Aeolian Processes and Arid Landscapes

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering aeolian erosion, depositional features, dune types, and desertification based on the lecture notes.

Deflation

The process where wind removes finer particles from the surface.

Blowout

A depression caused by wind erosion.

Desert pavement

A layer of pebbles left behind after the process of deflation.

Abrasion

The mechanical scraping of a rock surface by friction between rocks and moving particles during wind erosion.

Ventifacts

Wind-shaped stones characterized by sharp-edge faces.

Yardangs

Streamlined desert ridges created by wind abrasion.

Sand dune

A hill of loose wind-born sand formed by deposition.

Loess

Silt- and clay-sized particles deposited by wind; often a peri-glacial deposit or found on the boundaries of large desert areas.

Ripples

The smallest aeolian depositional feature, shaped by the saltation of grains and positioned transverse to wind direction.

Windward side

The side of a dune or ripple characterized by a gentle slope.

Slip face (Leeward)

The steep slope of a dune with an angle of repose of approximately $34^\circ$.

Taklamakan Desert

Known as the 2nd largest desert in the world.

Barchans

Crescent-shaped dunes with horns pointing downwind, formed when sand moves across an outcrop.

Parabolic dunes

Crescent-shaped dunes with horns pointing upwind, formed when wind breaks through vegetation.

Transverse dunes

Dunes formed perpendicular to the wind direction in regions of abundant sand.

Longitudinal dunes (seifs)

Dunes formed parallel to the wind direction in regions of limited sand and variable wind directions.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically resulting from drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.

The Great Green Wall

A project and initiative mentioned as a response to combat desertification.

The Dust Bowl

A period of severe dust storms and soil erosion in the U.S. during 1935.