Vegetation barriers increase inertial particle deposition through preferential concentration

Vegetation barriers increase inertial particle deposition through preferential concentration | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Vegetation barriers increase inertial particle deposition through preferential concentration Shuai Shuai, Qi Li, Gabriel Katul This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9164043/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The significance of dust storms of agricultural origin on air quality and reduced visibility is not in dispute. However, the effectiveness of mitigation measures employing canopy barriers remains a subject of debate and research inquiry. Here, the impact of a canopy patch on the transport of inertial particles (IP) within the atmospheric boundary layer is investigated using Large Eddy Simulation (LES) coupled with the Lagrangian Stochastic Method (LSM). The results reveal enhanced spatial clustering of IPs downward from the canopy barrier - at least when compared to the no-barrier case. This clustering is attributed to the 'preferential concentration' mechanism, followed by down-flow, both of which are initiated by wakes produced behind the canopy patch. Different particle inertia are examined to assess whether increases in particle Stokes number remain consistent with enhancements in the preferential concentration mechanism. The findings suggest that, while canopies reduce downwind wind speed, induced preferential concentration can locally enhance IP deposition, posing potential visibility risks immediately downstream. It is envisaged that the findings here provide planning guidance for forest planting near roadways to mitigate visibility issues during dust storms. Dust storms Inertial particles Large Eddy Simulation Preferential deposition Vegetation canopy Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 24 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 18 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 19 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 19 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 19 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 18 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9164043","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":610997217,"identity":"433039a9-2fb5-4d84-9371-54c4aa5bf87b","order_by":0,"name":"Shuai Shuai","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Cornell University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shuai","middleName":"","lastName":"Shuai","suffix":""},{"id":610997218,"identity":"e63437f1-0b1b-469a-9b7e-d84309c77305","order_by":1,"name":"Qi Li","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAs0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACPmYgkVDBYADiSBClhQ2s5QxJWkAEYxtJWtgZGG88nHfH2OAA88HbPAx2ecQ4jNkicdszM4MDbMnWPAzJxcRoYZNI3HbYxuAAj5k0D8OBxAbitMwBaeH/RoqWhsNAh/GwEauFsdki4dgzY8nDbMaWcwySCWvh5z988OaPmjuGfcebH954U2FHWAswUhqA0XGAgQEUp5DoIQJAtIyCUTAKRsEowAUAgRUy5OnDTtEAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Peking University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Qi","middleName":"","lastName":"Li","suffix":""},{"id":610997221,"identity":"41b5200a-102a-43e9-ac61-89a5486d21b8","order_by":2,"name":"Gabriel Katul","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Duke University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Gabriel","middleName":"","lastName":"Katul","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-19 02:27:45","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9164043/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9164043/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105564044,"identity":"f53a48e3-f55f-41dd-af6b-8937964ed5b4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-27 12:48:35","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":44694135,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"blmqisversion3.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9164043/v1_covered_65aae6d3-4f9a-4fbd-80f7-4882169f9f5d.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Vegetation barriers increase inertial particle deposition through preferential concentration","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"boundary-layer-meteorology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"boun","sideBox":"Learn more about [Boundary-Layer Meteorology](http://link.springer.com/journal/10546)","snPcode":"10546","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10546/3","title":"Boundary-Layer Meteorology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Dust storms, Inertial particles, Large Eddy Simulation, Preferential deposition, Vegetation canopy","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9164043/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9164043/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"The significance of dust storms of agricultural origin on air quality and reduced visibility is not in dispute. 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