Drift potential is an important parameter to measure the strength of sand activities in an area. In order to understand sand particle migration in Tazhong area located in the Hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert

and to provide scientific reference for the prevention and control of sandstorm in the area

threshold sand-moving wind speed was revised to replace the previous empirical value through monthly surface soil moisture

and then the distribution of drift potential in the area was studied based on the meteorological data of Tazhong area from 2006 to 2012

including wind speed and direction. Results are as follows: (1) Sand-moving wind was mainly distributed in the ENE

NE and E directions. (2) The drift potential was mainly distributed in spring and summer. The seasonal resultant drift potential in spring was 71.3 VU and the resultant direction was 31°; in summer it was 59.7 VU and the resultant direction was 70.7°; and in winter

the resultant drift potential was least

only 1 VU. (3) The ratio of resultant drift potential to drift potential was relatively high in four seasons

showing that the wind regime was single in Tazhong area. (4) The drift potential was mainly distributed in the ENE

NE and E directions in four seasons.