Rates and modes of dust accretion and deposition in an arid region—the Negev, Israel

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Abstract
Summary: Rates of dust accretion and deposition are dependent on the amount of available dust and the trap efficiency of a particular site. Several types of dust-trapping terrains are widespread in deserts: (1) Gravelly (Serir) surfaces that turn with time into Reg soils; (2) vegetated surfaces in the desert fringe that may turn into löessial terrains; (3) stabilized sand dunes; (4) playa surfaces. Loessial terrains exhibit a high rate of dust accretion during the late Pleistocene—0.07–0.15 mm a−1on the interfluves and ≤0.5 mm a−1along the flood plains. Gravelly surfaces usually trap about 0.1 mm a−1of dust initially but the rates decrease to several μm a−1due to plugging with dust and salts and may ultimately remain constant as a gravel-free B horizon develops. The amounts of imported dust, from both local and distant sources, have changed during the Quaternary due to climatic fluctuations. Roofless ancient building—most efficient dust traps—show that although large amounts of dust were available (much of it from local sources) during the late Holocene, there was not intensive dust accretion during this period due to increasing aridity and decreasing trap efficiency. Wash and gullying led to destruction of the once widespread efficient trapping terrains.
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