Deserts and Wind Erosion

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to deserts and wind erosion, including definitions of various important terms and concepts discussed in the lecture.

Desert

A dry, barren area with little vegetation, which can be hot, warm, or cold.

Rain Shadow Desert

An arid region created on the leeward side of mountains, where moisture is blocked by the mountains.

Pediment

A gently sloping plane at the foot of a mountain formed by the headward erosion of streams.

Mesa

An isolated, almost level landmass that stands distinctly above the surrounding area, with a larger summit area than a butte.

Inselberg

A bedrock hill or mountain rising from a surrounding plain of alluvium.

Aeolian Erosion

Erosion caused by wind, which removes fine particles and reshapes the landscape in arid environments.

Deflation

The process by which wind removes fine particles from the surface, lowering the landscape.

Desert Pavement

A surface layer of closely packed rocks formed when wind removes smaller particles, leaving gravel behind.

Ventifact

A rock that has been shaped by the abrasive action of wind, characterized by flat sides and sharp edges.

Desert Varnish

A thin coating of manganese compounds that develops on the surface of rocks due to slow chemical weathering.

Alluvial Fan

A fan-shaped deposit of sediment formed where a stream's slope decreases, causing sedimentation as water flows onto a flatter area.

Bajada

A series of coalescing alluvial fans that merge together at the base of a mountain.

Loess

A fine, wind-blown sediment that accumulates after glaciers grind down rocks into very small particles.

Sand Dunes

Hills of sand formed by the wind, with shape and size dependent on wind direction and the amount of sand available.

Transverse Dunes

Dunes that form perpendicular to the wind direction, typically where there is a constant wind.

Barchan Dunes

Crescent-shaped dunes with horns pointing downwind, formed in areas with limited sand supply.

Parabolic Dune

A dune that has a horseshoe shape, with tips pointing upwind; often develops from transverse dunes.

Star Dunes

Dunes that form where the wind direction is variable, creating a star-like shape.