Identification of sand dune sources in the east Sistan, Iran by using mineralogical and morphoscopic characterization of sediments

Subject Areas : Mineralogy

Gholam Heidar Zoraghi ¹ , Kazem Shabani Goraji ² , محمد رضا نورا ³ , علی رضا راشکی ⁴ , آدام بمبای ⁵

1 - Department of Geology, Faculty Science, Azad University Zahedan Branch, Zahedan, Iran
2 - Department of Geology, Faculty Science, Azad University Zahedan Branch, Zahedan, Iran
3 - گروه زمین شناسی، دانشکده علوم، دانشگاه آزاد واحد زاهدان، زاهدان، ایران
4 - گروه مدیریت مناطق خشک و بیابانی، داشگاه فردوسی مشهد، مشهد، ایران
5 - گروه زمین شناسی، دانشگاه پرتوریا، افریقای جنوبی

Received: 2018-05-31 Accepted : 2018-12-23 Published : 2019-07-01

Keywords: Mineralogy, Sistan Plain, Morphology, Wind Erosion, Sand Source,

Abstract :

Sedimentation in the dune fields of the Sistan Plain of Iran is the result of deposition of fine-grained sediment downstream of the Helmand River. Due to poor adhesion and low moisture content of soil particles, and the strong renowned Levar wind, dune fields mostly of Barchan and Nebkha types are created. This study aims to assess the physical, morphological and mineralogical characteristics of surface (S) and sub-surface (S-S) sediments and their genetic relationships with the aeolian sand surface. For this purpose, 48 S and S-S sand samples were prepared from Niatak Corridor (NC) east of Sistan and were analyzed to determine their physical and mineralogical properties by dry sieving, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy methods. Results show that the physical characteristics of S and S-S sand particles, such as sorting, roundness, minimum elongation projection, Riley sphericity, morphoscopic and mineralogical characteristics, have no significant difference. The study of thin sections showed that all samples generally contain quartz, feldspar, calcite, gypsum and lithic components. This confirms that the source of S sand dunes is local and consists of the buried layers of sands in the close vicinity. Therefore, the Hamoun Lake are most likely not a source of regional sands. The local existence of Yardang also supports the conclusion of this research.

References:

1. Abbasi M, Feiznia S, Ahmadi H, Kazemi Y (2010) Study of sand dunes origin by geochemical of aeolian sediment in Niatak, Arid Biom Scientific and Research Journal 1(1): 34-43


2. Alizadeh Choobari O, Zawar-Reza P, Sturman A (2014) The wind of 120 days and dust storm activity over the Sistan Basin. Atmospheric Research. 143: 328-341.


3. Cao H, Amiraslani F, Liu J (2014) Identification of dust storm source areas in West Asia using multiple environmental datasets. Science of the Total Environment 502: 224–235.


4. Cao H, Liu J, Wang G, Yang G, Luo L (2015) Identification of sand and dust storm source areas in Iran. Journal Arid Land 7: 567–578


5. Dahmardeh BR, Esmaili-Sari A, Bahramifar N, Kaskaoutis DG (2016) Analysis of the TSP, PM10 concentrations and water-soluble ionic species in airborne samples over Sistan, Iran during the summer dusty period, Atmospheric Pollution Research 8:403-417 


6. Ekhtesasi MR (1996) Finding the source of sand dunes in Yazd-Ardakan plain. Institute of Forests and Rangelands Researches 139 p.


7. Ekhtesasi MR, Ahmadi H (1996) Introduction of two new methods for estimating sediment in wind erosion 1. An experimental method for estimating sediment erosion I.R.I.F.R 2. Indirect measurements using the W.E.meter device and regional velocity and wind velocity analysis. The 2nd national conference on desertification and different desertification techniques. Collection publications of Forestry and Rangeland Research Institute p. 15 (In Persian)


8. Ekhtesasi MR, Ghorbani Z (2013) Determining area affected by dust storms in different wind speeds, using satellite images (case study: Sistan plain, Iran). Desert 17: 193–202.


9. Folk RL, Ward WC (1957) Brazos river basin: A study in the significance of grain size parameter. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 27:3-27


10. Folk RL, (1980) Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks. Hemphill Publishing, Austin, TX, 184p.


11. Goudie AS (2009) Dust Storms: Recent developments. Journal of Environmental Management 90: 89-94.


12. Higashi T, Kambayashi Y, Ohkura N, Fujimura M, Nakanishi S, Yoshizaki T, Saijoh K, Hayakawa K, Kobayashi F, Michigami Y, Hitomi Y. (2014) Exacerbation of daily cough and allergic symptoms in adult patients with chronic cough by Asian dust: a hospital-based study in Kanazawa. Atmospheric Environment 97: 537–543.


13. Kaskaoutis DG, Rashki A, Houssos EE, Mofidi A, Goto D, Bartzokas A, Francois P, Legrand M (2015) Meteorological aspects associated with dust storms in the Sistan region, southeastern Iran. Climate Dynamics. 45: 407-424


14.  Liu LY, Li XY, Shi PJ, Gao SY, Wang JH, Ta WQ, Song Y, Liu MX, Wang Z, Xia BL (2007) Wind erodibility of major soils in the farming-pastoral ecotone of China. J. Environ. 68: 611-623


15. Mesbahzadeh T, Ahmadi H (2012) Investigation of Sand Drift Potential (Case Study: Yazd – Ardakan Plain). Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology 14(4): 919-928


16. Middleton NJ (1986) Dust storms in the Middle East. Journal of Arid Environments 10: 83-96


17. Negaresh H, Latifi L (2009) Origination of wind deposits in the east of Zabol by using of morphoscopy, physical and chemical analysis of sediments, Geography and Environmental Planning, the twentieth year 33:1-22


18. Nunez M (2010) Assessing potential desertification environmental impact in life cycle assessment Part 1: Methodological aspects. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 15: 67-78.


19.  Powell JT, Chatziefthimiou AD, Banack SA, Cox PA, Metcalf JS (2015) Desert crust microorganisms, their environment, and human health. Journal of Arid Environments 112: 127–133.


20. Rashki A, Kaskaoutis DG, Rautenbach CJW, Eriksson PG, Qiang M, Gupta P (2012) Dust storms and their horizontal dust loading in the Sistan region, Iran. Aeolian Research. 5: 51–62.


21. Rashki A, Eriksson PG, Rautenbach CJ, Kaskaoutis DG, Grote W, Dykstra J (2013a) Assessment of chemical and mineralogical characteristics of airborne dust in the Sistan region, Iran. In Chemosphere 90: 227-236


22. Rashki A, Kaskaoutis DG, Goudie AS, Kahn RA (2013b) Dryness of ephemeral lakes and consequences for dust activity: the case of the Hamoun drainage basin, southeastern Iran. Science of the Total Environment 463: 552 - 564


23. Rashki A, Kaskaoutis DG, Francois P, Kosmopoulos PG, Legrand M (2015) Dust-storm dynamics over Sistan region, Iran: seasonality, transport characteristics and affected areas. Aeolian Research. 16: 35-48.


24. Schreiber A, Weippert D, Wittekindt HP, Wolfart R (1971) Geology and petroleum potentials of central and south Afghanistan: The American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 56: 1494–1519


25. Shahryary A (2014) Assessment of Tasoki-Rigchah critical area in wind erosion production in Sistan plain. International journal of Advanced Biological and Biomedical Research 2: 463-472


26. Tucker M E (2001) Sedimentary Petrology, 3rd ed. Blackwell Science, Oxford, 262 p.


27. Whitney JW (2006) Geology, Water, and Wind in the Lower Helmand Basin, Southern Afghanistan: U.S. Geological Survey Investingations Report. 5182, 40p


28. Xiaozong R, Xiaoping Y, Zhenting W, Bingqi Z, Deguo Z, Patrick R (2014) Geochemical evidence of the sources of aeolian sands and their transport pathways in the Minqin Oasis, northwestern China. Quaternary International. 25: 334-335.


29. Xu DY, Kang XW, Zhuang DF, Pan JJ (2010) Multi- scale quantitative assessment of the relative roles of climate change and human activities in desertification – Case study of the Ordos Plateau, China. Journal of Arid Invironment 74: 498-507


30. Zarasvandi A (2011) Environmental Impacts of Dust Storms in the Khuzestan Province, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Khuzestan province, Internal Report, 375p.