Littoral landforms of Lake Hulun and Lake Buir (China and Mongolia)

Littoral landforms of Lake Hulun and Lake Buir (China and Mongolia): Wind-driven hydro-sedimentary dynamics and resulting clastics distribution

Wang, Li (China University of Geosciences; University of Strasbourg)
Schuster, Mathieu (University of Strasbourg)
Xin, Shi Wei (PetroChina)
Zainescu, Florin (Bucharest University; Aix Marseille Université)
Xue, X. (TU Delft Applied Geology; Sun Yat-sen University)
Storms, J.E.A. (TU Delft Applied Geology)
May, Jan Hendrik (University of Melbourne)
Nutz, Alexis (Aix Marseille Université)
van der Vegt, Helena (Deltares)
Bozetti, Guilherme (PetroChina)
Jiang, Zai Xing (China University of Geosciences)

2024

Two rectangular-shaped lakes, Lake Hulun and Lake Buir, located at the boundary between China and Mongolia, only c. 75 km apart and therefore experiencing similar wind fields, have been studied based on satellite images and field surveys in order to compare their geomorphological and sedimentological characteristics. The wind-driven hydrodynamics, which have a significant effect on the development of littoral landforms and on sediment distribution, have been discussed for the two similar lakes that experienced a prevailing wind perpendicular to their long axis. A conceptual model related to wind-driven water bodies and sediment distribution is proposed. Wave-influenced to wave-dominated deltas, beaches, spits, and eolian dune deposits develop around these two lakes, with a strikingly similar distribution pattern. These features locally inform the longshore drift and help reconstruct the water circulation induced by wind forcing. Under the NW prevailing wind regime, the spits developed on the SW coast with a NW–SE extension, which was influenced by the NW–SE longshore currents. The same influence was observed in the delta extension in the NE area. The differences lie in the presence of fan deltas in the NW region of Lake Hulun, but not in Lake Buir. Additionally, the width of the beach and eolian deposits on the downwind coast of Lake Hulun is three times greater than that of Lake Buir which were caused by the differences in sediment supply and wind fetch between the two lakes. Lake Hulun and Lake Buir provide two reliable examples to understand the relationship among the wind field, provenance, hydrodynamics, landforms, and asymmetrical distribution of clastics in elongated lakes. They also represent relevant modern analogs, which may also be of guiding significance to wind-driven sand body prediction in lacustrine basins.

Fetch
Geomorphology
Hydrodynamics
Lake Buir
Lake Hulun
Sedimentary facies
Shoreline
Spits
Wind-driven lakes

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f49ca0a5-0000-4596-9a29-2e0c472af4d6

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jop.2024.03.002

2095-3836

Journal of Palaeogeography, 13 (2), 309-326

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2024 Li Wang, Mathieu Schuster, Shi Wei Xin, Florin Zainescu, X. Xue, J.E.A. Storms, Jan Hendrik May, Alexis Nutz, Helena van der Vegt, Guilherme Bozetti, Zai Xing Jiang