Aeolian processes and effects
Aeolian processes and effects is a research topic within Earth-Surface Processes. Science Explorer counts 25k research works in it since 1950. 21.0% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers explores the dynamics of aeolian processes, including wind erosion, sand dune formation and mobility, the impact of vegetation cover, and the influence of climate change on desert landscapes. It also delves into the interactions between aeolian and fluvial systems, dust emission, and the geomorphological effects of windbreaks.
- Aeolian Processes
- Wind Erosion
- Sand Dunes
- Dune Dynamics
- Vegetation Cover
- Climate Change
- Sediment Transport
- Desertification
- Coastal Dunes
- Dust Emission
- Research works
- 25k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 5.3k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 21.0% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +23% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Aeolian processes and effects research?
By volume, China and the United States publish the most (1.2k and 640 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 China 1.2k works
- 2 United States 640 works
- 3 France 229 works
- 4 Germany 130 works
- 5 India 127 works
- 6 United Kingdom 115 works
- 7 Iran 105 works
- 8 Spain 103 works
- 9 Italy 93 works
- 10 Japan 92 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead Aeolian processes and effects research?
By volume in 2022–2025, Chinese Academy of Sciences publishes the most Aeolian processes and effects research, followed by Lanzhou University and Beijing Normal University.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 65 works
- 2 Lanzhou UniversityChina 36 works
- 3 Beijing Normal UniversityChina 35 works
- 4 University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 28 works
- 5 Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueFrance 26 works
- 6 Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and ResourcesChina 22 works
- 7 Delft University of TechnologyNetherlands 19 works
- 8 Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityChina 18 works
- 9 Institute of Soil and Water ConservationChina 17 works
- 10 Shaanxi Normal UniversityChina 17 works
Who are the leading researchers in Aeolian processes and effects?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Aeolian processes and effects include Philippe Ciais, Hai Cheng and Rattan Lal.
- 1 Philippe Ciais France 4k citations
- 2 Hai Cheng China 2.9k citations
- 3 Rattan Lal United States 2.8k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Aeolian processes and effects research done?
The largest centres of Aeolian processes and effects research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Lanzhou (China), Nanjing (China) and Paris (France). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Lanzhou, Hohhot and Delft.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where it is the local speciality
- LanzhouCN · 83.4 works10×
- HohhotCN · 30.0 works9.6×
- DelftNL · 25.8 works8.5×
- ÜrümqiCN · 33.5 works8.0×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Aeolian processes and effects than the world average.
Where is the best place to study Aeolian processes and effects?
Among universities, judged by research, Beijing Normal University, Northwest A&F University and Lanzhou University score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beijing Normal UniversityChina | 72.8 | 35.8% | 13.1× | 35 | +60.1% |
| 2 | Northwest A&F UniversityChina | 60.9 | 45.0% | 8.1× | 12 | +22.5% |
| 3 | Lanzhou UniversityChina | 55.6 | 22.4% | 15.8× | 36 | -64.0% |
| 4 | Ocean University of ChinaChina | 54.6 | 36.4% | 5.1× | 10 | +273.6% |
| 5 | Delft University of TechnologyNetherlands | 52.5 | 27.6% | 7.2× | 18 | -14.4% |
| 6 | Shaanxi Normal UniversityChina | 52.0 | 17.2% | 15.4× | 17 | +74.8% |
| 7 | Beijing Forestry UniversityChina | 51.5 | 25.2% | 12.5× | 14 | +4.5% |
| 8 | Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityChina | 50.5 | 25.9% | 34.0× | 18 | -57.4% |
| 9 | Ningxia UniversityChina | 50.3 | 23.2% | 11.5× | 9 | +86.7% |
| 10 | University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChina | 49.6 | 32.5% | 4.4× | 28 | +17.0% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is Aeolian processes and effects research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 23% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2024. The fastest-growing topics are Aeolian processes and effects.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.