monthly activity of tenebrionid beetles was observed from March to October,with monthly activity peaking in spring and summer,and monthly activity periods and peak of tenebrionid beetle species exhibited interspecific differences that varied from year to year;(2)spatial distribution of tenebrionid beetle community was influenced by structural factors.Specifically,at a spatial scale of 24.00 m,tenebrionid beetle community was strongly and positively correlated with the dominant species,with distinct spatial distribution patterns observed for Blaps gobiensis and Microdera kraatzi alashanica;(3)abundance of tenebrionid beetles was positively correlated with monthly mean precipitation and monthly mean temperature,whereas monthly abundance of B.gobiensis and M.kraatzi alashanica was positively correlated with monthly mean precipitation;and(4)the cover of Reaumuria soongarica(Pall.)Maxim.and Nitraria sphaerocarpa Maxim.had a positive influence on the number of tenebrionid beetles captured.In conclusion,monthly variation in precipitation significantly influences the community dynamic of tenebrionid beetles,with precipitation and shrub cover jointly determining the spatial distribution pattern of these beetles in the Gobi desert ecosystems.展开更多
Generally speaking,the precursors of ozone(O_(3)),nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are very low in desert areas due to the lack of anthropogenic emissions and natural emissions,and thus O_(3)concentratio...Generally speaking,the precursors of ozone(O_(3)),nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are very low in desert areas due to the lack of anthropogenic emissions and natural emissions,and thus O_(3)concentrations are relatively low.However,high summer background concentrations of about 100μg/m^(3)or 60 ppb were found in the Alxa Desert in the highland of northwest China based on continuous summer observations from 2019 to 2021,which was higher than the most of natural background areas or clean areas in world for summer O_(3)background concentrations.The high O_(3)background concentrations were related to surface features and altitude.Heavy-intensity anthropogenic activity areas in desert areas can cause increased O_(3)concentrations or pollution,but also generated O_(3)depleting substances such as nitrous oxide,which eventually reduced the regional O_(3)baseline values.Nitrogen dioxide(NO2)also had a dual effect on O_(3)generation,showing promotion at low concentrations and inhibition at high concentrations.In addition,sand-dust weather reduced O_(3)clearly,but O_(3)eventually stabilized around the background concentration values and did not vary with sand-dust particulate matter.展开更多
Badain Jaran Desert The Badain Jaran Desert,located in the north of Alxa Right Banner in Inner Mongolia and bordering Gansu Province to the west,is China’s third-largest and the world’s fourth-largest desert.Spannin...Badain Jaran Desert The Badain Jaran Desert,located in the north of Alxa Right Banner in Inner Mongolia and bordering Gansu Province to the west,is China’s third-largest and the world’s fourth-largest desert.Spanning an area of approximately 49,200 square km,with average altitudes ranging from 1,200 to 1,700 metres,this vast and majestic desert remains largely untouched,with around 10,000 square km still unexplored by humans.展开更多
1 When Guo Chengwang started to plant the trees in the Mu Us Desert in northwest China's Shaanxi Province almost 40 years ago,he did not expect his efforts to fight against desertification to last.While just one o...1 When Guo Chengwang started to plant the trees in the Mu Us Desert in northwest China's Shaanxi Province almost 40 years ago,he did not expect his efforts to fight against desertification to last.While just one of the 2,000 saplings that he had planted in 1985 survived,he was still more than exalted to find that poplars(杨树)could grow in the desert.展开更多
On February 20,2025,China National Petroleum Corporation announced that China's first ultra-deep scientific exploration well-Shenditake 1 Well-successfully reached a depth of 10910 m underground(Fig.1).Deep Earth ...On February 20,2025,China National Petroleum Corporation announced that China's first ultra-deep scientific exploration well-Shenditake 1 Well-successfully reached a depth of 10910 m underground(Fig.1).Deep Earth Towerke 1 Well is located in the heart of the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region,within the territory of Shaya County.It has become the deepest vertical well in Asia and the second deepest in the world.The well has successively set five major engineering records:The deepest global tailpipe cementing,the deepest global cable imaging logging,the fastest global onshore drilling to exceed 10000 m,the deepest direct well drilling in Asia,and the deepest onshore coring in Asia.This marks another major breakthrough for China in the field of“Deep Earth”exploration,following its achievements in“Deep Space”and“Deep Sea.”展开更多
Dunhuang,located in the northwestern part of China,is a town that feels like it's carved out of the pages of a history book.Nestled at the edge of the Gobi Desert in China's Gansu Province,this ancient oasis c...Dunhuang,located in the northwestern part of China,is a town that feels like it's carved out of the pages of a history book.Nestled at the edge of the Gobi Desert in China's Gansu Province,this ancient oasis city has been a crossroads of cultures,religions,and trade for over 2,000 years.展开更多
Deep in the Tengger Desert of Inner Mongolia autonomous region,surrounded by sand as far as the eye can see,lies the world's loneliest post office.Measuring only 15 square meters,the wooden post office doesn't...Deep in the Tengger Desert of Inner Mongolia autonomous region,surrounded by sand as far as the eye can see,lies the world's loneliest post office.Measuring only 15 square meters,the wooden post office doesn't get too many visitors anyway.But after being abandoned for over 35 years,it actually doesn't look half bad.展开更多
文摘Many architectural research studies have focused on creating new materials to reduce the exploitation of non-renewable natural resources,achieve sustainable development,and reduce carbon emissions.Desert sand(DS)has attracted interest from researchers who have conducted numerous experimental investigations as a possible replacement for river sand.The idea of utilising DS in place of natural fine aggregates in construction has been demonstrated in the literature.However,to analyse and gain confidence in using DS in concrete,a thorough study of its various properties is needed.Therefore,this study addresses the morphological,chemical,and physical characteristics of DS from multiple perspectives.This review presents a study on the durability of desert sand concrete(DSC)and the use of DS cement-based products,and highlights investigations on the design of mix proportions and fresh and hardened properties of DSC.Research issues are emerging around the use of DS in engineered cementitious composites(ECC)materials and the investigation of desert sand powder(DSP)as mineral admixtures.Many issues need to be resolved quickly,which is crucial for the use of DS.In summary,research on DS is still in its early stages,and no systematic research results have been obtained at present.This review makes several recommendations and attempts to explain why DS will likely be widely used as a building material in the future.
基金supported by the Xinjiang Key Research and Development Programme Project(2022B02040-2)the Tianshan Yingcai Program of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(2024TSYCLJ0028).
文摘Cyperus esculentus(C.esculentus),a desert-adapted plant species with both ecological and economic value,has been widely cultivated in northern China's sandy regions.However,limited studies have investigated the performance of composite shelterbelts that integrate C.esculentus.This study systematically evaluated five shelterbelt models—Populus euphratica(P.euphratica),P.euphratica–C.esculentus composite,P.euphratica–nylon net–C.esculentus composite,Tamarix chinensis(T.chinensis),and T.chinensis–C.esculentus composite—using wind tunnel experiments and field observations.Sediment flux was measured at a normalized downwind distance(x/h)of 5,where x refers to the distance from the front edge(upwind side)of the shelterbelt for upwind measurements,and the distance from the rear edge(downwind side)for downwind measurements,and h represents the canopy height.Wind velocity was measured at x/h of–2,–1,1,2,3,5,and 7,and sand flux was measured at x/h=5,under initial wind velocities of 8.0 and 12.0 m/s.The results indicated that the P.euphratica–nylon net–C.esculentus composite was the most effective in reducing wind velocity,followed by the P.euphratica–C.esculentus composite.In contrast,the P.euphratica and T.chinensis exhibited relatively weaker wind reduction capabilities.Regarding sand flux,under moderate wind velocity(8.0 m/s),both the P.euphratica–C.esculentus composite and P.euphratica–nylon net–C.esculentus composite demonstrated the lowest sand flux values.However,under high wind velocity(12.0 m/s),the P.euphratica–nylon net–C.esculentus composite significantly outperformed the other shelterbelt models in sand retention,highlighting its superior windbreak and sand fixation efficacy.Field observations further validated the windbreak and sand fixation effects of C.esculentus.Comparisons between the bare sand plot and C.esculentus plot within protective forests demonstrated that planting C.esculentus can provide substantial ecological benefits in windbreak and sand-fixation.These findings,reinforced by field observations,strengthen the wind tunnel experiment results and highlight the critical role of C.esculentus in enhancing the performance of composite shelterbelts for desert ecological restoration.
基金supported by the National Public Welfare Forest Desert Shrubbery Monitoring Project。
文摘Desert shrubs are indispensable in maintaining ecological stability by reducing soil erosion,enhancing water retention,and boosting soil fertility,which are critical factors in mitigating desertification processes.Due to the complex topography,variable climate,and challenges in field surveys in desert regions,this paper proposes YOLO-Desert-Shrub(YOLO-DS),a detection method for identifying desert shrubs in UAV remote sensing images based on an enhanced YOLOv8n framework.This method accurately identifying shrub species,locations,and coverage.To address the issue of small individual plants dominating the dataset,the SPDconv convolution module is introduced in the Backbone and Neck layers of the YOLOv8n model,replacing conventional convolutions.This structural optimization mitigates information degradation in fine-grained data while strengthening discriminative feature capture across spatial scales within desert shrub datasets.Furthermore,a structured state-space model is integrated into the main network,and the MambaLayer is designed to dynamically extract and refine shrub-specific features from remote sensing images,effectively filtering out background noise and irrelevant interference to enhance feature representation.Benchmark evaluations reveal the YOLO-DS framework attains 79.56%mAP40weight,demonstrating 2.2%absolute gain versus the baseline YOLOv8n architecture,with statistically significant advantages over contemporary detectors in cross-validation trials.The predicted plant coverage exhibits strong consistency with manually measured coverage,with a coefficient of determination(R^(2))of 0.9148 and a Root Mean Square Error(RMSE)of1.8266%.The proposed UAV-based remote sensing method utilizing the YOLO-DS effectively identify and locate desert shrubs,monitor canopy sizes and distribution,and provide technical support for automated desert shrub monitoring.
基金Supported by the Key Special Project for Water Conservancy Science and Technology of Ordos City(ESKJ2023-001).
文摘Based on multi-source time-series data from 2017 to 2024,this study comprehensively employed Theil-Sen trend analysis,Mann-Kendall test,random forest regression model,and spatial and temporal lag correlation analysis to systematically investigate the variation characteristics of NDVI and their associated mechanisms with land use changes and groundwater depth in the study area.The results indicate that vegetation activity showed overall significant improvement during the study period,with 60.93%of the area exhibiting significant greening trends and only 6.55%showing degradation.The trajectory characteristics of land use changes could explain approximately 79.64%of the variation in NDVI trends,but their driving effects demonstrated significant spatial heterogeneity,with core driving zones accounting for 79.22%of the area.Groundwater depth showed an overall weak negative correlation with NDVI(r=-0.0464),but exhibited significant lag effects,and the correlation coefficient increased to-0.1763 when there was a lag of 3 months.The study concludes that regional vegetation changes were primarily driven by land use activities,while the influences of groundwater showed spatial and temporal lag characteristics.Ecological restoration policies should integrate land use optimization with water resource management,and fully consider the spatial heterogeneity and temporal lag effects of driving mechanisms.
基金Under the auspices of the General Project of Science and Technology Department of Shaanxi Province(No.2023-JCYB-264)General Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41801004,42371008,42471012)。
文摘Riparian dunes in deserts exhibit unique geographic features due to aeolian-fluvial interactions.In this study,we collected 510 surface sediment samples from eight drainage basins and conducted a systematic analysis to examine the grain size characteristics of major riparian dunes in the typical cold and arid deserts of China.The results indicate that major riparian dunes of deserts in study area can be classified into three types based on their grain size characteristics.The Bartlett test of sphericity and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO)test were also performed,and their significance values were found to be 0.000 and 0.584,respectively.The results of the principal component analysis revealed that the cumulative contribution rate of the total variance reached 85.9%for the two principal components with characteristic roots greater than 1.0.The primary principal component included medium sand,whereas the secondary principal component included fine sand.We conducted a cluster analysis and classified the samples into three major types.Type I rivers include the Keriya River,Langqu River,Tora River and Heihe River,which are characterized by by fine particle size,and well-sorted.Type II includes Mu Bulag River,Kuye River,and the Xar Moron River,Compared with type I,it has a relatively coarser mean grain size and relatively poor sorting for this type.Type III includes the Maquan River,which is characterized mainly by fine sand and medium sand,accounting for more than 90%,and the sorting coefficient(0.52)suggests relatively well sorting in this pattern.Moreover,principal component analysis was applied to determine the particle sizes of samples from different watersheds.Moreover,these sediments exhibit both hydromorphic and aeolian features.At the drainage basin scale,the mode and intensity of aeolian-fluvial interactions depend on climatic conditions.In arid and semi-arid climate regions,wind is the dominant force,and the grain size exhibits significant aeolian features.Conversely,in the semi-humid region,flowing water is the dominant force,and riparian dunes in this region are formed by aeolian-fluvial interaction.The angle between the wind direction and flow direction in different reaches influences both the supply of sediment sources and the development of riparian dunes.This study will provide a new perspective for evaluating aeolian-fluvial interactions on riparian dunes in the deserts of China’s cold and arid regions.
基金jointly funded by the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.U2568210)the Interdisciplinary Research Program of Shihezi University(Grant No.JCYJ202317)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12362035)。
文摘Scientific analysis of aeolian sand environments is fundamental for sustainable disaster mitigation along desert highways.However,significant regional variability in wind energy conditions complicates accurate characterization of wind regimes and introduces uncertainty in determining optimal monitoring timescales.Moreover,prevailing sand control measures often rely on standardized designs rather than site-specific adaptive strategies.To address these issues,this study proposes an integrated framework for aeolian environment analysis and develops targeted disaster mitigation strategies tailored for desert highways.The proposed framework employs wavelet transform to unravel the periodic characteristics of wind speed time series and integrates multi-source data(including ERA5 wind datasets,sand samples,ASTER GDEM,and multi-temporal remote sensing imagery)to enable a comprehensive aeolian environmental assessment.Concurrently,a suite of adaptive strategies is formulated to mitigate disaster risks along desert highways.Validated through a case study of the Tumushuk-Kunyu Desert Highway in Xinjiang,China,the framework exhibits high accuracy:predictions of annual aeolian sand transport activity show relative errors mostly below 7%against long-term reference sequences,and the calculated resultant drift direction exhibits a strong correlation with observed dune migration,yielding an R-squared value of 0.96.These findings confirm the framework’s reliability and provide a robust basis for designing adaptive,location-specific mitigation strategies,thereby enhancing the sustainability of desert highway infrastructure.
基金Spanish government(PID2022-143110OB-IOO)Merck Foundation(20234599)grants(to FdeCS)Univesidad Camilo Jose Cela(CEIDI_VI_08_06_XI_EMYDEM)grant(to MMF)。
文摘The Hedgehog(HH)family includes Indian(IHH),Desert(DHH),and Sonic Hedgehog(SHH).Proteins of the HH family are distinguished by their function as morphogens,i.e.,molecules that regulate the pattern of tissue development in accordance with concentration gradient.Data accumulated over the years clearly demonstrate that HH signaling is essential in myelination,particularly in the life cycle of the oligodendrocyte lineage.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42207539,42377470)the Key Research and Development Project of Science and Technology Plan of Gansu Province in China International Science and Technology Cooperation Project(25YFWA009).
文摘Belowground bud banks are essential for the regeneration of plant population in arid desert areas,and their response to environmental changes could reflect adaptive strategies of plants to desert habitats.However,the size and composition of belowground bud banks and their response to environmental factors in the desert steppe zone remain poorly understood,challenging desertification control efforts in arid desert areas.This study examined the density and vertical distribution of horizontal and vertical rhizome buds of a rhizomatous legume herb Sophora alopecuroides L.,its population characteristics,and soil physical-chemical properties in three habitats(interdune lowland(IL),flat sandy land(FSL),and desert steppe(DS))in a desert steppe zone,northern China.Our findings revealed that:(1)total and horizontal rhizome bud densities of S.alopecuroides differed significantly among the three habitats(P<0.05),with the largest total rhizome bud density(177 buds/m2)in IL and the smallest(63 buds/m2)in DS;(2)horizontal rhizome buds distributed in the deep soil layer were dominant in IL,while vertical rhizome buds in the top soil layer were predominant in DS;and(3)soil coarse sand,nutrient content,and population density were the primary factors affecting bud bank density of S.alopecuroides.Specifically,horizontal rhizome buds were dependent largely on soil coarse sand content,and vertical rhizome buds tended to be more related to soil organic matter content and population density.Our results indicated that horizontal rhizome buds were more important in IL with frequent aeolian disturbance,whereas vertical rhizome buds were more important in DS with abundant water and nutrient resources.The plastic responses and survival strategies of S.alopecuroides bud bank to different habitats provide valuable information for the effective implementation of desertification control measures and the management of desert steppe ecosystems.
基金financially supported by Youth Science“Research on Failure Mechanism and Evaluation Method of Sand Control Measures for Railway Machinery in Sandy Area”(12302511)Ningxia Transportation Department Science and Technology Project(20200173)The Central Guidance on Local Science and Technology Development Funds(22ZY1QA005)。
文摘Investigating the wind-sand flow response regularity in the longitudinal slope sections of desert highways provides a scientific basis for selecting the slope of desert roads.This study uses the Tengger Desert section of the Wuhai-Maqin Expressway as a case study,employing CFD numerical simulation methods to calculate and analyze the wind-sand flow field distribution characteristics in different longitudinal slope sections.The results show that:(1)Along with the direction of the incoming flow,the windward and leeward slope toes of the embankment are low-wind-speed zones,with the wind speed at the leeward slope toe being even lower.The higher the embankment,the larger the low-wind-speed zone at the windward and leeward slope toes.As the longitudinal slope increases,the extent of the lowwind-speed zone at the same location along the route also increases.(2)Along the route direction,the wind speed at the windward and leeward slope toes decreases as embankment height increases.At the embankment toe,sand particles are transported from the top to the bottom of the longitudinal slope,and the greater the longitudinal slope,the stronger the transport effect.(3)Along the route direction,the sand accumulation around the embankment gradually gathers toward the bottom of the longitudinal slope as the slope increases.When the longitudinal slope is 3%and 4%,the trend of sand accumulation moving from the windward side at the end of the route to the leeward side at the start of the route is more significant.When the longitudinal slope is less than or equal to 3%,severe sand accumulation within the embankment range is reduced by 86.4%or more compared to when the slope is 4%.(4)Under the same longitudinal slope,the higher the embankment height,the smaller its transport rate.When the embankment height is the same,the greater the longitudinal slope,the greater the embankment transport rate.
基金supported by the Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Planning Project(23ZDFA018)the Research Program of Construction Science and Technology Project of the Transportation Department of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China(NJ-2018-29)the Gansu Province Longyuan Youth Talent Program,and the Doctoral Research Start-up Fund of Fuyang Normal University,China(2024KYQD0123).
文摘Sand control engineering plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safe operation of transportation corridors that traverse desertified areas.Evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions provides a crucial scientific basis for mitigating aeolian hazards and guiding the sustainable management of fragile and arid ecosystems.In this study,we investigated a representative section of Highway S315,which is prone to windblown sand hazards,in Ejin Banner,northern China.By integrating segmented measurements with unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)-based oblique photogrammetry,we quantitatively characterized the spatial and temporal evolution of sand accumulation around multiple sand control structures and assessed their blocking efficiency.Complementary road sand-removal records and meteorological observations were analyzed to evaluate the long-term performance of engineering measures.Our results showed that sand accumulation behind high vertical sand barriers typically exhibited a triangular cross-sectional morphology,with a gently inclined stoss slope and a steep lee slope.The shape and volume of these deposits evolved dynamically in response to variations in the prevailing wind regime,reflecting strong feedback between barrier geometry and local airflow redistribution.In contrast,the low-profile checkerboard sand barriers displayed a three-stage morphological trajectory—initial accumulation,edge intensification,and functional decline—indicating a progressive loss of sand-trapping capacity as burial proceeded.Sand accumulation was markedly greater on the highway's western(upwind)side than on the eastern(downwind)side,with 70.0%–90.0%of the airborne sediment flux intercepted by the upwind structures.From 2015 to 2020,mean annual wind speeds remained stable(2.68±0.04 m/s),while precipitation varied from 22.6 to 103.7 mm.However,the annual sand removal volume from the road decreased consistently,confirming the enhanced mitigation effect of multi-level protective system.These findings highlight the coupled interactions between engineering design,wind–sand dynamics,and topographic context.Beyond their immediate protective role,well-designed sand control systems also contribute to the prevention of regional desertification by stabilizing mobile dunes and fostering conditions favorable for ecological restoration.The insights gained here provide both theoretical and practical support for optimizing sand control engineering and advancing sustainable hazard mitigation in arid and semi-arid areas.
基金supported by the United Kingdom(UK)Darwin Initiative(28-003).
文摘The South Aral Seabed is an extreme dryland ecosystem undergoing rapid transformation yet remains misrepresented or absent in global land cover datasets.Conventional vegetation indices,specifically the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI),perform poorly in such environments due to their limited ability to distinguish sparse vegetation from highly reflective saline and sandy soils.This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index(MSAVI)for improving land cover classification in the South Aral Seabed and conducted a decadal analysis of land cover change between 2013 and 2023 using Landsat 8 imagery(30 m resolution).A spectral index-based classification framework was developed,combining MSAVI with the Normalized Difference Water Index(NDWI)and Salinity Index 1(SI1)to reduce spectral confusion between vegetation,saline soils,and surface water.The MSAVI-based classification achieved an overall accuracy of 77.96%(Kappa coefficient=0.71),supported by 313 field-collected validation points from 2023.While the multi-index approach enabled finer discrimination of ecologically important classes,particularly separating salt pans from solonchak soils,it resulted in a lower overall accuracy(73.80%),highlighting a trade-off between class separability and classification performance.Land cover change analysis revealed a highly dynamic landscape,with 52.96%of the study area transitioning between classes over the decade.Transformed areas(16,893 km2)exceeded stable zones(15,004 km2),driven primarily by rapid desiccation and salinization.Solonchak soils increased at an annual rate of 5.58%,while surface water bodies declined by 4.83%per year.Concurrently,sparse or distressed vegetation increased by 1.43%annually,reflecting ongoing afforestation efforts.This study provides the first MSAVI-based and medium-resolution land cover baseline for the South Aral Seabed and demonstrates that soil-adjusted vegetation indices are essential for reliable dryland classification where conventional indices fail.The proposed spectral index framework offers a replicable methodology applicable to other global drylands facing similar land degradation and restoration challenges.
基金supported by the Science&Technology Fundamental Resources Investigation Program(2023FY100700)the Key Project of Innovation LREIS(KPI006)+1 种基金the Key R&D and Achievement Transformation Program of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region(2023KJHZ0027)the Construction Project of China Knowledge Centre for Engineering Sciences and Technology(CKCEST-2023-1-5).
文摘Sand and dust storms(SDSs)are natural disasters that frequently occur during spring in arid and semi-arid areas,causing serious impacts on human health,air quality,transportation,and agricultural production.Accurately simulating the occurrence and evolution of SDSs is of great significance for identifying dust sources and formulating effective disaster prevention measures.In this study,numerical simulations were conducted to reveal the dynamic spatiotemporal evolution and transport of dust load across East Asia.Using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model coupled with Chemistry(WRF-Chem)and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis v5(ERA5)data,the most severe SDS events in the spring of 2023 in East Asia were numerically simulated.The simulated results were compared and validated using meteorological observations and multisource remote sensing data.The results showed that the simulated dust load in the peak regions showed close agreement with ground-based observations during the events.The primary dust sources in spring 2023 were identified as the western desert of Mongolia,the Gobi Desert,and the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.Peak dust load and maximum wind speed occurred almost simultaneously,indicating that high wind speed was the primary driver of sand and dust mobilization during individual SDS events.Increased surface vegetation covers partially mitigated wind-driven dust emissions.In April,strong winds over the Gobi Desert on the Mongolian Plateau predominantly drove cross-border SDSs along northwestern and northward transport pathways.Dust originating from Mongolia exerts a substantial influence on particulate dust load in the central and eastern parts of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.In contrast,their impact on the northwestern regions of China remains relatively limited.These findings contribute to understanding the source areas of SDS events in East Asia by simulating the dynamic evolution of SDSs and elucidating the relationships between SDS events and local geographical and environmental factors.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42072211)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42401048)the Third Xinjiang Scientific Expedition and Research Program(No.2021xjkk0302)。
文摘The Taklimakan Desert,located in the heart of central Asia,covers approximately 330000 km^(2),making it China's largest desert and the world's second-largest shifting desert(Dong et al.,2024).With an average annual precipitation of less than 100 mm and evaporation rates ranging from 2000 to 3000 mm(Yang et al.,2020),it is recognized as one of the driest regions on Earth,often referred to as the“sea of death”.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U23A2063)the Gansu Province Top-notch Leading Talents Project(E339040101)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41771290,42377043,41773086).
文摘Tenebrionid beetles represent a crucial arthropod taxon in the Gobi desert ecosystems owing to their species richness and high biomass,both of which are essential for maintaining ecosystem health and stability.However,the spatiotemporal variations of tenebrionid beetle assemblages in the Gobi desert remain poorly understood.In this study,the monthly dynamics of tenebrionid beetles in the central part of the Hexi Corridor,Northwest China,a representative area of the Gobi desert ecosystems,were monitored using pitfall trapping during 2015-2020.The following results were showed:(1)monthly activity of tenebrionid beetles was observed from March to October,with monthly activity peaking in spring and summer,and monthly activity periods and peak of tenebrionid beetle species exhibited interspecific differences that varied from year to year;(2)spatial distribution of tenebrionid beetle community was influenced by structural factors.Specifically,at a spatial scale of 24.00 m,tenebrionid beetle community was strongly and positively correlated with the dominant species,with distinct spatial distribution patterns observed for Blaps gobiensis and Microdera kraatzi alashanica;(3)abundance of tenebrionid beetles was positively correlated with monthly mean precipitation and monthly mean temperature,whereas monthly abundance of B.gobiensis and M.kraatzi alashanica was positively correlated with monthly mean precipitation;and(4)the cover of Reaumuria soongarica(Pall.)Maxim.and Nitraria sphaerocarpa Maxim.had a positive influence on the number of tenebrionid beetles captured.In conclusion,monthly variation in precipitation significantly influences the community dynamic of tenebrionid beetles,with precipitation and shrub cover jointly determining the spatial distribution pattern of these beetles in the Gobi desert ecosystems.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2022YFF0802501)Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Program(Nos.2021GG0100 and 2022YFHH0116).
文摘Generally speaking,the precursors of ozone(O_(3)),nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are very low in desert areas due to the lack of anthropogenic emissions and natural emissions,and thus O_(3)concentrations are relatively low.However,high summer background concentrations of about 100μg/m^(3)or 60 ppb were found in the Alxa Desert in the highland of northwest China based on continuous summer observations from 2019 to 2021,which was higher than the most of natural background areas or clean areas in world for summer O_(3)background concentrations.The high O_(3)background concentrations were related to surface features and altitude.Heavy-intensity anthropogenic activity areas in desert areas can cause increased O_(3)concentrations or pollution,but also generated O_(3)depleting substances such as nitrous oxide,which eventually reduced the regional O_(3)baseline values.Nitrogen dioxide(NO2)also had a dual effect on O_(3)generation,showing promotion at low concentrations and inhibition at high concentrations.In addition,sand-dust weather reduced O_(3)clearly,but O_(3)eventually stabilized around the background concentration values and did not vary with sand-dust particulate matter.
文摘Badain Jaran Desert The Badain Jaran Desert,located in the north of Alxa Right Banner in Inner Mongolia and bordering Gansu Province to the west,is China’s third-largest and the world’s fourth-largest desert.Spanning an area of approximately 49,200 square km,with average altitudes ranging from 1,200 to 1,700 metres,this vast and majestic desert remains largely untouched,with around 10,000 square km still unexplored by humans.
文摘1 When Guo Chengwang started to plant the trees in the Mu Us Desert in northwest China's Shaanxi Province almost 40 years ago,he did not expect his efforts to fight against desertification to last.While just one of the 2,000 saplings that he had planted in 1985 survived,he was still more than exalted to find that poplars(杨树)could grow in the desert.
文摘On February 20,2025,China National Petroleum Corporation announced that China's first ultra-deep scientific exploration well-Shenditake 1 Well-successfully reached a depth of 10910 m underground(Fig.1).Deep Earth Towerke 1 Well is located in the heart of the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region,within the territory of Shaya County.It has become the deepest vertical well in Asia and the second deepest in the world.The well has successively set five major engineering records:The deepest global tailpipe cementing,the deepest global cable imaging logging,the fastest global onshore drilling to exceed 10000 m,the deepest direct well drilling in Asia,and the deepest onshore coring in Asia.This marks another major breakthrough for China in the field of“Deep Earth”exploration,following its achievements in“Deep Space”and“Deep Sea.”
文摘Dunhuang,located in the northwestern part of China,is a town that feels like it's carved out of the pages of a history book.Nestled at the edge of the Gobi Desert in China's Gansu Province,this ancient oasis city has been a crossroads of cultures,religions,and trade for over 2,000 years.
文摘Deep in the Tengger Desert of Inner Mongolia autonomous region,surrounded by sand as far as the eye can see,lies the world's loneliest post office.Measuring only 15 square meters,the wooden post office doesn't get too many visitors anyway.But after being abandoned for over 35 years,it actually doesn't look half bad.
