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US Army Corps of Engineers

Coastal Inlets Research Program

AeoLiS: a multifraction wind-blown sediment transport model

AeoLiS is a process-based, multifractional aeolian sediment transport model that was developed specifically for systems that are supply limited, such as coastal environments. The model has both 1D (transect) and 2D (plane) capabilities to model cross-shore and longshore aeolian sediment transport that leads to coastal foredune development and coastal inlet infilling. Developments to the model allow for the simulation of beach armoring processes, the effects of sand fences, and the impact of different vegetation properties. Furthermore, the AeoLiS model allows the user control over conditions such as the wet/dry interface of the beach, vegetation growth rates, and a sample of grain sizes. The AeoLiS model can be summarized through its inputs (site conditions and alternative scenarios) and model steps seen in Figure 1.
Aeolis inputs
Figure 1. AeoLiS inputs and model steps in a schematic
AeoLiS is open-source and available publicly on the ERDC GitHub aeolis-python repository (link below). The model can be used with any Windows, MacOS, or Linux machine using a standard Python installation. A step-by-step training course developed by the Engineering Research and Development Center is also available at ERDC GitHub repository below within the “Tutorial” folder and leads the user through installation, model setup, and complete 1-D application of the model through multiple case studies that increase in complexity. The “Read the Docs” link below provides further background and support for the model including feature update information and documentation.
Related Publications
SandSnap: Measuring and Mapping Beach Grain Size using Crowd-sourced Smartphone Images. (Coastal Engineering 2024) Paper
AeoLiS: Numerical modelling of coastal dunes and aeolian landform development for real-world applications (Environmental Modelling and Software 2024) Paper
Exploring Ecological, Morphological, and Environmental Controls on Coastal Foredune Evolution at Annual Scales Using a Process-based Model (Sustainability MDPI 2024) Paper
Impact of Alongshore and Cross-shore Variability in Surface Grain Size on Sediment Supply to Dunes (Coastal Sediments 2023) Paper Poster
Measurement and Modeling of Particle Size Distributions within the Aeolian Saltation Layer (RD22 Conference) Poster
A process-based model for aeolian sediment transport and spatiotemporal varying sediment availability (JGR Earth Surface 2016) Paper
Training and Model Information

Point of Contact
Nicholas.T.Cohn@usace.army.mil - ERDC CHL FRF, Duck, NC